Heavenly Challah

Challah is a most wonderful bread! Not only is it used by Jewish People in their weekly Sabbath Ritual, it also makes the world's best French Toast! The rich egg dough is very Brioche-like, but not quite as delicate. It is also easier to make. There are many recipes for Challah. Some use dairy products, some do not. Since Challah is part of the Sabbath Dinner, where typically meat is served, it is traditional to make a Challah that is dairy free. This is in keeping with the Biblical command to not mix meat and milk. Also, it is customary to make 2 loaves of Challah to symbolize the double portion of Manna that the Israelites gathered in the desert prior to the Sabbath, as no work was to be done on the Sabbath. Modern Challah, which bears little resemblance to Manna, is actually an adaptation of a rich, braided, egg-laden, Central European/German Bread that is a relative of Brioche. The Ashkenazic Jews of this area adapted it as their Sabbath loaf because of its fine richness - a far cry from their heavy, rustic, daily loaves.

Challah
Makes 2 large loaves

• 6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• scant 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil (such as canola)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, and the warm water. Mix together until all of the flour is moistened. Cover and let the yeast proof in a warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, the flour mixture should be active and bubbly. This is the starter sponge. While the sponge is forming, lightly oil a baking sheet and put aside.

Add all of remaining ingredients to the sponge, except the remaining flour, and begin mixing with the dough hook attachment. Once the mixture begins to come together, begin adding flour until a smooth dough is formed that does not stick to the bowl. You may not need all of the flour, but you will probably need most of it. Once the dough begins to pull away from the bowl, increase the mixer speed until the dough begins to slap against the sides of the bowl. If the dough begins to stick at all, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. You want the dough to be a cohesive whole that freely moves around the bowl, slapping loudly. Knead in this manor for 15 minutes. (Your mixer will get hot, so don't worry. Also, you will want to hold on to the mixer during this process so that it does not "walk" off the counter!)

After 15 minutes, cover the dough, and allow to rest in a warm place for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, place dough an a very lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each of the 8 portions into thick "snakes" about 10 inches long. Each loaf will be made of 4 of these "snakes".

To Braid The Challah:
1 2 3 4
Line up 4 of the dough "snakes" in a row like this, llll. Begin braiding in the middle by placing piece 4 over piece 3. Then, place piece 2 over piece 4. Finally place piece 1 UNDER piece 4. Repeat. Continue in this manor until you reach the end. Then, gather all of the ends together and tuck them under the loaf. Flip loaf around, and repeat exactly on the other side until you reach the other end. Again, tuck the gathered ends under the loaf. Transfer braided loaf to prepared baking pan. Braid second loaf, and place on same pan, leaving enough room for the challah to rise. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, leave in a warm place, and allow to rise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Begin preheating oven to 350 degrees.

Before the loaves are baked , you must egg wash them to give a shiny appearance. You will need:

• 1 egg
  
• 1 teaspoon water
• sesame or poppy seeds, optional

Whisk egg and water together thoroughly. Gently brush loaves with egg wash, being careful to cover all exposed surfaces without allowing egg to pool on baking sheet around loaves. Sprinkle with seed garnish if desired.

Bake in middle of preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. When fully baked, Challah will sound hollow when thumped on the bottom, and will be a rich mahogany brown color.

Remove immediately from baking pan and allow to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Best enjoyed fresh (of course), but it will keep for 1 week if wrapped tightly.

Wild Yeast Sourdough Bread

OK - So you've made your Seed Starter and your Barm. It's been sitting in your refrigerator for days. You have been caring for it, feeding it, and thinking about it while at work. Your friends have come over, you proudly show it to them, and they are worried about you. So just what are you going to do with this smelly, bubbling bowl of attitude?

You are going to use it to bake an incredible loaf of Sourdough Bread, of course!

Here is a recipe for a very basic Sourdough Bread that exclusively uses your Barm for leavening. The results are delicious, but this is not the big, tart, San Francisco Sourdough that you may be expecting. The flavor of this bread is not sour at all. It takes years for a Barm or Starter to develop the flavor that we usually associate with a loaf of Sourdough. Sadly, today most "Sourdoughs" are soured by adding citric or ascorbic acid. Read the labels.

This bread is rich and earthy, with an incredibly "creamy" texture. The crust is crispy and chewy. It will become your new favorite against which all other "white" breads are judged.

