Thread by @lifesafeast

In honor of #RBG on Rosh Hashanah (and my brother with whom I made my first Challah)

#IsolationBaking recipe #100 No-Knead Challah

Roll up your sleeves... it's easier with a no-knead dough.

This recipe will make four 1-lb (500 g) loaves.

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INGREDIENTS

1 ¾ cups (300 ml) lukewarm water
1 ½ Tbs (18 g) active dry yeast
1 ½ Tbs (30 g) Kosher or table salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (120 ml) honey (or ¼ cup honey + ¼ cup maple syrup)
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to tepid

MORE

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...(or neutral-tasting vegetable oil in place of the melted butter)
7 cups (scant kilo) flour
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbs water)
Poppy or sesame seeds for the top, optional

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In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast, salt, eggs, honey, maple syrup (if using) & melted butter (warm, not hot) with the water.

Stir in the flour without kneading, using a wooden spoon, a food processor or stand mixer. I always use a wooden spoon.

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Stir & fold just until all of the flour is blended into the wet ingredients & moistened.

Cover with plastic wrap (not airtight) & allow to stand at room temperature for 2 hours. The dough should rise then collapse. It may take a little longer depending upon outside

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conditions.

The dough can be used now but I place the dough in the refrigerator overnight. This allows it to finish rising & become very light; the dough is much easier to work with when chilled.

(photo of my dough after a night in the fridge 😂)

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To shape loaves & bake:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove bowl of dough from the refrigerator, dust the surface of the dough, your hands & your dough scraper all with flour, keeping extra flour handy, & scrape the dough down the sides of the bowl.

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The dough will sink and flatten.

Dipping your hands & the dough scraper in flour as needed (the dough is sticky) break off one 1-pound (500 g) piece of dough (about the size of a large grapefruit) for each Challah you would like to make & place on a well-floured work

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surface. Dust the dough with more flour and shape it into a ball.

Divide the ball of dough into 3 equal pieces and, using your hands, form each piece into a long, thin rope (remember making Play-doh snakes? Same thing: roll between your hands with the rope hanging down

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and roll back & forth on the table, pulling & squeezing gently as need be.) If the dough resists shaping just let the pieces rest for about 5 minutes & try again.

Place the ropes of dough lengthwise on the baking sheet.

Braid the ropes starting from the middle &

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working towards one end, tucking the ends underneath the braided dough, then turning the baking sheet & braiding the other half down from the middle to the end, again tucking the ends underneath.

Allow the dough to rest & rise covered loosely with plastic wrap & a

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kitchen towel for 1 hour and 20 minutes (only 40 minutes if using freshly made, unrefrigerated dough).

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Brush the loaf with the egg wash. Sprinkle with the seeds if desired.

Bake the loaf or loaves for about 25 minutes until risen and

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uniformly golden brown. The braids near the center will offer resistance to pressure & the bottom of the loaf/loaves will be golden.

You can make a sweet version of the Challah be kneading in chocolate chunks & coarsely chopped pecans or, as I did, pitted & halved

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cherries. Brush the top of the baked Challahs with maple syrup before serving.

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Wishing you all a very happy, healthy, and sweet new year. And don't forget to #Vote

Feel free to share my recipe with your followers & friends.