bonappetit4.1
Challah
This braided challah recipe makes two loaves, but can easily be halved. It's dairy-free, shiny from an egg glaze, and encrusted with sesame or poppy seeds.
👥 2 Servings🔥 Cook: 35 min👤 Jill Weinberg📖 bonappetit
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●bowl
- ●whisk
- ●baking sheet
- ●oven
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Whisk 2 (¼-oz.) envelopes active dry yeast (about 4½ tsp.), 2 tsp. sugar, and ¼ cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or a large bowl if kneading by hand). Let sit until foamy, about ⏱️ 10 minutes.
envelopes active dry yeast (about 4½ tsp.)2 (¼-oz.)(875 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting7 cups
2
Whisk 2 large eggs to blend in a medium bowl. Add 2 cups (16 oz.) warm water, 4¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ cup shortening, melted, and remaining ¾ cup sugar and whisk to combine.
¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt4(875 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting7 cups
3
Add egg mixture and 7 cups (875 g) all-purpose flour to yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and very sticky and pulls away from sides of bowl, about ⏱️ 10 minutes. (Alternatively, knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth and elastic, about ⏱️ 10 minutes.)
4
Grease a large bowl with shortening; transfer dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place for 1½–⏱️ 2 hours (or chill for 8–⏱️ 12 hours), until doubled in size.
5
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal portions. Shape each into a 17"-long rope. Grease 2 rimmed baking sheets with shortening. Place 3 ropes side by side on each prepared sheet. Working with one at a time, pinch ropes together at one end; braid, then pinch ends together and tuck under. Let sit in a warm place until 1½ times larger, about ⏱️ 1 hour.
6
Preheat oven to 325°. Beat 2 egg yolks and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Working with one at a time, brush braided bread dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds (if using). Bake first loaf ⏱️ 15 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 400° and continue baking until browned and challah sounds hollow when tapped, 15–⏱️ 20 minutes more (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf should read 200–210°). Let cool on baking sheet.
(875 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting7 cupsSesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)
7
Reduce oven temperature to 325°, then leave oven door open ⏱️ 5 seconds to cool down. Repeat baking with remaining dough. Do ahead: Challah can be made 3 days ahead; keep tightly wrapped at room temperature, or freeze up to 1 month. Let cool before storing. Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in September 2016 as part of BA’s Best, a collection of our essential recipes. It has been edited to decrease the final cooking temperature. Head this way for more of our favorite bread recipes →
Reviews & Ratings
Share your thoughts and feedback about this recipe
Write a Review
Community Feedback
0 ReviewsLoading reviews...