Challah
My family called this "koilech" when I was a child - the word adopted from Ukrainian and Russian. Old photographs of the North End advertise koilech in Yiddish script on horse-drawn delivery wagons. Now, the Hebrew name has become more commonly known, although Ukrainians still use the word "kalatch" (or other spellings). This version of challah has a cake-like texture. It's a signature loaf.
More bread recipes: No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Pillowy Buttermilk Buns, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Chocolate Babka, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni)
Ingredients
1/10 lb. cake yeast OR 2 pkg. granulated yeast. I buy a pound of cake yeast at a bakery, divide it into 10 and freeze the pieces.
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. warm water
Dissolve the sugar in the water, sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit in a slightly warm location for 10 minutes, until the yeast is bubbly.
In the meantime, mix together:
1/2 c. warm water
3/4 c. (scant) oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
3 eggs
Add to the yeast mixture. Stir in 3 cups flour, then let mixture sit, covered for 15 minutes so the glutens can begin to work.
Then turn out the mixture onto a floured board and knead in 2-3 cups flour, working the dough for 10 minutes.
Grease a bowl and round up dough in a ball. Make sure the top of the dough is greased, too. Cover and let rise in a protected or slightly warm spot for 2 hours or until doubled. Punch down, round up again and let rise again until doubled - 45 - 60 minutes.
Punch down, braid (any style of braiding) and place on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 30 -45 minutes. Baste with 1 egg yolk that has been mixed with 1 tsp. water.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cover with foil if it's browning too quickly. To indicate it is done, the bread should sound hollow in the middle. Adjust baking times according to your oven.
My family called this "koilech" when I was a child - the word adopted from Ukrainian and Russian. Old photographs of the North End advertise koilech in Yiddish script on horse-drawn delivery wagons. Now, the Hebrew name has become more commonly known, although Ukrainians still use the word "kalatch" (or other spellings). This version of challah has a cake-like texture. It's a signature loaf.
More bread recipes: No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Pillowy Buttermilk Buns, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Chocolate Babka, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni)
Ingredients
1/10 lb. cake yeast OR 2 pkg. granulated yeast. I buy a pound of cake yeast at a bakery, divide it into 10 and freeze the pieces.
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. warm water
Dissolve the sugar in the water, sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit in a slightly warm location for 10 minutes, until the yeast is bubbly.
In the meantime, mix together:
1/2 c. warm water
3/4 c. (scant) oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
3 eggs
Add to the yeast mixture. Stir in 3 cups flour, then let mixture sit, covered for 15 minutes so the glutens can begin to work.
Then turn out the mixture onto a floured board and knead in 2-3 cups flour, working the dough for 10 minutes.
Grease a bowl and round up dough in a ball. Make sure the top of the dough is greased, too. Cover and let rise in a protected or slightly warm spot for 2 hours or until doubled. Punch down, round up again and let rise again until doubled - 45 - 60 minutes.
Punch down, braid (any style of braiding) and place on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Cover and let rise for 30 -45 minutes. Baste with 1 egg yolk that has been mixed with 1 tsp. water.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cover with foil if it's browning too quickly. To indicate it is done, the bread should sound hollow in the middle. Adjust baking times according to your oven.