Challah
With Mazola® Vegetable Oil
SERVING SIZE
2 Loaves
TOTAL TIME
2 Hours 10 Minutes
SKILL LEVEL
Expert
Ingredients:
- 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 5-3/4 teaspoons Fleischmann’s® Bread Booster™
- 1 cup warm water (100°F to 110°F)
- 2 (4-1/2 tsp.) envelopes Fleischmann’s® Traditional Yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 eggs – 3 whole, 1 white. Reserve extra yolk
- 1 teaspoon water
- For greasing, 1 tablespoon Mazola® Vegetable Oil
- Optional, sesame seed
- Extra flour for dusting surface
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl mix flour and Bread Booster together.
- Place 1/2 cup warm water in a large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Add remaining water, sugar, butter, salt, and 1-1/2 cups flour mixture; blend well. Stir in 3 eggs, 1 egg white (reserve 1 yolk). When eggs are incorporated, add remaining flour mixture to make soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 25-35 minutes.
- Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface; divide in half. Set aside 1 half. Divide remaining half into 2 pieces, one about 2/3 of the dough and the other about 1/3 of the dough. Divide the larger piece into 3 equal pieces; roll to 12-inch ropes. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet; braid. Pinch ends to seal. Divide remaining pieces into 3 equal pieces. Roll to 10-inch ropes; braid. Place the small braid on the large braid. Pinch ends firmly to seal and secure to the large braid. Repeat with remaining dough to make a second loaf on another baking sheet. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 25-30 minutes.
- Beat reserved egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired.
- Bake one loaf at a time at 400°F for 13 to 15 minutes or until done.
- Bake both loaves at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until done, switching positions of sheets in the oven halfway through baking time. Remove from sheets; let cool on wire racks.
