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Whole Grain Challah

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Submitted by: paliliciumstar

 

These braided loaves of egg-rich bread are made with whole wheat and unbleached flours, plus ground rolled oats.
 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (about 1 pkg)
  • 3 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 cup rolled oats, ground
  • 1/2 cup sugar (or more to your taste)
  • 1/4 cup sweet dairy whey
  • 1 cup extra virgin oil
  • 6 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 5 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg, beaten with a bit of salt

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Method

Pour water into large bowl stir in yeast and 3 tsp sugar. Let stand about 5 minutes. When foamy, add the next 8 ingredients, and stir until you have a smooth batter. Cover and let stand about 20 minutes. Stir in 2 3/4 cups of the all-purpose flour. If dough is sticky, work in some of the remaining flour. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for a short time. (Challah dough should not be overworked!) Put dough in a very large, lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat with oil, cover and allow to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (Challah needs a warm environment to rise---inside an oven, which isn?t turned on, with some hot water in a pan under the dough usually works well.) Punch down and briefly knead again. Return dough to bowl; allow to rise until doubled again. Turn dough out and gently form dough into a ball. Cut into three equal pieces; cover two of them. Take the other piece, cut it into three equal pieces; roll each piece into a rope 14 to 18 inches long. Braid these three ropes together; pull the ends underneath and pinch to seal. Place completed loaf on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat this with the other two pieces of dough. Cover and allow to rise until nearly doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While oven is preheating, beat remaining egg with the salt, and use this to glaze the three loaves of bread. When the oven is hot, put the loaves in, then immediately turn the temoerature down to 350 degrees; bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. Carefully transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool. Keep fully cooled loaves wrapped to prevent drying out.

 

Notes: For a festive challah (traditional during the Jewish fall holy days) add 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/2 cup of raisins to the sponge ingredients.

 

Number of Servings: 24

 

Submitted by: paliliciumstar ()

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