This bread is slightly sweet and delicious. I made it without raisins, and we used a whole loaf to make great French toast and I had to make another loaf for sliced bread and regular toast – although nothing about this recipe could be called ‘regular’. I have made it again just for French toast - it is excellent!
Challah
3 1/4 cups Bread Flour -- 14 3/4 ounces
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1 package Instant Yeast – 2 teaspoons
3 tablespoons Sugar
2/3 cup Water -- 120-125°
1/3 cup Salad Oil
1 large Egg
3/8 cup Raisins -- optional
Glaze
1 large Egg
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Mix flour, salt, yeast and sugar until just combined, 2-3 pulses.
Combine hot water, oil and egg, pouring through small feed tube in a steady steam. Mix until dough forms a ball and cleans the side of the bowl.
Continue processing for 60 seconds to knead. Add raisins through small feed tube whil machine is running during last 30 seconds of kneading.
Let rest in covered bowl of food processor for 10 minutes. Punch dough down on a slightly floured surface.
If braiding, divide into 3 equal pieces (about 9 ounces) for each loaf. Roll into a cylinder, about 1 1/2" x 15" long. Braid gently, tuck ends under.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 20-25 minutes. Brush egg with salt and egg mixture. Bake in lower 1/3 of oven for 20 minutes. Lower temperature to 350° and bake 10 minutes more.
2012 Cost: $1.54 per loaf
Yield: "1 Loaf" – about 11 slices
If you don't have a food processor, this recipe can be made on the dough cycle of a bread machine and then shaped for the last rise, or in your stand mixer or by hand, for that matter.
If you don't have a food processor, this recipe can be made on the dough cycle of a bread machine and then shaped for the last rise, or in your stand mixer or by hand, for that matter.
The bread recipes bring back lots of memories. My mother baked bread every Tues when I was a child and the entire kitchen table would be full of bread and kolaches and cinammon rolls cooling. That would have been the 50's and 60's and that smell is utter heaven to me still to this day.
ReplyDeleteWe got to share some of the second loaf. It made great french toast!
ReplyDeleteI second the french toast...there's nothing like Challa French toast with a touch of vanilla and cinnamon.
ReplyDeleteDo you think it would be OK to substitute All Purpose flower? TIA!
ReplyDeleteYes. Before I ever heard of bread flour, that's all I ever used.
DeleteBread flour usually as between 12-13% protein; all purpose flours between 9-12%. Both Gold Medal and Pillsbury all purpose flour are around 10.5%, King Arthur all-purpose is about 11.7%, closer to bread flour. Any of these should work in challah, in fact, many recipes for challah specify all-purpose flour.
Thanks for the recipe. I've been making challah by hand for 55 years, but just got a large capacity food processor. It did come with plastic blades for dough, but I read an article saying do not use anything but metal as the plastic causes the dough to stick to it while the metal blade works properly. Any thoughts on this ladies? I'm trying this in the morning. Hope it comes out as well as my usual challah.
ReplyDeleteWell I used the recipe in my food processor and ended up with pizza dough. Where did I go wrong. This was my first attempt at making bread in a food processor. Thanks, Lynne
ReplyDeleteI use a stop watch to time the 60 second knead...over processing...maybe the problem. Water too hot...I wouldn't think so if you've been making bread for years.
DeleteDid you use INSTANT yeast? If you used active dry yeast you need to let it raise the first time until doubled, maybe 1/2 to 1 hour, instead of 10 minutes. Same with 2nd rise, must be doubled, and takes maybe twice as long as with instant yeast.
I've made this recipe often with good luck...hope you try it again.
If you want to try another Challah recipe from Cuisinart, check out this PDF recipe booklet from them, Challah on page 55.
DeleteCusinart Recipe Booklet Download
Sue
Do you use the metal blade or dough plastic blade when making this?
ReplyDeleteIn my large food processor I usually use the steel blade on this small amount. In my original Cuisinart bread making instructions they say "Use the metal blade when using a bread recipe that calls for less than 3 1/2 cups of flour." Cuisinarts May 1991
ReplyDelete