Ingredients
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1 1/3 cups warm water
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1/2 cup vegetable oil
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1/2 cup honey
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3 eggs, 2 beaten together in one bowl and the other one in a separate bowl
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1 1/2 tsp salt
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5 cups white bread flour
2 cups of organic dried apple rings, chopped (about 4 ounces)
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3 tsp instant yeast
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2 tbs sugar
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1/2 tsp cinnamon
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2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
IF YOU ARE USING A BREAD MACHINE:
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Combine water, oil, honey, 2 beaten egg, and salt (in that order) in the bread machine
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Mix flour and apples. Add it to the bread machine and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast and cover it with some of the flour
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Set the machine to dough setting and turn it on.
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The bread machine will beep when the cycle is over. The dough should have doubled in size.
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Working on a floured surface, divide the dough in half.
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Make 6 dough balls from each half and arrange them two 8 inch round cake pans (place 5 on the edges and 1 in the center.
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If you would like to make round braided challah follow the steps described in the post on this page.
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Preheat oven to 425F.
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Cover challahs with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise again until the challah has doubled in size about 30 minutes to an hour depending on how
hot your kitchen is. -
Using a pastry brush, gently "paint" the Challah with the remaining beaten egg.
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Add sesame seeds if using. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle over Challah.
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Bake for 10 minutes at 425F, lower the temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes until golden brown (a toothpick inserted should come out clean.)
IF YOU ARE MAKING BY HAND:
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Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Add 1 tbsp of sugar and let it sit until it foams (If it doesn't foam, discard it. The yeast is not active and you need to get new yeast.)
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In a large bowl combine flour, salt and chopped apples. In another bowl combine oil, dissolved yeast and water, honey and 2 beaten eggs.
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Pour wet ingredients over the flour and knead to create a smooth and soft dough for about 10 minutes. You can also use your food processor fitted with an "S" blade or your stand up mixer, fitted with a dough hook to mix the dough. See step 3 if the dough is very wet and sticky.
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Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rise for about an hour or until doubles or triples in size.
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"Punch" the dough and divide it in half.
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Follow steps 7-13 above.
NOTES
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Recipe makes 2 challahs.
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Prep time is 20 minutes plus 2 hours rising time.
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The dough should feel soft. If it is too wet and sticky, work flour into the dough while kneading it on a floured surface.
HOW TO BRAID A ROUND CHALLAH
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Divide your dough in half and each half into 4 equal pieces
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Roll each of the pieces into 12" strands
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You will use 4 strands per challah
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Place 2 strands parallel to each other
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Place the other two logs perpendicular to the first one, interlaced.
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Place each lower strand over the one next to it counterclockwise.
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Repeat the process clockwise.
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Tuck loose strands under the dough. If you made your strands long you may have to repeat steps 5 and 6 until the strands that are left are short and can be tucked under the challah.
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Divide the dough in half and each half into 6 equal balls and place them in an 8" round cake pan.