Jacks Sweet Challah Bread Recipes

SWEET CHALLAH

Steps:

• Mix the yeast, 1/3 cup of sugar, and warm water together in a large bowl, stir to dissolve the sugar, and let the mixture stand until a creamy layer forms on top, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of flour to make a loose sponge.
• In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 cup of sugar together, and stir the egg mixture into the yeast-flour mixture until well combined. Continue mixing in flour, 1 cup at a time, up to 9 total cups. Dough should be slightly sticky, but not so wet that it leaves dough stuck to your hands.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 5 minutes to develop gluten. Form the dough into a compact round shape, and place in an oiled bowl. Turn the dough over several times in the bowl to oil the surface of the dough, cover the bowl with a cloth, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and knead for another 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
• Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. To make egg glaze, whisk together 1 egg, 1 teaspoon oil, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl, and refrigerate until needed.
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces, and cut each piece into 3 smaller pieces for a 3-strand braided loaf. Working on a floured surface, roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right, move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left, and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding, alternating sides each time, until the loaf is braided, and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look. Place the loaves onto the prepared baking sheets, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. Brush a coating of egg glaze onto the tops of the bread, and reserve the remaining glaze.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, remove from the oven, and brush another coating of glaze onto the bread. Return to the oven, and bake until the tops are shiny and golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes. Let cool before cutting.

JACK'S SWEET CHALLAH BREAD

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine water and dry dairy cream and mix until completely dissolved.
• In 4qt to 6qt glass mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Whisk until well incorporated.
• Add egg, egg yolks, canola oil, and vanilla to water mixture. Whisk until well incorporated.
• Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Add one cup of flour and mix.
• Add 1/2 cup flour onto top of mixture and 1/2 cup flour onto work surface.
• Dump mixture onto counter and knead the flour into the dough mixture.
• Knead for 10 minutes adding a teaspoon of flour at a time to work surface until dough is soft but not sticking to hands. Resist temptation to add too much flour. The dough should be slightly sticky and soft when finished.
• Place saucepan of water on stove to boil.
• Meanwhile, remove the dough from mixing bowl. Wash bowl and dry with the towel that you will use to cover the rising dough. Pour 1 tsp of oil in bowl. Place dough in bowl and turn dough to coat it with oil.
• Cover bowl with the damp towel. Place the bowl of dough on the middle rack of oven. Place saucepan of boiling water below the rack where your dough sits. Close the oven, but do not turn it on. The pan of hot water will create a warm, moist environment for your dough to rise. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
• Remove the bowl and gently punch down dough to remove air pockets. Place it back inside the oven and let it rise for 1 hour longer.
• After one hour has passed, prepare egg wash by beating the egg whites, salt and water until smooth.
• Remove dough from oven. Flour work surface. Punch dough down and turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead for a few minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from feeling sticky. Now your dough is ready to braid.
• Divide your dough in half. Place one half in rising bowl and cover.
• Divide second half into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a strand approximately 14" long, tapered at each end. Place strands on work surface parallel to each other. Pinch the far end of strands together.
• Separate strands at the end closest to you for room to weave the braid. Take the right-most strand and weave it over, under, and over the adjacent three strands. Repeat process until braiding is finished. Pinch ends closest to you together and fold under the loaf.
• Place the braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Brush a thin layer of the egg mixture onto the visible surface of the loaf.
• Repeat process for second half of dough.
• Let the challot rise 45 minutes or so. You know that the dough is ready to bake when you press your finger into the dough and the indentation remains rather than bouncing back.
• Heat oven to 350°F Sprinkle a pinch or so of granulated sugar over each loaf and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove each loaf from oven and coat the center of the braid with a thin layer of egg wash. This area tends to expand during baking, exposing areas that will turn white unless they are coated with egg wash.
• Place the loaves back into the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove loaves from oven and test for doneness by turning it over and tapping on the bottom of the loaf-if it makes a hollow sound, it's done. Let loaves cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then a wire cooling rack before serving.
• Substitutions/Variations/Notes:.
• The 1-1/2 cups liquid may be water, soy milk, dairy milk, or the mixture that I recommended. Warm this liquid to approximately 125°F to activate the instant yeast nestled in the dry mixture.
• The vanilla is optional. Do not use imitation vanilla.
• Feel free to add 1/2 cup to 1 cup regular or golden raisins or similar dried fruit.
• Melted or room temperature butter or margarine may be substituted for the oil, using the same quantity.
• You may add one additional egg yolk. I find that using the white of the egg dries out the bread. However, you could use three whole eggs, one egg plus two or three egg yolks.
• You may substitute 1/2 cup honey for the sugar.
• You can proof the instant yeast for this recipe: In measuring cup: 1/2 cup 110° water, dissolve 1 tsp sugar, dissolve 1 Tbsp yeast. Should double in measuring cup in 10 to 15 minutes. Apply to recipe. Reduce hot water (liquid) by 1/2 cup.

JACK'S CHALLAH RECIPE

Steps:

• Whisk the sugar, yeast and 1 cup of the warm water in a medium bowl. Set aside to bloom.
• Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Make a well in the center of the flour and bury the salt in the well. Add the canola oil, whole egg, remaining 1 1/3 cups warm water and the bloomed yeast, making sure no sediment is left behind. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, increase to medium speed for 30 seconds and then increase to high speed for 3 minutes, mixing until the dough appears smooth.
• Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm area to proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Split the dough into 3 loaves. Divide each loaf into the desired number of braid strands (3, 4 or 6) and roll each strand to elongate. Braid the strands to a long loaf or a round shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the egg yolk with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Brush this egg wash over the shaped loaves and top with 1 tablespoon zaatar per loaf, if using. Let the loaves rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake until lightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• To freeze, cool completely before transferring to a ziptop bag.

SWEET CHALLAH BREAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water, honey and yeast.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Stir in 1 cup bread flour, and cover with a towel.
• let stand for 30 minutes.
• Stir in the olive oil, whole egg, and egg yolks until very well mixed.
• Add the salt, sugar, and the rest of the flour.
• You should have a sticky dough Pour dough out onto a well floured surface and knead, adding flour as you need it, for 10 minutes.
• Place dough in a large greased mixing bowl and let rise for 1 hour.
• Place dough in the refrigerater and let rise over night or at least 6 hours.
• Turn dough out on a corn mealed surface and cut it into two proportional pieces.
• Cut and braid the two dough balls, place in two loaf pans or form the Jewish circle with them.
• Let dough rise for 1 hour and preheat your oven to 375F.
• Beat 1 egg with the tablespoon of water and brush the doughs with the egg wash TWICE.
• Sprinkle with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or cinnamon sugar, optional.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, you may have to cover the breads with foil to stop them from browning to much after 15 or 20 minutes.
• Remove the breads from the oven and either place them in plastic bags to get a soft crust or place them on wire racks until cooled completely before storing for a crisp crust (I personally don't wait for either and just eat it right out of the oven).
• Serving Sugestions: Make grilled sandwiches with breads, baked beans, bread pudding, thick beef stew, olive oil with herbs and black pepper, good old fashion butter.
• **Ifyou would like a cheesey challah bread, just sprinkle on your favorite cheese in the last 2 minutes of baking ENJOY!