Description
A slightly sweet yeast bread, perfect for shabbat Challah, cinnamon buns, or any other sweet bread.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 c. warm water
- 1 tbsp. organic sugar
- 2 tbsp. dry yeast
- 7 whole medium eggs
- 2 tbsp. liquid coconut oil or melted butter
- 1/4 cup of organic sugar (optional)
- 1 tbsp. Celtic salt or Himalayan salt
- 8 cups unbleached bread machine flour
- 1/2 cup freshly ground flax seed
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup of raisins, plumped
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon, powdered
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in water. Wait until it gets frothy or foamy.
- Add to mixer bowl.
- Crack in 7 medium whole eggs, beating after each addition.
- Add 5 cups of unbleached bread machine flour, 1/2 cup ground flax seed, 3 cups whole wheat flour.
- Beat with dough hook on your stand mixer after you’ve added the first 4 cups of flour and then continue beating adding 1/2 cup of flour at a time.
- Dough should be smooth, pliable, and elastic.
- Cover dough with cloth or lid, set in a warm place, and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. The extra protein from the eggs makes this a rapid rising dough.
- Once dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down. And allow it to rest again for 15 minutes.
- Divide dough into 12 portions. Take each of the 12 portions and divide into 3 parts. Roll each part into a smooth log .
- Cross the 3 logs in the centre.
- Working on one side at a time, braid the 3 strands by passing them alternatively under and over each other as if you are weaving.
- When you run out of dough, press the three ends together and tuck this end under the loaf.
- Repeat steps 1 to 4 on the opposite side of the loaf.
- Place each loaf on a greased baking sheet.
- The loaves will rise until doubled in bulk and then rise more in the oven so leave enough room between them on the baking sheet so that they don’t grow into each other during the baking.
- Beat 1 egg, and brush each loaf with the beaten egg.
- Once you have brushed all the loaves with the egg, go back and repeat the egg brushing so that each loaf has been brushed twice with the beaten egg.
- Sprinkle the tops of the loaves lightly with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.
- Cover and allow to rise until double in bulk. (about 30 min.)
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Put baking tray into oven and immediately turn down the oven to 350F.
- Bread will be done in 25 to 30 min.
- Bread is done when it is golden brown and the bottom of the loaves sounds hollow when tapped.
