Showstopper Challah for You’re Loved Ones

🍞 Bake Mode: OFF

Feeling Like a Kid Again

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With Soft & Shiny Magic Bread

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Feeling Like a Kid Again 〰️ With Soft & Shiny Magic Bread 〰️

You guessed it, it’s another King Arthur classic recipe here; I’ve made some small (but crucially informative) edits and tweaks below. Their video is especially helpful to learn how to plait this loaf. If you want to turn it into individual rolls, watch this stellar tutorial video by Jamie Gellar. Because of its signature braiding, this earns a medium-effort ranking, but don’t let that stop you!

Bold flavor, shiny golden brown crust, so soft, and so, so special. One loaf, and you’ll be hooked.

INGREDIENTS

Dough

• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

• 4 teaspoons instant yeast

• 6 tablespoons avacado oil or olive oil

• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 2 large eggs

• 1 large egg yolk (white reserved for the topping)

• 3/4 cup water, lukewarm

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping

• 1 large egg white (reserved from above), beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water

• Everything bagel seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine salt, yeast, oil, syrup, and eggs (2 eggs + 1 yolk). Add the 3/4 cup water, then stir everything together, to promote the salt and yeast dissolving and begin to do their "work."

2. Add the 4 cups flour (measured and leveled) to the the mixture and stir until it starts to combine, clump, and is ready to be kneaded (I use my hands). Mix and knead until you have a soft, smooth dough. If the dough is very sticky, add an additional 1/4 cup (30g) of flour.

3. Gently oil the bowl and the ball of dough. Cover in plastic wrap.

4. Soak a clean dish towel completely in water (only gently ringing it out). Microwave the wet dish towel for 2-2:30 minutes. This is creating a perfect steam zone for your dough to rise! Grab the plastic-covered bowl (keeping it covered), open the microwave door and swiftly place the bowl into the microwave, draping the hot dish towel over the bowl and quickly close the microwave door. If your bowl doesn't fit inside your microwave, quickly move it and the hot towel to your oven.

5. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours, or until it's puffy; it won't necessarily double in bulk.

6. Uncover and transfer the dough ball to a kitchen scale (to measure out its total weight to help calculate how much you'll need for individual sections for plaiting). For example, a 1000g dough can make ten (x10), 100g pieces for plaiting individual rolls. Decide what kind of braid you want to make; How to braid a three-strand loaf; How to braid a six-strand loaf; or Jamie's rolls. It's up to you! I've grown accustomed to the individual rolls (they are cute, and people don't hesitate to dive right in, like they sometimes do with the big loaves).

7. Once you've decided which braid you're doing, divide the dough into the appropriate number of pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12-20" long. If the dough starts to shrink back as you roll, cover it and let it rest for about 10 minutes, then resume rolling. The short rest gives the gluten a chance to relax.

8. Braid the loaf or the rolls. Place the finished product on your largest baking sheet, parchment- or silicone-lined.

9. Cover the loaf with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until it's very puffy, 60 to 90 minutes. Toward the end of the rising time, place a rack in the upper third of your oven (this is crucial) and preheat the oven to 375°F.

10. Make the topping: Whisk together the reserved egg white and water. Lightly brush the mixture over the risen loaf. Don't double-coat with the wash (it will burn), just ensure the whole surface and the sides are evenly brushed (once). Sprinkle generously everything-bagel seasoning.

11. Bake the challah on the oven's upper rack for 24-26 minutes, or until it's a deep golden brown. If the top starts to burn, gently cover with aluminum foil while it continues to bake.

12. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm and enjoy!

13. Store at room temperature, air tight container or wrapped, for several days or freeze for longer storage. This challah will go a long way in elevating your toast, toasty sandwiches (hello epic grilled cheese) or French toast (ooh la la).