Challah is Jewish Sabbath and holiday bread. It is extremely soft and airy and buttery, which is no wonder – a considerable amount of eggs and butter is used to make it. Challah has a deep religious meaning, but apart from that it is a delicious sweet white loaf to share for tea time.

It is absolutely one of the tastiest breads in the world… Though all breads are tasty to me. So, let’s grab some eggs and butter and bake a Challah loaf. Oh, no, not butter, actually, we are going to substitute butter with vegetable oil.

We don’t want to eat a lot of white bread, do we? Everyday I read articles here and there, that eating too much bread can cause this and that and none of it – good. So we will make a small loaf, eat just one slice, share the rest with nearest and dearest (bread is for sharing, isn’t it) and remain slim and healthy.

Recipe:
250 g plain flour
4 g salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
20 ml vegetable oil
3 g dry east
80 g warm water
1 egg for washing
Poppy seeds or sesame for dusting

Mix Flour with salt and sugar. In a big bowl mix yeast and water to fully dissolve. Add lightly beaten egg and yolk, then fold the dry ingredients and mix well to form dough.  Add oil and knead until smooth and not sticky.  Cover the bowl with dough using another bowl for 10 minutes. Then gently knead the dough in 7-8 moves, cover for 10 minutes again. Repeat covering and kneading for 3 more times. Than cover the dough and let rise for 1 hour.

Push the dough gently to remove excess air. Put the dough onto a flat surface, form a sausagy shape and wrap it into roll. Put onto a baking sheet, wash with egg, cover with a bowl and let rest for 20-35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 240°С, put a heat-resistant pan in the bottom. Place a cup of water nearby.

When the loaf is ready to bake, pour the water into the heated pan, place the loaf into the oven and reduce the heat to 200°С. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until  golden brown. Cool before serving.

Enjoy!