Saturday, July 03, 2004


yes!

"it's perfect," the extremely critical mr. right said. "just like the challah my mother used to get at the bakery in miami. . ."

and it is perfect. despite my deep trepidations earlier this morning, the challah emerges light, springy, stretchy, lightly eggy with a gentle buttery taste.

you won't mistake it for brioche, but that's not the object i'm trying to re-create for mr. right here. said challah of his childhood probably came from the late lamented wolfie's.

to match it is a tall order. but success is sweet.

the recipe, by weight, as always:

  • 25 oz. (about 700g. or 5 cups) unbleached bread flour, sifted
  • 1/2 oz. minus a pinch (12 g. or 2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
  • 1 oz. sugar (28 g. or about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1/4 oz. (7g or about 1-1/2 or 2 teaspoons) saf instant yeast
  • 8 fl. oz. (240 ml. or 1 cup) water
  • 2 extra large eggs
  • 3 oz. (85 g. or 6 tablespoons) plugra or french butter, melted

melt the butter and let cool to lukewarm. toss all this into your trusty stand mixer fitted with the paddle or k-beater, and mix until the dough coheres shaggily to it.

gently pull the dough off the paddle and knead lightly for about 30 seconds just to get the dough into a ball.

leave the dough in the mixer bowl and cover with plastic wrap. let it rest for 10 mins.

then fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on low speed for 10 mins.

again, let the dough rest covered for 10 mins. then round nicely into a ball, oil the bowl lightly, cover again, and let rise for 70 mins. or until doubled in bulk.

once the dough has risen, gently deflate and turn it, to reshape into a nice ball. (i'm not a believer in beating up your poor innocent bread dough; put love in, get love out.)

let double again, another 60 mins. then decide whether you want 1 nice big loaf or 2 smaller ones. i made 2 today.

thus deflate the dough again, round it, and cover to let it rest 10 mins. then divide it into however many pieces you need for strands to braid.

i made 2 loaves of 3 strands -- thus 6 pieces for me. roll the pieces out with your fingertips into fat, even lengths.

make 'em fit the length of your pan or baking peel, if you use a baking stone like i do. then braid 'em, just like hair, tucking the ends under at the front and back.

if you start the braid in the middle of the loaf and braid backwards to the ends on each side you'll usually get a more even and attractive design.

preheat the oven to 375 degrees f. set the loaves on your cookie sheet, baking peel, whatever. just be sure to oil it or use baking parchment.

cover the loaves with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise for 45 mins. or until double.

the quickly beat together 1 egg and 2 oz. water to make a glaze. brush the loaf this egg wash.

if you want, sprinkle the loaves with 2 or 3 teaspoons poppy seeds.

bake a large loaf for about 35-40 mins.; smaller ones, 25-30 mins. your instant read thermometer should be between 195-205 degrees f. when plunged into the bottom of the loaf.

so simple! and yet, if i may repeat, "perfect."

those who insist on gilding this lily might consider adding a few gratings of fresh whole nutmeg and 1 tablespoon vanilla. . .

posted by fortune | 3:12 PM | top | link to this | email this: | | | 0 comments