Challah

Challah is delicious and no other justification is needed.  If you have not consumed challah in the past, you have been missing out and you should run to the nearest challah store and get some, or if you are a bit more patient, you should make it yourself.

Here is the recipe for delicious challah that you should make.

The best part about making bread, any bread, is that you can abuse the dough to fit your schedule.  Don't have all day to wait around for multiple risings?  Throw the dough in the fridge overnight after the first rise, then let it finish the next day.  

The same can be done with shaped loaves before proofing (the final rise).  It's awesome.  You can be lazy and still have awesome bread that amazes people.

These loaves in particular had one rise initially, were punched down, and put in the fridge overnight, then taken out the next morning for a second rise, then shaped, proofed, and baked.

Here is what it looked like when I did it for the third time in 2 months.  I suspect this is why everyone likes having me around.

So many lumps.

It was a two-step process to roll the dough into ropes, since the gluten structure was fairly developed.  I rolled each piece into a short cylinder, let it rest for a few minutes so the gluten would relax, then rolled them all into ropes for braiding.

It looks like a doughy octopus.

Braided...

And baked.

Next post I will relate to you the delicious fate of the challahs.