Challah
2 large loaves
Or 8 mini loafs
300g Bread flour
200g All purpose
1 Egg
110g water (or 130g if using sugar and not honey)
350g poolish (see notes)
12g Salt
60ml oil or 1/4 cup (neutral such as canola)
65g Sugar or honey 1/4 cup
Poolish:
This is yeast, flour and water mixed and fermented before you add it to the dough.
175g all purpose flour
175g water (warm, not hot)
3g yeast (1 tsp)
Mix and ferment for 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in fridge (preferred)
– in your mixer bowl, combine water, egg, poolish, oil, and honey (if using) mix on low or use a fork to incorporate.
– Add flours, salt, sugar (if using) and mix on low to incorporate, 2-4 minutes.
You can also use a fork until dough forms then wet hands to kneed further.
– Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
– Stretch and fold the dough on itself several times, rest for 30 minutes longer
– Repeat the folding process 2-3 more times for a total of 2-3 hours.
– You can shape the dough now or let it continue proofing in the fridge for a day or 2.
– Divide the dough into required size, 150g for a mini loaf.
– You can either do the classic 3 braid, or shape into a single cylinder.
– Proof on baking sheet lined with parchment for 2 more hours.
– Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame.
– Bake at preheated 200c oven for 10 minutes, then 10 more minutes at 180c.
– For large loaves, add 10 more minutes.
– let cool on wire rack.