Challah

submitted by Lisa Link, Boston, MA, 2007
http://lisaink.net

Ingredients

7 cups white flour (7th is for extra)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbs cinnamon
3 1/2 tbs sugar
1 tbs salt
2 eggs beaten
1 egg yolk
1 yeast packet
1 3/4 cup water
frozen chocolate candy bar or
raisins to put inside Challah (optional)

Instructions

There are so many images in literature and the media of the dedicated Jewish mom laboring over a bowl of matza ball soup in a steamy kitchen. Some of my earliest memories of dinner with my kids are speeding to the drive-thru Wendy's window after work with the kids babbling with joy as we gobbled up fries in rush hour traffic. Totally out of guilt of not fitting into the stereotype of the devoted Jewish mom/kitchen goddess, I've taken to making the kids Challah by hand, especially when I'm going to be out of town. I think this is the only recipe that I've ever memorized.

1. Measure 1 cup lukewarm water & add yeast and 1 tbs sugar - I like using organic sugar. Wait until the yeast is bubbling at least an inch thick.

2. Put 6 cups of flour in bowl, add rest of sugar, salt, oil, eggs, water, cinnamon in the middle. Add yeast.

3. Stir with large wooden spoon for a minute to get ingredients together. Form ball of dough with your hands.

Prepare a flat surface with flour for kneading. Knead for 3-5 minutes. Add raisions if you want them.

4. Place in bowl with a warm damp towel on top and let rise until at least doubled.

5. Punch down the dough. Break in two. Braid. Place on your baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until about double.

6. When it has risen, make the yolk coating that gives it the brown look. Break an egg and pass the yoke between the two empty shells until all the white is gone so you only have yolk. beat with a little sugar and water and anything else you want as a topping. Stuff challah with frozen chocolate if desired. (they used to do at my job when I worked for JFLmedia, a Jewish organization) 6. Brush coating on Challah. Preheat oven to 350 and bake about 40-45 minutes - check after 35 - if you have a random oven like mine.