This enriched bread, usually plaited, is a symbolic centrepiece at the heart of many Jewish celebrations, including Shabbat and Purim. The baked delicious golden dough, here made with plain flour, has a cakey, doughy texture. As wonderful fresh from the oven as it is toasted.
This challah bread is wonderfully pillowy and perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea or even toasted with berries and yoghurt for dessert!
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Yields:
16
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Cal/Serv:
267
Ingredients
For the dough
100g
runny honey
10g
fast-action dried yeast
150ml
vegetable oil, plus extra to grease
2
medium eggs, beaten
750g
plain flour, plus extra to dust
For the glaze
1tsp.
vegetable oil
1
medium egg
Directions
Step 1For the dough, measure the honey into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook) and stir in 275ml warm water, to dissolve. Stir in the yeast and set aside for 10min, until mixture is foaming.
Step 2Stir in vegetable oil, the eggs and 1½tsp fine salt. Mix in the flour to make a slightly sticky but not wet dough.
Step 3If kneading by hand, tip dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10min. If using a freestanding mixer, knead for 5-8min. Return to a large greased bowl, if needed. Cover with greased clingfilm, oil-side down, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1½hr.
Step 4Divide into 4 pieces (weigh for best results). Roll each piece into an even sausage, about 45cm long (dust surface lightly with flour if dough is sticky). Slightly taper both ends of each length. Arrange the lengths vertically in front of you and squeeze the ends furthest away from you together. Numbering the lengths from left to right 1-4, start by lifting length 4 tightly over the other lengths into position 1. Then lift the now length 2 into position 4 (going over length 3).
Step 5To carry on plaiting: position 1 in between 2 and 3, then place 3 into position 1 (going over length 2). Then place 4 between positions 2 and 3 and move 2 to position 4 (going over length 3). Repeat this pattern until plaited. Squeeze the ends together and tuck just under the end of the plait. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and cover with greased clingfilm (oil-side down). Leave to rise in a warm place for 45min, until noticeably puffed.
Step 6Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 5. To make the glaze, whisk together the oil and egg. Brush all over the loaf. Bake the challah for 30-40min, until deeply golden. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
To store
Once cool, wrap well in baking parchment or foil and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
GH Tip
This enriched bread makes for insanely good French toast.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
