Cooking in Israel - Sweet ChallahBread
Ingredients
1 kg flour (2.2 lb)
2 Tbs. dry yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. salt
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup silan (dates honey) or honey
1/4 cup honey
21/4 cups water (as needed)
For the coating:
Before baking: 1 egg , ½ cup sesame / poppy seeds
When ready: 2 Tbs. honey diluted with water (option)
Instructions
- Put the flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Create a hole in the center and add into the flour the salt, honey, silan & oil.
- Spread around the hole the sugar & yeast. (yeast must not touch salt)
- Start mixing on low speed and add slowly the water while increasing the speed.
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Stop mixing (10 min) when dough is soft separates from bowl sides.
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6.Cover the bowl and let rise 2 hours until double. You do not want to wait too long:
7. Divide the dough into 3-4 portions and each portion divide into 3 balls. Let rise another 15 min.
8. Take out the air of the balls and make the shape of the Challah. Place in a baking pan on top of floury baking sheet.
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9. Brush the Challah with the egg and spread the sesame seeds.
10. Leave in baking pan to rise again around 2 hours.
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11. Place at the bottom of the oven a baking pan with water. Bake in a hot 2200C (4500F) oven 5 min then lower Tem. to 1700C (3400F) and continue baking 25 min.
12. Spread the diluted honey over the hot challah.