Categories: not tried, side dish
Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients:
- 4 cups (500 grams) bread flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk (save the extra white in a covered glass in the fridge for glazing later on)
- 3/4 cup (190 grams water)
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) olive oil
- 1/4 cup (85 grams) honey
- For sprinkling, before baking (optional):
- Flaxseeds
- Rolled oats
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
Directions
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Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
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Dump the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until a wet, sticky dough forms.
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Cover the bowl with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.
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Peel back the plastic.
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Grab and edge of the dough, lift it up, and fold it over itself to the center.
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Turn the bowl a bit and repeat around the entire lump of dough, grabbing an edge and folding it into the center, eight turns, grabs, and folds in all.
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Then flip the dough so that the folds and seams are on the bottom.
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Cover tightly again with the plastic, and let sit for 30 minutes.
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Repeat the all-around folding, flipping, covering, and resting for 30 minutes four more times.
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(I keep track by drawing hash marks in permanent marker right on the plastic.)
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The dough flops more than it folds in the first round or two.
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Then, as the gluten develops, you’ll get proper folds.
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By the final fold, the dough will be wonderfully elastic, and you’ll be able to see and feel the small pockets of air within.
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Pull the plastic tight again over the bowl and refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
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Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into six equal pieces.
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Roll into six strands, about a foot long and 3/4 inch in diameter, dusting sparingly with flour when necessary to prevent sticking.
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(You’ll want to add as little extra flour as possible.)
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Form two three-strand braids, and transfer the loaves to the prepared pan.
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Cover with plastic and let proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough is noticeable swollen and puffed and bounces back very slowly, if at all, when you pike it lightly with your finger.
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
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Remove the plastic from the loaves and brush with the reserved egg white.
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If you’d like, sprinkle with seeds.
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Poppy and sesame seeds are traditional challah toppings.
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I typically cover one with a combination of flaxseeds and rolled oats, and the other with sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, though lately I’ve been opting for no seeds at all.
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Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the bread is golden and gorgeous and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
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You can also check for doneness with a thermometer.
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The internal temperature of the loaves will be 90 degrees when fully baked.
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Transfer to racks and let cool.