Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons yeast
- 170 grams warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 450 grams of flour, plus more as needed
- 6 grams salt
- 75 grams or 1/3 cup oil, vegetable or light olive
- 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 86 grams honey
Directions
1. Make the dough
Bloom the yeast by combining the water, yeast, and sugar. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. In another bowl combine the flour and salt. In a medium bowl combine the oil, honey, and eggs. Add the flour mixture followed by the wet mix to the yeast mixture. Knead with a stand mixer until you have a smooth and slightly sticky dough, 7 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary.
2. Bulk rise
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and let it sit at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours. Alternatively, you can refrigerate it overnight and then let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before shaping.
3. Shape the loaf
Line a baking sheet with a silpat and preheat the oven to 375. Pat the dough out into a long rectangle, roughly 3″ x 12″. Cut the dough into three long, skinny rectangles and roll them out a bit to get three long logs. Pinch them together at one end and then braid the logs, pinching them together at the other end. Transfer the loaf to the baking sheet and let it rise, covered, at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until slightly puffy.
4. Bake the challah
Whisk the egg yolk. Brush the loaf lightly with the yolk and sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and has an internal temperature of 190; begin checking for doneness at 28 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven, and cool it on a rack before slicing.
Store any leftovers at room temperature, well wrapped, for several days.
Finished challah
