Title: Challah #2
 Categories: Bread
      Yield: 12 Servings
 
  1 1/2 c  Warm water
      3 pk Active dry yeast
  1 1/2    Eggs; lightly beaten
      3    Egg yolks
    1/4 c  Plus
      2 tb Vegetable oil
    1/3 c  Plus
      1 tb Sugar
      6    -(up to)
  6 1/2 c  Bread baking flour
      1 tb Salt (I use less than this;
           -however)
           Cornmeal; for dusting baking
           -pan
           Poppy or sesame seeds; for
           -topping (optional)
    1/2    Egg (or more) beaten with:
      1 ts Water; for egg wash
 
  From: gjmmmc@qnis.net (shira rachel maled)
  
  Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 11:28:13 -0700 The kids and I were baking our
  Shabbat challah and thought we would share one of our favorite
  recipes with you. Since we are new to the list, I hope this isn't a
  recipe that has already been submitted.
  
  **CHALLAH** -exported, but slightly modified, from Secrets of a Jewish
  Baker by George Greenstein. Made with a mixer that has dough hook.
  This could be modified to stir and knead via hand, too.
  
  In mixing bowl sprinkle the yeast over the warm water to soften; stir
  gently to dissolve. Add sugar and let sit for 5-10 min to "ripen".
  Add the eggs, egg yolks, oil, 6 C. flour, and salt. Start mixer with
  dough hook at slow speed so that flour does not fly out of bowl. Mix
  until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Continue
  mixing for 15 minutes. I run the mixer at low speed, for the most
  part, but alternately boost the speed up a bit. Transfer the dough to
  an oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover with clean cloth until the
  dough has tripled in volume, or when indentation made with a finger
  pushed into center of dough does not recede. This usually is about 1
  hour. I put a casserole dish of warm water on the bottom rack of the
  oven. The bowl of rising dough is on the rack above it. After dough
  has risen, punch it down, cut in half, cover and allow to rise 15
  minutes.  (I return it to the not yet turned on oven-with the warm
  water dish for this part). After the 15 minutes, punch down again and
  divide into 2 sections.  From each section make 3 challah "ropes",
  rolling with the palms.   Braid challah and brush with egg wash,
  covering completely but not allowing the excess eggs to drip into
  crevices. Transfer the bread to cornmeal-dusted baking sheets. Return
  to oven or other warm area(enclosed),covered, and allow to rise until
  doubled in size. If desired, re-eggwash top of braided loaf and dust
  with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree
  oven on the middle shelf until the bread is a rich mahogany color and
  the bottom has a hollow sound when tapped lightly with your finger
  tips.  To test for doneness, press lightly between the braids on the
  highest part of the bread; it should be firm. Let cool on a wire rack.
  
  ** A tasty alternative to this is to make 2 smaller challahs and use a
  third batch of dough differently. Sometimes we use a rolling pin to
  flatten the dough. Then we sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar
  over it. We roll it up, jellyroll style, and put in a bread loaf pan
  to bake at the same rate as the others. It is delicious, especially
  when it is warm and spread with butter! Enjoy and have a good shabbos!