Classic Challah Recipe

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the yeast, sugar, warm water, and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until all ingredients are incorporated and no lumps remain. Scrape down the sides if needed with a rubber spatula, then cover the bowl with a dish towel or piece of plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. (Note that you should see some bubbling/foaming and observe a subtle beer-like smell within just a minute or two—that’s how you’ll know your yeast is, in fact, active and not expired.)

When the hour is up, crack the eggs directly on top of the now-foamy mixture, then pour in the honey and oil. Rigorously stir the mixture together until thoroughly incorporated and perfectly uniform in color and texture.

Add the salt, the remaining 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (continue to retain the 1/2 cup for your eventual work surface), and all of the bread flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together until you’re looking at a (very!) disheveled-looking dough ball. It’ll be pretty messy at this point; not to worry; you’re on the right track. At this point, throw on a pair of latex gloves (optional, but I prefer to use them for a few minutes while things are extra messy), then get your hands into the bowl and keep up the initial kneading. After another minute, you’ll be looking at an ever-so-slightly more cohesive dough ball.

Sprinkle your work surface with a few tablespoons of the retained all-purpose flour. Remove the sticky mass of dough from the mixer bowl and place it on the well-floured surface; continue knead by hand for another 3 to 4 minutes until the dough ball is round, smooth, and supple. You might not need all of the retained flour (I typically use a little more than 1/4 cup), but continue adding until you’re satisfied with the dough’s appearance and texture: It should be smooth, supple, and tacky to the touch, but not sticky (in other words, don’t over-flour the dough if you can help it; some tackiness is expected and desired). Depending on the climate, season, and temperature within your home, you might find you need more or less of this “extra” flour each week.

Finish shaping the dough into a true ball, then place it in an oiled bowl (lightly greased by hand with about 1 tablespoon of any oil—this just ensures that the dough doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl as it rises). Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until it’s doubled in size.

Once time’s up, remove the dough from the bowl. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide it into four equal parts (alternatively, divide into 8 parts and set 4 aside to create two smaller loaves). Use a rolling pin (or the palms of your hands) to shape each resulting triangle into a flat rectangle; it’ll be a little oblong, but that’s okay. Then, use your fingers to carefully roll up each dough portion into a short, snake-like strand. Continue rolling the strands to gently lengthen. You’re aiming for a final length of ~10-12 inches (see next step if you aren’t able to get all the way there).

Optional, but I like to cover the strands with a kitchen towel and let them rest for a few minutes before returning for one last rolling spree; I find I can get an additional inch or two out of them when I work this way.

There are so many ways to achieve a 4-strand braid, but here’s how I like to go about it: Pinch together the four strands at their tops to create the beginning of your weave. Then, mentally number each strand, with the leftmost strand acting as “1” and the rightmost acting as “4.” Note that these numbers are fluid; i.e. whatever strand of dough finds itself in “Spot 1” is now “Strand 1,” even if it was previously stationed in, say, spot 4. To begin braiding, first, bring Strand 4 over Strand 2. Then, take Strand 1 and bring it over your new Strand 3. Finally, bring Strand 2 over Strand 3. Continue braiding with this three-part pattern: 4 over 2, 1 over 3, 2 over 3. You’ll end up with a few stubby pieces hanging out; simply tuck these beneath the loaf.

Transfer the braided loaf to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with a dish towel; let rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes. (If you’re making two loaves, now’s the time to repeat the braiding process.) Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Prep your egg wash by whisking together the egg and water in a small bowl.

When the second rise is up and your oven is preheated, use a pastry brush to coat the exterior of the loaf with egg wash, making sure to get in all the nooks and crannies. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until dark brown. You might have to add a few minutes depending on your oven, so keep a close eye on the bread and determine for yourself when you’ve reached the right hue. If the bread is browning much too quickly and turning an extra-dark hue (unlikely but it can happen), remove it from the oven, tent the overly browned areas or the entire thing with aluminum foil, and quickly return it to the oven to finish the internal baking process.

It’s tempting to dive right in, but it’s best to allow the loaf/loaves to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving as they’re technically still cooking on the inside (they’ll be too hot to eat right away anyway). Then, slice, serve warm, and enjoy!