Challah At Me!

Name: Challah At Me!
Ingredients: Bread Ingredients; 3 tablespoons Honey; 5/8 cup (i.e. 1/2 cup + 1/8) Warm Water (warm enough to dissolve the honey!); 1 teaspoon (heaping tsp) Active Dry Yeast (Instant / Rapid Rise works just as well, do NOT change the timing); 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt; 1/3 cup Olive Oil; 1 Egg; 2.5 cups (The amount you use will depend on humidity in your area). Unbleached Flour (I prefer Bread Flour... you can use AP in a pinch, but the bread is fluffier with Bread Flour); 1/4-1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon (depending on whether and how much you like cinnamon); opt Handful of golden raisins; opt teaspoons Poppy Seeds; Glaze / Egg Wash; 1/4 cup Milk (Soy / Rice / Almond is fine, I've used these for lactose intolerant friends with great results); 2 tablespoons Olive Oil; 1 Egg White; 1 tablespoon Sugar (Or you can sub honey or agave - just warm it up so it dissolves); Sprinkle of cinnamon

17 ingredients

1 steps

Ingredients

Bread Ingredients
3 tablespoons Honey
5/8 cup (i.e. 1/2 cup + 1/8) Warm Water (warm enough to dissolve the honey!)
1 teaspoon (heaping tsp) Active Dry Yeast (Instant / Rapid Rise works just as well, do NOT change the timing)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 Egg
2.5 cups (The amount you use will depend on humidity in your area). Unbleached Flour (I prefer Bread Flour... you can use AP in a pinch, but the bread is fluffier with Bread Flour)
1/4-1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon (depending on whether and how much you like cinnamon)
opt Handful of golden raisins
opt teaspoons Poppy Seeds
Glaze / Egg Wash
1/4 cup Milk (Soy / Rice / Almond is fine, I've used these for lactose intolerant friends with great results)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Egg White
1 tablespoon Sugar (Or you can sub honey or agave - just warm it up so it dissolves)
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions

1

["Dissolve honey in the water in a large mixing bowl... let it cool for a minute and then stir in yeast. Set aside for 15 minutes; the yeast should form a creamy layer on top. (WARNING: if it doesn't, your yeast is dead! try again. I often have to use bottled water because in some places tap water has enough add-ins to kill yeast)", "Stir in olive oil & beaten egg. Add 1/2 Cup of flour and stir then add in the salt and the cinnamon (if you're using it). Continue to add the flour 1/2 Cup at a time until the dough comes together and cleans the side of the bowl as you stir.\r\nAdd in enough flour so that it's not wet to the touch, but it should still be a bit sticky/tacky. \r\n(you'll probably have a little under a cup left, which is fine, and you'll add that in as you knead)\r\nPlace a towel over the bowl and let rest for 15 minutes for the flour to hydrate.", "Turn dough onto a floured surface, sprinkle flour on the mass of dough and onto your hands, begin to knead until smooth and elastic --- about 7-10 minutes. As you're kneading, sprinkle more of the remaining flour onto the mass & cutting board if it's really sticky. (I tend to use only about 2 cups out of the 2.5, but I live in a dryer area). The final dough should be tacky, and not sticky -- if you touch it with a dry finger, you shouldn't have dough on your finger when you remove it.", "Lightly oil a bowl, place dough mass in bowl. Let rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes (or until it doubles in bulk). I like to place mine in my oven (not turned on) and I put a pot of boiling water next to it for steam and humidity (and warmth).", "Turn the dough out onto a VERY lightly floured surface (just a few sprinkles of flour). Punch dough down, let rest for 10 minutes in order to let the gluten relax -- otherwise it's WAY too elastic and hard to get the long pieces you'll need for braiding.", "Cut the dough in half, and cut each half in half, leaving you with 4 pieces. Roll out each of the pieces (by hand) until they are about 14\" in length (a little less than elbow to fingertip). Line them up vertically to you and parallel to each other