CHRISTMAS EVE CHALLAH

CHRISTMAS EVE CHALLA ( 1997/2011)

( My FAVOURITE homemade bread. It is a Jewish braided egg bread, most commonly eaten during Friday night’s Sabbath meal.  It has deeper meaning at the Jewish New Year, when it is traditional to sweeten it with honey, in hopes that the next year will be sweet. Then it is made into a crown. But I make it all through the year. Nice fine crumb texture)

NOTE: I double this recipe to make 2 loaves.

2 tsp sugar                    2 eggs beaten

½ cup warm water               2 egg yolks
1  tbsp fast rising yeast      ¼ cup melted butter or oil
3 ½ cups flour          ¾ cup golden raisins(or dried cranberries)
Pinch of coarse salt            ¼ cup liquid honey

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes.

2.In large bowl stir flour with yeast mixture, honey, eggs, egg yolks, and butter, and raisins, till soft dough forms.

3.Knead in the bowl till it is smooth and elastic, not stiff.

4.Place dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise….about an hour, maybe.

5.Punch down dough, Let rest for 5 minutes.

6.Divide dough into three equal portions, make each into a rope and braid into a loaf that will fit on cookie sheet.

***To make a crown, roll dough into a long rope and curl around end of dough to make a spiral. In 2011 I popped the loaves into bundt  pans.

7. Brush with melted butter.

8.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. It will be too brown if the oven is too hot, so watch.Brush finished brad with more melted butter for a tender crust. Lovely with Christmas Eve dinner.