Challah

Name: Challah
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 500 g Premium wheat bread flour; 70 g Sugar; 10 g Instant dry yeast; 2 pcs Egg; 70 ml Sunflower oil; 1 tbsp Poppy seeds

An airy Jewish festive bread with a golden crust and tender crumb — a braided challah will grace any table and disappear in an instant.

Ingredients

500 g Premium wheat bread flour
70 g Sugar
10 g Instant dry yeast
2 pcs Egg
70 ml Sunflower oil
1 tbsp Poppy seeds

Instructions

Mix the yeast, a pinch of sugar, and a couple of tablespoons of warm water in a small bowl. Stir until the yeast dissolves and let stand for 10 minutes — the mixture should become foamy.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and 2 tsp of fine salt. Make a well in the center and add half of the beaten eggs, the yeast mixture, and the oil. Pour in 200 ml of warm water (it should be just barely warm to the touch) and stir first with a spoon, then by hand, until the dough comes together in a ball. If dry crumbs remain, add a very small amount of water. The dough should be moist but not sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough sticks too much, add just a touch of flour. Gather the dough into a ball, pulling the edges underneath. Oil a bowl, place the dough ball in it and turn to coat with oil on all sides. Cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour — the dough should double in size.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and divide into three equal parts. Roll each part into a rope about 25 cm long, tapering slightly toward the ends. Lay the ropes side by side about 2 cm apart, join them at the top and braid along the entire length, tucking the ends underneath. Transfer the bread to the baking sheet, cover with a towel and leave to rise for 40 minutes — it should become puffy and airy.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Carefully brush the bread with the remaining beaten egg, making sure to coat all the braids, and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes until the challah is golden brown on the bottom and sounds hollow when tapped. Check after 15 minutes: if the top begins to darken too much, cover with foil. Cool the finished bread on a wire rack before serving.