Challah

As a child, I would go to my Jewish neighbors homes. This traditional braided loaf is served for Friday night dinner. I changed up the recipe adding milk and butter. This dairy challah would not be served with meat for Friday night dinner. The traditional recipe uses oil and water. The dairy version is more tender then the pareve version. It is with fond memories that I make this bread.

3/4 cup of whole milk
2 tablespoons of honey
1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons of butter
2 1/2 teaspoons of bread flour
3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 large egg beaten for glaze and some poppy seeds

Warm the milk to 115 degrees and add the yeast to the milk. In a food processor add all the rest of the ingredients. Turn the processor on and add the milk with the yeast. Process the dough until it is very elastic. Place in a oiled bowl and cover. Let rise until double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Now punch down and divide into thirds.
Roll each third into ropes about fifteen inches. Braid the dough and cover. Let rise again until just shy of double in size. Beat egg and glaze top of loaf. Top with a sprinkle of poppy seeds. Bake for thirty minutes or until internal temperature is 190 degrees.