Name: Classic Challah
Yield: Yield: 2 Medium Loaves
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 2 envelopes (¼ ounce each) active dry yeast; ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar; Poppy or sesame seeds (optional); 1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water; 2 teaspoons table salt (not coarse salt); 4 to 5 cups bread flour, plus additional for dusting the work surface, kneading, and shaping the dough; 2 large eggs; ¼ cup mild olive, avocado, or other favorite mild oil, plus additional for greasing the bowl, plastic wrap, and baking sheet

Preparation info

Yield:
2
Medium Loaves

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Jewish Holiday Cooking

By Jayne Cohen

Published 2008

About

Bread has always been the heart of the Jewish meal. When the benediction over the bread is made, it is unnecessary to recite prayers over any of the other foods eaten.

The exception is the Kiddush, the blessing chanted over wine that introduces every Sabbath and important holiday. At these times the challah is covered with a white cloth, some say to protect it from embarrassment at seeing the wine blessed first. The two uncut loaves of challah on the Sabbath table echo the double po