I'm Not Jewish, But I Love Challah...

(Note: This recipe DOES require you to measure, making this blog's title a slight misnomer. But it's baking, come on! You've got to measure sometimes I suppose.)

     The past few months I've been playing the role of substitute teacher -- at a private Jewish school on the Upper West Side (...upper west side?). Recently, with the kindergarteners and first-graders I've been around while they have Chabbat. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what Chabbat is, but I know it means they share Challah (delicious bread) together at the end. I was raised Christian (see: "Born Again Christians") and since going to church was something that was not voluntary (early Sunday mornings for 3 hours) like any other adolescent (my sister included) I tended to revolt. Since the days of "I don't want to go to church anymore, Dad. I'm not going," religion has been kind of on the back burner.

     So being in this school populated with students and teachers "devoted" (some more than others, I'm averaging here) to the Jewish religion and speaking fluent Hebrew has introduced me to something new -- No, not the religion itself, but their food. (Firstly in their amazing catered "cafeteria food" at lunchtime. Restaurant quality stuff.) Their challah is no unleavened cardboard bread... Here's my first attempt. (Note: this recipe is not kosher... I don't think. I'm not sure.)

What You'll Need:

• 3 cups flour (and most likely an extra 1/2 cup)
• 1 packet of yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, plus 1 egg separated (saving the white for egg wash)
• 1/2 stick unsalted, softened butter 
• 1/4 cup boiling water & 1/4 cup room temp. water

Put it all Together:

• Whisk 1 egg white in a small bowl with a little splash of water. (Cover & refrigerate.) Add the yolk to the other 2 eggs in a separate bowl. 
• Pour your boiling water into a measuring cup and add the butter. Mix until butter is melted, then add room temp. water and the 2 whole eggs & 1 yolk. Whisk.
• Get your mixer set up with the dough hook and to the bowl add 3 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.With the mixer on low, slowly add the butter mixture and mix until the dough comes together. Increase mixer speed to medium low and continue kneading for five to eight minutes, or until you have a cohesive, slightly tacky dough that just sticks to the sides of the bowl (if necessary, add up to an extra half cup of flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached).

• Spray a bowl with cooking spray and transfer the dough to it, cover and let it rise. (Set it some place warm.) This should take about an hour and a half or 2 hours. Then push it down to deflate it and let it rise about another hour. 
• Now transfer your dough to a lightly (you really don't need much) floured surface. Separate the dough into six even parts. 
• Instead of explaining in lengthy detail how to get that lovely challah braid, just watch this video. (She rolls the dough out flat first -- don't.) And I'll be honest... I found this to be confusing. I had to replay her directions over and over. So don't feel bad if you get a little lost.

• Once you're all braided up, put the challah on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, cover with a dish towel and allow it to rise yet again. Another hour or so. Then get your egg wash out, brush it over the top and bake your bread at 375 for about 30 minutes (or until it gets golden). 

 

Now, I'm sure this seems like a million steps and you're thinking, "I don't have time for this!" It really doesn't take long at all. You make the dough, put it aside to rise, clean up the kitchen, go about your day. Come back to roll it out and braid it (probably the longest part, if you've never done it before) then back to your business. Then stick it in the oven... only don't go too far away for this step! :) And voila! Lovely, slightly sweet, fresh challah bread! 

[Find the original recipe here. And where I found the recipe and video here.]

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