Challah

In choosing which bread to bake, I couldn't resist trying the beautifully braided Jewish Challah. The celebratory bread, is traditionally eaten as two loaves in remembrance of the manna that fell from the heavens during the exodus from Egypt.

The bread calls for an enriched grain, meaning not only are four staples of bread making : yeast, water, salt, and flour included, but eggs, oil, honey (or sugar)as well. Two sets of doughs were attempted: one that uses the bread machine + an old-recipe that originated from authentic Jewish grandmothers; and a hand-kneaded dough based off internet popularity.

Here is a Joan Callaway's recipe from Allrecipes.com:

2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)


Directions

In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.


As an experiment, there were many controls that weren't included, including the fact that the doughs were different recipes, and the timing was not exactly the same: so its hard to do a critically, scientific comparison of the two loafs.

Bread-machine version: 8/10. A very soft dough, but with a slight taste of "breadmachine?" Still very delicious, and fulfilling from bite to bite. Braiding was done with three strands (which was less impressive looking as the six braids)

Hand-kneaded version: 8.5/10, Though the timing of the baking was slightly off, causing a denser, and heavier dough, the richness of the dough made it simply impecable: a crisp coat with soft, tastefully chewy centers. Braiding with six strands looked marvelous!

Yay for hand-kneading!