Not Kosher Challah
Challah is a plaited bread (sometimes covered with poppyseeds, other times containing raisins and honey) made from yeast raised dough, enriched with eggs and served on the Jewish Sabbath. My version contains butter and according to Jewish law, makes it un-kosher. An orthodox Jew would use oil or margarine (please don’t make me use that vile, yellow dyed fat). Sometimes I make it plain and other times with honey and sultanas (the sultana version is very good in bread and butter pudding) But do as you please. I don’t bother to plait mine anymore. I did it once and I honestly think it is better left in its round free form shape. This is so easy that anyone who has not baked their own bread should find it simple enough to do. All that is required is mixing, rising and baking. No kneading.. And very satisfying. This bread is very similar to brioche and I love it straight from the oven, still hot with the steam rising, and lashings of real butter. Just a note on flour- I use organic flour (only because I like to support the farmers who are doing the right thing) but you can use ordinary flour. And I have never used bread flour. A chef once told me that’s what you use to make bread. Well, I have never used it and I have never made bad bread.
Ingredients
1 packet of dry yeast (7 g )
250 ml warm-hot water from the tap
1/3 cup sugar
3 free range eggs
125g butter, melted (use oil if you are kosher)
1 1/2 tsp salt
700 g plain flour (see above)
1 egg beaten for glazing
Variation
1/3 cup honey (instead of sugar)
1 cup sultanas
Ingredients
1 packet of dry yeast (7 g )
250 ml warm-hot water from the tap
1/3 cup sugar
3 free range eggs
125g butter, melted (use oil if you are kosher)
1 1/2 tsp salt
700 g plain flour (see above)
1 egg beaten for glazing
Variation
1/3 cup honey (instead of sugar)
1 cup sultanas
Method
In a bowl or a jug, add the yeast to the water. You want the water to be hot enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that you will kill it. Bearable to the touch is just about right.
To it add the sugar or honey.
Add the melted butter, the eggs and salt.
Mix with a whisk or fork to combine.
Place the flour and sultanas (if using) into a much larger bowl and pour over the wet ingredients. Mix lightly to combine, using a wooden spoon. I use the spoon because I don’t like sticky dough on my fingers. If you aren’t as precious as I am, you can use your hands.
Cover with cling film and leave to rise and just get on with whatever else you are doing. It will need about 2 hours and I have left it for 6 hours because it was convenient. You will see when it is ready-it will double in size, roughly.
Punch the dough down and cut it into 2 halves.
Place on separate baking tins (oil and flour the tins to prevent the bread sticking) and cover with tea towels. Leave again to rise for another hour.
In the meantime turn the oven on to 200c.
When it is time to bake, brush the tops with the glazing mixture and bake for around 40 min. To make sure they cook evenly I rotate them around every 10 mins.
They are cooked when they are well browned and make a hollow sound when you tap the underside.
Delicious, and perfect. Enough for 2 loaves (just freeze the other)
In a bowl or a jug, add the yeast to the water. You want the water to be hot enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that you will kill it. Bearable to the touch is just about right.
To it add the sugar or honey.
Add the melted butter, the eggs and salt.
Mix with a whisk or fork to combine.
Place the flour and sultanas (if using) into a much larger bowl and pour over the wet ingredients. Mix lightly to combine, using a wooden spoon. I use the spoon because I don’t like sticky dough on my fingers. If you aren’t as precious as I am, you can use your hands.
Cover with cling film and leave to rise and just get on with whatever else you are doing. It will need about 2 hours and I have left it for 6 hours because it was convenient. You will see when it is ready-it will double in size, roughly.
Punch the dough down and cut it into 2 halves.
Place on separate baking tins (oil and flour the tins to prevent the bread sticking) and cover with tea towels. Leave again to rise for another hour.
In the meantime turn the oven on to 200c.
When it is time to bake, brush the tops with the glazing mixture and bake for around 40 min. To make sure they cook evenly I rotate them around every 10 mins.
They are cooked when they are well browned and make a hollow sound when you tap the underside.
Delicious, and perfect. Enough for 2 loaves (just freeze the other)
