Delicious Challah

Ingredients:

4T Yeast

4C Warm Water

5lbs Bread Flour

2C Honey

1.5C Vegetable Oil

1.5T Salt

3 Eggs

Instrutions:

Mix 1 cup of honey, hot water and yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom, it should be foaming. While yeast is blooming, put the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour. Place salt in the well and cover it up (salt kills yeast). Then make little trenches on the sides of the flour (not deep). Add the eggs, oil, 1 cup of honey, and yeast/water. Mix well until dry enough to knead. Continue to knead by folding the corners into the center for 5-15 minutes (do not beat the dough!). When the dough is poked, and comes back, it is ready.

Now is a good time to say any specific blessings or prayers for yourself and for other people. Separate the challah with the special blessing of “L’hafrish challah” [an olive sized amount of the dough should be separated. Either burn the separated challah, or double wrap it and throw it out.] Set aside in a warm place and let it rise covered for 45+ minutes.

Punch down your challah & braid it into desired shapes. Let it rise again for 30+ min. Bake on parchment paper for about 22 minutes at 350 degrees (depending on your oven & the size of your challah).

Recipe modified from the Kosher Palette