Recipe - Sy Dolnicks Challah

One fourth cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Salt
One fourth cup Oil; (I use canola)
1 One fourth cup Water; ( hot from the tap)
2 pack Dry yeast
3 Eggs; (room temp)
6 cup Flour; ( I use unbleached),
up to 7
1 Egg for glaze

Two loaves, 1 One half # each

Place sugar, salt and oil in mixing bowl. Add hot water and stir to
dissolve. Add yeast, stir in and let stand until yeast gets "foamy".Add
slightly beaten eggs.

1. For mixer with dough hook. (should have a capacity of 6 cups of flour)
Add 4 One half cups of flour and mix until flour is mixed in and dough gets "
stringy".(gluten has formed). Continue to add flour until dough is all on
doughhook and sides andbottom of bowl are clean. Let hook continue to knead
for several minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic.

2. For hand kneading. Stir in 4One half cups of flour. Turn out on a floured
board and knead by hand working in 1 to 2 cups of additional flour until
dough is no longer sticky but is smooth and elastic. (about 810 minutes)

Turn out dough into a greased bowl. Grease top and cover bowl. Let rise
until doubled in bulk. ( I punch down after first rising and allow to rise
a second time. The first rising is about 1 hour, the second about 45
minutes). Divide dough in two. Divide each half into three or four parts
depending on whether you do a three or four braid. Braid, place both breads
on a baking sheet, cover, and allow to rise until doubled. Brush withbeaten
egg. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees
for 35 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack.
Posted to JEWISHFOOD digest by "Ruth Frier" antruthy@flash.net on May
13, 1998