Challah

Name: Challah
Prep time: 2 h 12 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1.1 lb bread flour; 2 ½ oz superfine sugar; ⅓ oz yeast; 2 eggs; ¼ cup + 2 tsp sunflower oil; 1 tbsp poppy seeds

A weekend Polish snack. Ready in about 2 hours 42 minutes. Difficulty: more effort.

2 hr 12 minPrep (about)
30 minCook (about)
2 hr 42 minTotal time
4Servings
More effortDifficulty

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Ingredients

How many people?

− 4 people +

Recipe makes 4

Fresh & other

1.1 lb bread flour Shopping tip: Bread flour (UK: strong flour).
2 ½ oz superfine sugar Shopping tip: Superfine sugar (UK: caster). Regular sugar works.
⅓ oz yeast
2 eggs
1 tbsp poppy seeds

Sauces & oils

¼ cup + 2 tsp sunflower oil

How to make it

Steps in our own plain words.

Mix your yeast, a pinch of your sugar plus couple tablespoons of lukewarm water in a little bowl.
Stir to dissolve the yeast.
Leave for 10 mins until foamy.
While that cooks, mix the 2 tsp fine salt, the remaining sugar and flour in a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre.
Add the oil, the yeast mixture and half the beaten egg.
Pour in ¾ cup + 1 tbsp lukewarm water.
Stir with a spoon.
Mix using one hand, keeping your other clean while you bring your dough together.
If there are lot of dry bits, add a little water to bring it together – you 't want it.
Do it to get too wet and sticky.
Your dough should be moist, but not soggy.
Wait until the dough has come together.
Turn it out on a lightly floured surface.
Knead using both hands for 10 mins till smooth and a bit springy.
If it gets sticky, add a very little amount of flour – as little as possible.
A dough scraper is useful if your dough is sticking to the work surface.
Stretch your sides of your dough down plus pull together to form a ball.
Lightly oil a bowl.
Lightly roll your dough ball around your bowl so it's coated in your oil.
Cover with a clean tea towel.
Leave in warm place for 1 hr, until dough has doubled in size.
Line a sheet pan with baking parchment.
Turn the dough out on a clean work surface and divide in three equal bits, weighing for accuracy, if you like.
Roll every piece in a long sausage shape around 10 inches long, tapering them a bit at both ends.
Lay the bits out.
Do it in front of you, parallel.
Do it to one another using a couple centimetres between each.
Bring your sausages together at the top end.
Plait them down your length, tucking in your ends when you reach the bottom.
Move the loaf to the prepared sheet pan plus loosely cover with a clean tea towel.
Leave to rise till puffy and billowy, about 40 mins.
While that cooks, heat oven to 400°F (350°F for a fan oven).
Brush the rest of your beaten egg all over your challah, getting it into all the crevices.
Sprinkle using the poppy or sesame seeds, if using.
Cook in the oven on middle shelf of oven for 25-30 mins, till the loaf is golden underneath and sounds hollow when tapped.
Check after around 15 mins – if the top of your loaf has started to get too dark.
Cover it with foil.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Serve.