Patience is the key when working with this kind of a Starter. It does not work as fast as commercial yeast, and if you try to rush it, your results will be disappointing.

This recipe is adapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

To make two 1 1/2 pound loaves
Starter:
2/3 cup Barm
1 cup unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1/8 to 1/4 cup pure water
Dough:
4 1/2 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups lukewarm, pure water

Semolina or cornmeal for dusting

Combine the ingredients for the starter, adding only enough of the water to form a dough that can be kneaded into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a small bowl or a bag, place ball of dough within, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. After this time, the dough should have doubled in size.

Place the starter into the bowl of a standing mixer, add 1 1/2 cups of water and the salt. Mix with the paddle attachment until well combined and smooth. Switch to the dough hook and add the flour. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until the dough begins to come together. If the dough appears dry, add the remaining water. If still dry, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes together and is smooth and no longer sticking to the bowl. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high and knead the dough for about 10 minutes. You should hear a "slapping" sound as the dough is kneading.

Remove dough from mixer and ferment in the mixer bowl, covered, or in an oiled bag for 3 to 4 hours. Dough may also be fermented in the refrigerator overnight.

After this fermentation, remove dough from its container and gently knead on a lightly floured counter. Dough may now be formed into rounds, batards, or whatever shape you would like. Once dough is formed, allow it to ferment again in a floured banneton, or on a semolina or cornmeal dusted baker's peel, or a flat sheet pan. Be sure to cover dough with a clean cloth, and if fermenting on a peel or sheet pan, lightly oil the surface before covering. The dough should proof for 2 to 3 more hours. If dough was fermented in the refrigerator, this could take 4 to 6 hours.

While the dough is undergoing its final fermentation, prepare the oven. Place racks at highest and lowest levels. On lower rack place a baking stone. On the higher rack place a heavy, metal pan that can be used to create steam. Heat oven to 500 degrees.

After fermentation is complete and the oven is ready, slash the top of a round loaf in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Slash batards three times diagonally. Slide loaves onto hot stone, add 2 cups water to steam pan, and close the oven door. After 30 seconds, spray sides of oven with water from a mist sprayer. Close the door. Repeat 2 more times at 30 second intervals. After final spray, lower oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate loaves 180 degrees, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. The loaves should be a rich, golden brown, and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
If you cut into it too soon, the bread will be ruined.

Wild Yeast Starter

I love bread!

I love everything about it. The way it smells, the way it tastes, the way it looks, the way the dough feels in my hands, and the sound of the crunchy crust. I have been baking bread for years, ever since I was a child. Recently I have been baking bread using a Wild Yeast Starter, instead of commercial yeast. The results have been absolutely incredible. The bread looks better, smells better, and tastes better! I have used it in all of my baking recipes, from croissants to Miche. Of course the recipes have to be modified a bit to compensate for the extra moisture and flour contained in the starter, but that is part of the adventure. The final products are ethereal, almost too good to be true. The starter, also known as a Barm, is an amazing addition to any serious baker's repertoire. The following recipe is based on the recipe in The Bread Baker's Apprentice. It doesn't seem like it is going to work at first, but then something amazing happens. It's Alive, It's Alive!!!


First make a Seed Starter:

1 cup rye flour (I prefer dark rye)
1/2 cup pure water (bottled)

Mix together, place in a small bowl, cover with plastic, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, add:

1 cup bread or high gluten flour
1/2 cup pure water

Mix into rye dough, incorporate completely, cover, let sit for 24 hours.

On days 3 and 4, proceed as on day 2.

After the 4th day, seed starter should be bubbly and active. Don't be put off by the smell, it's natural.


To make the Barm:

1 cup seed starter (give leftover seed starter to an understanding friend)
1 cup bread or high gluten flour
1/2 cup pure water

Mix together, cover, let stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. Then refrigerate overnight.
Barm should be bubbly and active, and have an almost sour cream smell.
If it is still not active, leave out at room temperature for another 24 hours.
The Barm is now ready to use.
I use 3/4 cup of Barm per recipe, and increase flour slightly to compensate for extra moisture.
There are great recipes in The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

I shall also be posting some of my recipes in the future, so there is time to get your Barm going. It develops better flavor with age!


Caring for a Barm:

Barms should be kept in the refrigerator until ready for use.
They should also be "fed" every few days with 1 cup bread flour and 1/2 cup pure water.
Feel free to give extra Barm to those special friends that are impossible to shop for!
It's a gift that they won't soon forget.