Challah

          I have been asked to share this recipe.  This is a recipe I got off of Mike's web site, Sourdough.  Mike got the recipe off of Breads Bread.  Mike changed Beards recipe from using yeast, to a sourdough recipe.  Because I'm still learning about sourdough, I changed the recipe back to a yeast, recipe.  If you follow my blog you know I'm just starting to learn about breads.  I went to the Fleischmann's yeast web site, and just started baking using their recipes.  Every recipe there has heat your water to 120 -130 degrees.  When I went to Mike's web site, he says anything over 100 degrees kills the yeast.

           I have lost count of how many breads I have made.  Some where over 12 breads now, I have decided, that I'm not happy with the way they are rising.  Because of that I have been read more web sites.  By reading about the sourdough, I better understand the yeast.  Just like feeding the sourdough starter,  and the whole filling up a swimming pool in 12 days thing.  I am now back blogging.  Even though the breads I made were good.  Now, I better understand how it works. 

            In this bowl I am making a yeast sponge.  In the bowl we put 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm water.  I made sure it was under 100 degrees.  To this I added 2-1/4 teaspoons of yeast, which is equal to one packet.  Cover and let sit for 1 hour.  This is a Jewish Bread which has no milk, and uses Kosher salt.  Also note I added the pecans to the recipe myself.

1 cup of starter @100% hydration

(this is for a sourdough, I replaced it with the sponge)

1/2 cup water (leave this out water is in sponge)

Sift about 4 cups of flour

2 tsp. Salt

1/4 Sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg lightly beaten

2 egg yolks lightly beaten

Poppy Seeds

Sesame Seeds

1 cup pecans chopped

           The pecans I chopped up the by hand because in the chopper, it chops them up to fine.  I put these to the side.  In a large bowl I put 2 cups of flour, in the center of flour I made a ditch.  Into this I put the egg, 2 egg yolks, sugar, kosher salt, and oil.  Mixing all this with a wooden spoon, then add the sponge, and mix with the mixer on low 2 or 3 minutes.  Add flour until just before dough is formed.  Change mixer to dough hooks, or remove from mixer and stir in pecans with spoon. Turn out on floured table and knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.  Cover and let rise until triple in size.

 

           In this picture it is about double in size.  It will continue to rise until the bowl is full and touching the plastic wrap.  In the recipe of the 1920 Nut Bread I made in the past, you fold the nuts in after it has risen.  I decided I would try adding earlier this time and it worked just fine.  Guess you can do it either way.  It did seem to mix better while the batter was still wet. 

           When the dough has tripled in size, punch out the dough and pour out on flour table.  Knead briefly, then cut into 4 equal parts.  Cut one of the parts into 3 pieces and form 12" to 14" ropes.  You should have 3 small ropes and 3 thick ropes.  Take the 3 large pieces and braid, then braid the smaller ones.  Taking the side of your hand, make a dent the length of the large braid.  Brush it with water and place the smaller braid on top of the larger braid.

 

           The recipe calls for using another egg, but I added a tablespoon of water to the egg whites that were left over.  Place the loaf on a baking sheet cover in a coat of 100% Whole Wheat flour.  Paint the loaf with egg and cover with plastic wrap, let rise until double in size.  This recipe calls for baking on a baking stone, but my bread is bigger that my baking stone.  So, I just placed this baking sheet in the oven on top of the baking stone.  Hey, it worked.  Another thing that worked, was the yeast sponge, and changing the water temperature to under 100 degrees.

           Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, with a Baking Stone or tiles this will take about 45 minutes to an hour.  When oven is ready brush loaf with egg wash again.  Bake about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Check the inside with toothpick.  If while baking the top cooks to fast place parchment paper or foil tent over bread.





           The picture is not that good, but the bread is great.  I hope you try this bread with or without the pecans.  I'm also sure this is one bread, that I won't be eating by myself.  As you can see I forgot to put the Poppy Seed and Sesame Seed on it.  You are suppost to put them on after the second egg wash is put on, and before you put it into the oven.  Well, there is always next time.