Happy Sunday Bread Heads! This week we’ll be fulfilling a request for Challa. Now, we have done braided breads before and almost always someone says "Hey Challa!". The thing is, while all Challa have some type of braid, not all braided breads are Challa. Part of what makes Challa...er..um.. Challa, is saffron.
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Below is a picture of what $20 worth of saffron looks like. You can get much better prices buying it in bulk, but who needs that much saffron? Here is the dirty little secret; you can make perfectly fine Challa without the saffron. It makes the bread just a little yellower and it gives only a slight overtone in the overall flavor of the bread. So, if you find that buying saffron is a bridge too far, then just leave it out, no one will ever know.
On to the bread!
Challa
Ingredients:
2 packages (4 ½ teaspoons) dry yeast (any kind will do)
5 cups flour (bread flour will get you a little more heft to your crumb but is not required)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup hot water (120-130 degrees)
1 pinch saffron
3 eggs
1 egg white
Egg wash (the yolk from the separated egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cold water)
1 teaspoon poppy seeds or sesame seeds
Pans:
1 baking sheet, greased or covered with parchment paper
Method:
Start by pulverizing your saffron. This is usually done with a mortar and pestle, or in a coffee grinder re-tasked to a spice grinder. If you don’t have either of these, you can use the back of a spoon in a small bowl to turn the threads into a fine dust.
In a large bowl or the work bowl of your stand mixer, combine 2 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar, salt and butter. If you are using a stand mixer set, use the paddle attachment and set it to medium. Pour in the hot water and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl down a couple of times during this.
If you are doing this by hand, pour in the water and mix with a wooden spoon, using really strong strokes for 2 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl again and add the eggs, egg white and saffron. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes (or strongly by hand) stopping to scrape the sides down at least once during that time.
Add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time. When you are done the dough should be a rough mass, but not sticky. If it is you can add sprinkles of flour (up to 2 tablespoons). If you are using your stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes at medium speed.
If you are kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and using a push-turn-fold method knead for 10 minutes. This is a dense dough so it will give you a bit of a work out, but it quickly becomes smooth and elastic and is really quite nice to work with.
Place the dough in a large greased bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until it has doubled in volume. This time of year that is going to be about 35 minutes.
Shaping:
When the dough has risen, punch it down in the bowl then turn it out onto a work surface. You won’t need any flour to work with this dough. Divide the dough in half and set one half aside. Divide the remaining dough into three equal balls. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
To form the braid, roll one of the balls under your palms working outward from the center, until you have a rope 12" long. Do this as quickly as you can, since overworking the dough can make it tough. Repeat with the other two dough balls.
Place the ropes side-by-side and then working from the middle braid to one end of the dough. Pinch the ends tightly together and tuck under. Turn pan or work board around and repeat with the other half of the braid. Carefully transfer to you baking pan.
Repeat with the other half of the dough. Carefully brush the egg wash onto the braids. You don’t want it to drip on the paper, as the sugar will burn and smell bad. Sprinkle liberally with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Set aside, but don’t cover for 1 hour, by then the braids will have doubled in volume.
20 minutes before baking preheat your oven to 400 degrees and set one of the racks in the middle position. When the oven is hot, slip the pan in and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The first time you make this, really watch the bread, the sugar in the glaze can get too hot and burn really easily! When the loaves are dark brown, test with a toothpick in the center of the braid, it is done if the toothpick comes out clean. If it does not, tent the braids with some tin foil and bake for up to 5 minutes more (don’t worry, they are going to be done by the time they are brown unless something really weird is happening with your oven).
Remove from the oven and move to wire racks to cool. Braids can be fragile, so be careful how you take them off the pan. If you used parchment paper, just pull the paper and the breads onto the rack then pull the paper out from under them. If you just greased the pan, then use a big spatula to help you transfer them safely.
Let cool then cut in and enjoy!
Next week I am going to a BBQ so we’ll be making my traditional Pot Luck bread, Marbled Veggie Bread!
The flour is yours.
If you are looking for the previous installments in this epic series, you can find them at the links below:
Scottish Soda Bread
Jewish or New York Style Rye
Pecan Sticky Buns
Irish Freckle Bread
Onion Braid Bread
Croissants Plain, Almond and Chocolate
Dark Grains Bread
French Bread and French Toast
Hot Cross Buns
Water Bagels
Best Ever Biscuits
English Style Oat Bread
Potato Bread
Scones – Cinnamon and Chocolate Chip
Danish Walnut Braid
Fragels! (Deep Fried Cinnamon Raisin Bagels)
Scones Orange Cranberry and Lemon Cherry Cornmeal
Italian Batter Bread
English Muffins
Braided Lemon Bread
Deep Dish and Thin Crust Pizza Dough
Guinness Stout Soft Pretzels
Sunday Bread - Pesto Bread