Barbara Kline's World Class Challah

Barbara’s Challah
Ingredients:
(TO PROOF THE YEAST, MAKE A SPONGE: 1 envelope of yeast or 1 tblsp of loose dry yeast + 1 tbls sugar)
  
    4 C All purpose unbleached flour
    1/4C Sugar
    1 tsp Salt
    2 Slightly over-flowing tblsp Canola (vegetable) oil
    3 Eggs (2 for the challah dough, 1 to paint the challah prior to baking)

These measurements are based on 4C of flour…making 2 small ones or one good size.

SPONGE: Glass or glass measuring cup
    Stir together:     1 tblsp sugar
            1 tblsp OR 1 envelope yeast
            About 1/3 C warm water

    Set aside while you measure the following into a large mixing bowl:
            4 C flour
            ¼ C sugar
            1 tsp salt
Whisk that together and make a dent in the center in which to pour your yeast mixture that should have bubbled up

Add 2 slightly over-flowing tblsp of Canola oil
Add 2 large eggs

Start kneading until the dough comes together. Remove from bowl and continue kneading until the dough feels smooth like a baby’s tushy adding warm water as needed – about 10 minutes
Place dough back into lightly oiled bowl and swirl dough around to cover the kneaded dough lightly

Cover loosely and let rise for a good 4 hours

Fold the risen dough over twice and give a short knead

Let rise another hour

Shape: I do a six-braid, but honestly cannot explain how I do it. I think if you recall braiding lanyards, it may be the same technique.
One really yummy variation: “flatten” your strands before braiding and fill with halvah, then roll back up into the “ropes” you will braid.

Turn oven on to 400 degrees
 Place challah on baking sheet, cover lightly and let rise ½ hour

Paint the challah with beaten egg and if desired, sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds
Bake middle level for 10 minutes
Then
Lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Enjoy!  Shabbat Shalom
   
Instructions for Making Challah with Young Children


You will be making 40 cups of flour for 15 children.

You will need five sets of:  large mixing bowls
cereal size bowls for mixing eggs
measuring spoons & cups
large spoons (to fill cups w/flour)
large paint brushes

Divide children into 5 teams of 3 each.  There should be one
older child in each group.

Pour hot water into glasses and give one to each group. 

Assign one young child to be in charge of making and observing
sponge.

Another young child can measure the flour with older child
supervising.  Use handle of large spoon to level off cup of
flour.  Young child can also measure sugar.

Older child should measure salt and oil.

Young child can break eggs, older child beating eggs with fork.

If a child is truly uncoordinated, let the child create own
shape.  However, with a little help, anyone can do a three strand
braid.  I have done this alone with about six children.

Good luck.  Seeing the look of pride on their faces when they see
how large their challahs have risen in the oven is worth all of
it. 

By the way, the older children can wash the dishes and younger
dry. I have found (through desperation) that a hyper child makes
an excellent dish washer.  The warm, soapy water seems to calm
them down (water therapy!).  They should complete the clean up.
Better give them 45 minutes for entire braiding and cleaning
kitchen.  Put challahs in oven as they leave.  You can bake three
at a time one one sheet.


2 comments:

msawk said...

Rabbi, can you describe braiding "from the middle out"? I have enough trouble braiding from one end to the other (always comes out a little crooked/off center), but maybe this method would be easier for me!

David L. Kline said...

Here's Barbara's reply:

Hope this is helpful. I would lay out the three ropes of dough side-
by-side and start braiding down with the middle rope, pulling the
dough as I went to that the end was tapered. Then, I'd turn the whole
thing around the other way so that the unbraided ends were again
facing me and finish braiding down, again tapering the dough as I went.

My husband figured out how to do a four-braid, which is prettier than
a three. I had to do him one better and now do a six-braid. It's very
hard to explain, Perhaps some day when we have the t ime, he can
photograph each of the "moves" and put that on his site. I admit
that if I think too much about what I'm doing, I get messed up to
this day. You can also divide the dough into four equal parts,
forming equal length ropes out of three of them and braiding as
explained above, then doing the same with the fourth lump of dough
and placing that small braid on top of the large one. Press the ends
of the top braid firmly into the bottom braid and you end up with the
illusion of a six-braid challah. Good luck!

By the way, we now also put a pie pan with water in it on the bottom
of the stove when baking the challah. My kids tell me the challah has
the consistency and delicacy of a brioche. Try it and see if that
works for you. Good luck and enjoy!