Looks very nice, cooker! Never tried to bake a challah but just was thinking of this yesterday... Any chance you can share your recipe and techniques on how to bake challah?
Thanks. Like most recipes it is based on a lot of other people’s work. A major influence was Maggie glazer’s book, A Blessing of Bread.
I am assuming you have sourdough starter. So...
The night before you want to bake take
2-4 T. Of active sourdough starter
1/3 C. warm water
1C. flour
Mix well, let sit for 12 hours until tripled in volume.
The next day
The final dough
1/4 - 1/2 C. Warm water
3eggs + 1 for glazing
1 1/2 T. salt
1/4 oil
3T. honey (sugar)
~3 C. bread flour
The fermented starter from the night befor.
1 mix water, eggs, salt, oil, and honey until shaggy
2 mix in the starter and knead until smooth
3 let rest for 10 - 15 min
4 place in oiled bowl and let rest for two hours. (It won’t appear to have risen much)
5 divide into two. Divide each half into six equal pieces (I do a six- braid)
6 braid into desired loaves
7 place on prepared sheet pan(s) and cover with oiled plastic wrap and a towel and let proof until tripled in size, about 5 hours
8 about 30 min. before heat oven (350)
9. Mix last egg with pinch of salt. And paint loaves
10. Sprinkle with topping of choice (if using)
11 bake for 25 - 35 min until dark brown and tests done
12 allow to completely cool.
Note: it is traditional to put two loaves on the shabbas table to represent the double portion of manna that fell in the wilderness for shabbas. Also seeds are traditional to remind us of the manna itself. And finally six strand braids are used to represent the 12 tribes (6x2). Enjoy.