Tatiana's Challah

Ingredients:

4 C Warm Water

2 Cubes Active Yeast

2 ¼ C Sugar plus 1 T

5 lbs. Flour (sifted)

4 Large Eggs

1 ½ C oil plus 1 T

¼ C Vanilla Extract

2 T Salt

Directions:

Combine water, yeast and 1 T sugar in a bowl and put in a warm place for 10 min. Mixture must bubble when stirred at the end of 10 min or the yeast isn't good.

Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center and put in yeast mixture, 3 beaten eggs, vanilla and oil. Mix and slowly add more flour until dough doesn't stick to the bowl and then continue kneading. It is important to knead/mix dough for a total of at least 20 min to insure fluffiness.

Spread 1T oil over top of dough, cover tightly and put in a warm place for 2 hours or until at least doubled in size (it will triple if you give it the time but don't leave overnight as the yeast will turn the bread sour).

Place on clean surface and knead for a few min. This is the time to separate challah with the Brucha Asher Kidashanu... le'hafrish challah, then take off a piece at least the size of an egg and burn it or make it in some way inedible.

Separate challahs into tennis ball sized balls and roll them out into long thin strips. Pinch 3 or more strips together at the top and braid. .

Let loaf rise for another 45 min and brush top with a mixture of 1 egg and 1/4 cup water.

Bake for 25-30 min at 350, turn halfway through to insure equal baking and check often. Challas will be done when top is light brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

Created by: Tatiana Gondelman