Challah
September 15th, 2008. Filed under: Nancy's Recipe Box.This is a bread recipe from Jewish Cookery by Leah W. Leonard. According to Amazon, this book contains the dishes your mother used to make, from the cookbook your grandmother brought over from the old country.
CHALLAH
Makes 2 loaves
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8 cups flour
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1 tblsp salt
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1 tblsp sugar
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4 tblsp vegetable shortening
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2 cups hot potato water
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2 packages dry yeast
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3 eggs
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pinch of saffron added to hot liquid
Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix sugar and shortening with the hot liquid. If potato water is not available, use plain hot water. When cooled to lukewarm, dissolve the yeast in some of the liquid and stir into the flour to make a sponge in the center of the bowl. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Add slightly beaten eggs to the sponge and stir in remaining liquid to make a dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic. The dough should not stick to hand or board. Return to mixing bowl, brush top with shortening or dust with flour, cover and let rise in a warm place until approximately double in bulk. Knead on floured board for 10 minutes and shape into coils for round loaves or cut in half and divide into 3 to make braided or twist loaves. Place on greased or floured baking sheet and let rise again till about double in bulk. Brush with egg yolk and water and bake 15 minutes at 400F. Reduce heat to 375F and bake for 45 minutes.