Traditional Braided Challah

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with dough hook (optional but helpful)
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Digital kitchen scale
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Soft pastry brush
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Parchment-lined baking sheet

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the yeast

   Combine the warm water and one tablespoon of the sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let it sit for five minutes. The mixture should become foamy and smell pleasantly yeasty. If nothing happens, your yeast is dead or your water was too hot. Start over with fresh yeast and cooler water.

   Water temperature matters. Too hot kills yeast instantly. Too cold makes it sluggish. Aim for bath-water warm, around 105°F.
2. 2

   Mix the wet ingredients

   In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the egg yolks, whole eggs, oil, and remaining sugar until well combined. The mixture should look uniform and slightly pale. Add the bloomed yeast mixture and whisk again to incorporate.

3. 3

   Build the dough

   Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients. If using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about two minutes. Increase to medium speed and knead for eight to ten minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. It should pull away cleanly from the bowl sides. By hand, stir with a wooden spoon until too stiff to mix, then turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for twelve to fifteen minutes.

   The windowpane test tells you when gluten development is sufficient. Stretch a small piece of dough thin. If you can see light through it without it tearing, you're done.
4. 4

   First rise

   Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about one and a half to two hours. The dough is ready when you poke it with a floured finger and the indentation slowly springs back halfway.

   If your kitchen is cold, create a proof box by placing the covered bowl in your oven with just the light on. The bulb generates enough warmth to keep the yeast happy.
5. 5

   Divide and rest

   Punch down the risen dough to deflate it, then turn it onto a clean work surface. For one large loaf, divide the dough into six equal pieces (about 140g each). For two smaller loaves, divide into twelve pieces (about 70g each). Roll each piece into a rough ball, cover loosely with a towel, and let rest for ten minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes shaping easier.

6. 6

   Roll the strands

   Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough under your palms into a rope about sixteen inches long, keeping the thickness as even as possible. The strands should be slightly tapered at the ends. If the dough resists and springs back, cover it and let it rest another five minutes before continuing. Arrange all six strands vertically in front of you, pinching them together firmly at the top.

7. 7

   Master the six-strand braid

   Number the strands one through six from left to right. The pattern repeats: Take strand six (far right) over strand one (far left). Take strand two over strand six. Take strand one over strand three. Take strand five over strand one. Take strand six over strand four. Renumber the strands one through six from left to right again, and repeat the entire sequence until you reach the ends. Pinch the bottom strands together and tuck both ends underneath the loaf.

   The rhythm is: right over left, second over what you just moved, first over third, fifth over first, sixth over fourth. Say it out loud while you work until your hands learn the pattern.
8. 8

   Second rise

   Transfer the braided loaf to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap or a large inverted bowl. Let rise until puffy and nearly doubled, about one hour. The challah should look pillowy and the braids should have spread slightly but still hold their definition. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last twenty minutes of rising.

9. 9

   Apply the egg wash

   Beat the remaining egg with one tablespoon of water until smooth. Using a soft pastry brush, gently coat the entire surface of the challah, working the egg wash into the crevices of the braid without deflating the dough. Be thorough but gentle. This is what creates that magnificent burnished crust. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if desired.

10. 10

    Bake to golden perfection

    Bake in the center of the oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even browning. The challah is done when deeply golden brown all over (don't be afraid of dark color) and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 190°F (88°C).

11. 11

    Cool completely

    Transfer the challah to a wire rack and resist the urge to tear into it immediately. The interior continues cooking as it cools, and cutting too soon results in gummy bread. Wait at least thirty minutes, longer if you can bear it. The crust will soften slightly as it cools, which is traditional and correct.

Chef Tips

• •Weigh your flour. Cup measurements vary wildly depending on how you scoop, and too much flour produces dense, dry challah. Five hundred grams is precise and repeatable.
• •Oil rather than butter keeps this bread appropriate for kosher tables where meat may be served, but butter produces an even richer crumb if dietary restrictions don't apply.
• •The second egg wash applied halfway through baking deepens the color further if you want that bakery-window shine. Brush again at the twenty-minute mark.
• •Leftover challah makes the finest French toast you'll ever taste. The eggy bread soaks up custard beautifully without falling apart.
• •Freeze braided, unbaked challah after the first rise for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, let rise at room temperature until doubled, then bake as directed.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be refrigerated after the first rise for up to 24 hours. This slow fermentation develops more complex flavor. Bring to room temperature before shaping.
• •Fully baked challah stays fresh at room temperature, wrapped in foil, for two days. After that, it's French toast time.
• •Unbaked braided loaves freeze beautifully. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Bake directly from frozen, adding ten minutes to the bake time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 105g)