MY FAVORITE CHALLAH
1¼ c. water
¼ c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. kosher salt
2/3 c. sugar
6 c. King Arthur bread flour
1 tbs. + 1½ tsp. yeast
Corn meal
1 egg white
Pinch of sugar
Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
Place first 7 ingredients, in order, into bread machine. Make a shallow well in flour and add yeast, making sure it does not touch the wet ingredients. Set machine to mix-and-rise-only setting. This function is usually completed in 1½ hours.
Sprinkle cookie sheet with corn meal. On floured surface, divide dough into six equal sized balls. Remove a small spoon-sized piece of dough to bake separately alongside loaves. Roll each ball into a strip. Braid three strips into a loaf. Repeat.
Lightly cover loaves with dishcloth, place in warm corner and let rise additional ½ hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brush tops with egg white, sprinkle with sugar and sesame or poppy seeds. Bake 30 minutes on center oven rack. After 17 minutes, or when top browns, cover with aluminum foil. Place on wire rack to cool.
From Karen Meister with Camp Experts & Teen Summers
Karen@CampExperts.com