

My First Challah
My First Challah is a great first bread to make. One, it is not complicated and two, it looks amazing. Fleischmann’s Bread World – Easy Challah was one of the very first bread recipes I made. Using a 9×5 loaf pan is easier than braiding the dough and once you make a loaf you can always do a proper braid. There is nothing pan unique about the recipe. The pan is just an nice step for the first timer.
FYI – The picture above is of my first challah. The structure is far from perfect but it tasted wonderful and amazed people. I moved quickly to braiding the dough to make a traditional Challah with the same recipe.
My First Challah
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An easy recipe Challah. Perfect for the first timer.
Author: Baker Rich of OnBreadAlone.com
Recipe type: Challah Egg Bread
Serves: ¾ pound loaf
Ingredients
Dough
- All-purpose Flour - 3 cups (390g)
- Sugar - 1 TBSP (13 g)
- Instant Yeast - 2¼ tsp (7 g)
- Fine Sea Salt - ½ tsp (3 g)
- Warm Water - ½ cup (115 g) (~95oF/35oC)
- 2 Eggs + 1 Egg white
- Butter - 3 TBSP (45 mL) - softened
Wash
- 1 Egg yolk
- Water - 2 tsp (10 mL)
- Poppy Seeds - optional
- Sesame Seeds - optional
- 9x5x2.5 Loaf Pan
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
- Combine warm water, eggs and butter in a measuring cup.
- Start with beater on your mixer - not hook.
- Add flour mixture with water mixture to make a soft dough. I alternate water and flour mixtures.
- When the mixer begins to labour, switch to dough hook and knead 6 - 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Sometimes I have to add some more flour if the dough is too sticky. Not too much. You don't want a dry dough.
- Place in a large greased bowl such as the bowl the flour was measured in.
- Cling wrap
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Ferment 1 hour
- Punch dough down.
- Divide into three equal pieces and braid into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.
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Proof 45 -60 minutes until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 375oF (190oC/Gas 5)
- Beat egg yolk with water; brush over loaf. Sprinkle with seeds. (optional)
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Bake 25 to 30 minutes
or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers at least 190°F/88°C. - Cool on wire rack
- 01 Break 3 eggs then remove 1 yolk
- 02 Kneading the dough
- 03 Fermenting in a cling wrapped bowl
- 04 Divide dough into three parts
- 05 Roll out
- 06 Braid and place in greased pan
- 07 Strain yolk and water mix
- 08 Wash surface with yolk
- 09 Add sesame seeds
- 10 Just from the oven
- 11 Cool on a wire rack
- Same recipe but after ferment, divide into 3 parts, braid and bake 20 minutes.
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