Challah Bread Recipe - 4 strand braid
Coooking Temperature: 350°F /177°C / Gas Mark 4
Calories: 7
Adjust Servings Here: 20 slices
Description
Challah bread recipe is a buttery, rich, and absolutely beautiful braided loaf of bread. Today, I will teach you to make this four-braid challah with step-by-step pictures and a video tutorial. You will be surprised at how simple and easy it is to make this bread at home.
Ingredients
Makes 1 large challah or 2 small loaves
- 250 ml (1 cup) Water warm 110F
- 7 g (2¼ tsp) Instant dry yeast (1 packet or 21 g bakers fresh yeast)
- 40 g (2 tbsp) Honey
- 40 g (2 tbsp) Oil olive or cooking
- 100 g (2 large) Eggs large
- 500 g (4 cups) Bread flour (or 50% bread and 50% all-purpose flour)
- 9 g (1 tsp) Kosher salt
Instructions
- Yeast mixture - In a mixing bowl or measuring cup, combine warm water (110°F), yeast, honey, oil, and eggs. Stir and set aside to foam for 3 minutes.250 ml Water, 7 g Instant dry yeast, 40 g Honey, 40 g Oil, 100 g Eggs
- Dry mixture - Measure the flour and salt in a mixing bowl or stand mixer with the dough hook.500 g Bread flour, 9 g Kosher salt
- Knead - Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and combine well on medium-low speed. Knead until smooth and elastic. This should take about 6 to 8 minutes on medium-low in the stand mixer or about 10 to 15 minutes by hand on a lightly dusted work surface.
- Bowl - When the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic. Shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Rise - Leave in a warm place. Let rise for 60 to 90 minutes until it doubles in volume.
- Divide - Transfer to a well-dusted work surface. Press down and shape it into a log. You can divide the dough into two small loaves. Then, divide the dough into four equal pieces.
- Ropes - Shape each into a ball. If necessary, let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Strands - Shape each into a ball. If necessary, let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Roll each ball with a rolling pin on an unfloured work surface. Then, roll like a jelly roll into a rope about 18 inches long (see video)
- 4 Braid challah - Place all four ropes so they intersect at the top. Ensure the four strands are secured at the top. From left to right, you now have 1, 2, 3, and 4 strands.- Strand 1 goes over 4 and - 4 goes over 1 - simple criss-cross.- Then, 4 comes in between 2 and 3.- And 3 goes over 1 (in place of 4).- Then, 1 comes down between 2 and 4.- And 2 goes over 4 (in place of 1).
- Proof - Place the loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a plastic wrap or clean kitchen cloth and let proof for 45 to 60 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the dough in an 8-inch round baking pan.
- Oven - About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F /177°C / Gas Mark 4
- Bake - Brush the bread with a beaten egg. Then, bake each loaf on the center rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cool - Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, cover with a clean kitchen cloth to keep it soft.
- Enjoy!
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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