Today is New Year’s Day, and I suppose it’s as good a day as any to give you a failproof challah recipe. I’ve made this one a few times (and I’ve featured this cookbook and its sister book a few times too), and it’s been perfect every time.
December is a big month of celebrating for us (two sets of holidays, plus birthdays, and anniversaries) so, just for fun, I did a little hybrid cooking, and I served this challah, dipped in eggnog with a dollop of maple whipped cream for Christmas brunch.
It’s also great with poppy seeds and with my totally awesome baba ganoush.
New Basics Challah
recipe from the Silver Palate cookbook.
French toast tip follows.
Ingredients
-2 c. milk
-7 tbsp. butter, divided
-1/3 c. sugar
-2 packages (5 tsp.) dry yeast
-4 eggs, room temperature
-2 tsp. salt
-6 c. flour
-sprinkling of cornmeal
-poppy seeds, optional
Method
Bring milk, 6 tbsp. of butter, and sugar to boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, and pour into a large mixing bowl. Let cool until the liquid is between 105 and 115 degrees F.
Stir the yeast into the milk. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Beat three eggs separately. Then add them and the salt into the milk mixture.
Stir in 5 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough becomes sticky. Flour a work surface, and turn the dough onto it.
Wash and dry the bowl.
Knead the dough, adding flour as necessary until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Smear the remaining tbsp. of butter onto the bowl, and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the dough has doubled or tripled in size.
Lightly re-flour your work surface, and turn the dough out. Cut the dough into two halves and then each half into three pieces. Roll each piece into snakes about 18 inches long. Using a little water on the tip of your finger, attach three snakes at the top. Braid the snakes fairly tightly, and then tuck the ends under and seal with a tiny bit of water. Repeat with the other loaf.
Transfer the braids to a cooking sheet that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover, and allow to rise for another hour.
Preheat your over to 350 degrees.
Beat the last egg with one tbsp. of water, and brush over the dough. Sprinkle with poppy seeds (or sesame seeds, etc.) if desired. Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes or until the loaves are nicely browned.
For eggnog French toast with maple whipped cream:
-Mix eggnog with cinnamon and an egg. Dip 1-in thick slices in the mixture on both sides, and brown the slices in a butter skillet. Top with whipped cream that has been mixed with a few spoonfuls of maple syrup.
