Meredith's Challah Recipe

Meredith's Challah
Yields 2-3 loaves

3/4 cup sugar
2 cups lukewarm water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
3 large eggs
3 envelopes yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
8-10 cups bread flour (this should be bread flour because the density makes it better for baking bread than all-purpose flour.

Preheat ovn to 350 degrees.

Combine sugar, 2 cups water, oil, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Then add the eggs to the sugar mixture.

In a separate cup (I use a measuring cup), mix the yeast in 1/4 cup water. Make sure the water is warm--not cold or hot. This allows the yeast to work properly--you'll know it's working if you see little bubbles on the surface. (I've use it even if it doesn't bubble--the dough doesn't rise as much, but it still ends up tasting good.) Then add the yeast mixture to the first mixture.

Add 4 or 5 cups of flour and mix well (I use a spoon for this part as it is too wet to mix by hand.) Gradually add 4 or 5 more cups of flour. By judging the feel you will know how much more to add--if the mixture is sticky, add more flour; if it is dry and stringy, add a little water. At this point, it may be easier to mix with your hands than with a spoon.

Now you're ready to knead. Take off your rings. I like to knead in the bowl. If, unlike me, you prefer to knead on a cutting board or a table, sprinkle some flour on the board (or table), and place the dough on the flour and knead. Kneading on a flat surface allows you to use both hands (if you use a bowl, you have to use one hand to steady the bowl).

Regardless of what you're kneading in, here's how to do it. Make a fist and push (don't punch) down the dough. You can twist your hand as you're pushing so that you can open your handfrom a fist to an open palm as you push down and forward on the dough (by forward, I mean away from your body). Then grab a side of the shmushed dough ball, pull it away from the center of the dough, and fold it back into the center of the dough. Repeat this, starting at the center of the dough, and then fold it back into the center of the dough. Repeat this, starting at the center of the dough and working around the circumference so you push and pull all of it (rotating the dough or bowl as you work).

Continue to push down with your fist or palm, pull out, and fold mbac, to center until the dough becomes smoother. You can add more flour if the dough is too sticky or wet. Knead for a few minutes. You'll know when you're finished kneading by looking at the dough. If all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth, stop.

Continued on page 2: 'Let the dough rise...' »