Fresh Challah

My husband got a breadmaker for Hanukkah. To be fair, I might have rolled my eyes a little. I was convinced this would be an appliance he used once and then it would take up space for the next 10 years until I purged the kitchen. Still, he was insistent. He weaved poetic tales of the smell of fresh bread cooking when he was growing up, and in the end, I did some research and bought him a breadmaker for Hanukkah. It's been only a few weeks, so it could easily still go the way of the forgotten toy, but in the meantime, this challah (or kallah, as my daughter pronounces it) makes this purchase worth it. That's right - if that's all ever uses it for, I'm still sold. This is the most delicious challah I believe I've ever tasted. It's fresh, light, perfectly-textured, and with just the right hint of sweetness. When he made two for a family Hanukkah party, half of one didn't even survive the car ride there (which was mostly due to the kallah-pronouncing toddler...) and the they were gone QUICKLY. These two were made just for our house and seem to be going the same route.

I'm presenting the recipe for a breadmaker below, but I'm sure you can also make it by hand if you so choose (with a lot more work...) Either way, start making this immediately. You won't regret it.

Time: 2 hr 50 (25 min active)

Fresh Challah

Ingredients:
1 c warm water + 1 tbsp water
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs at room temperature + 1 egg beaten
1 tbsp honey
1/2 c sugar
2.5 tsp salt
4 c bread flour
2.25 tsp bread machine yeast

Add 1 c warm water, vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and honey to the bread machine (the wet ingredients!) Carefully add the dry ingredients (sugar, salt, bread flour) on top, being careful not to mix them. Create a very small well with your fingers in the flour and add the yeast - making sure it doesn't go deep enough to mix with the wet ingredients.

Set the dough cycle and let it run - in my Oster breadmaker this takes 1.5 hours.

When the dough is done, gently remove it from the machine. Gently place it on a floured surface and push it down. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Then split in two and set one half of dough to the side. Divide the other half in three pieces and braid them, tucking the ends under to make a challah. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Once both braided loaves are on the cookie sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place to rise. I put it in an unheated oven as a draft-free place. Let it rise for 1.25-1.5 hours. It should about double in size.

Get an oven heating (not the one the bread is in if you did my trick!) to 350 degrees. While it preheats, combine the remaining 1 beaten egg and 1 tbsp water. Use a pastry brush to "paint" the challah with the mixture. Then, bake for 25 minutes. It should be golden-colored. Finally, try not to eat all of it in one sitting...!