Chocolate Chips by the Handful: Challah

About 2 years ago at Spring break time I went on a challah craze. I made probably 10 or more loaves of Challah, mainly because it looked so cool, but was good too. Challah is a Jewish egg bread. I originally got the recipe when some woman in Spokane Valley was featured in the newspaper because she makes challah and the recipe has been in her family for generations and such and such.
"Challah bread, a hearty egg bread, is a tradition in Jewish homes. Phyllis Moss of Spokane Valley demonstrates bread-making technique and talks about how the recipe was passed down to her. The name of the bread is pronounced “HAH-lah”"(Spokesman Review. 2009).

Here's the video. It's pretty interesting. http://www.spokesman.com/video/2009/mar/10/challah-bread/

Challah

From Phyllis Moss, Spokane Valley

2 cups warm water
3 packages (2 tablespoons) yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon salt
6 eggs
8 cups flour, divided (see note)

For the egg wash:
1 egg
1 pinch sugar
A bit of water

In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast and bit of sugar. When the yeast is foamy, after about 10 minutes, whisk in the rest of the sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 cups flour until well blended.

Add the eggs, whisking well to combine. Gradually add flour until the dough holds together and is ready for kneading.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 500 times, about 10 to 12 minutes. When the bread is smooth and elastic, place it in a greased bowl, cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Cut the dough in half and then cut each half into six equal pieces for each loaf. Roll each ball into a strand about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 strands in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. If strands are uneven, cut the extra dough and tuck ends underneath.

For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way.

Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between. Allow braids to rise again
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For the egg wash, whisk two eggs, a pinch of sugar and a bit of water together in a small bowl. Brush loaves with egg wash and then bake in a 350-degree oven 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove loaves from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cover loaves with a kitchen towel to prevent them from cooling too quickly.

Note: It may take a bit more or less flour for the bread depending on the moisture content of the flour and the weather, Moss says.
Yield: 2 loaves challah

It makes a lot of dough! Last time I made it I thought I kneaded it and everything in the kitchen aid but today it kept trying to over take the kneading hook, it was frustrating so I just whipped it out and kneaded it by hand.