Honey Challah
Erin Jeanne McDowell
Photo by Sarah Stone
- Serves
- 1 large loaf
A simple challah dough that uses the easiest braiding technique of all the challah braids out there—the three braid.
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cup (520 g) bread flour
- 3 tablespoon (37 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9 g) instant dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (115 g) warm water (around 100°F/38°C)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) whole milk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (85 g) honey
- 1/3 cup (75 g) canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil
- 2 (113 g) large eggs, at room temperature
- Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water), as needed for finishing
Featured Video
Honey Challah
Directions
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt to combine.
- Step 3
Add the liquid ingredients (water, milk, honey, oil, and eggs), and continue to mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Raise the speed to medium and continue to mix for 5 minutes more.
- Step 4
Transfer the dough to a large bowl lightly greased with non-stick spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until double in size, about 1 hour.
- Step 5
To braid the bread, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into three even pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 12 inches long. Pinch each piece together at the top to seal, leaving the bottom ends loose.
- Step 6
Braid the bread just as you would strands of hair: Move the right hand piece to the middle, then the left hand piece to the middle -- and so on and so forth until all of the dough is braided.
- Step 7
Transfer the loaf to a the prepared baking sheet, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 to 45 minutes more.
- Step 8
Brush the egg wash onto the loaf just before baking. Bake the loaf until deeply golden brown and fully baked through, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool before slicing and serving.