Sexy and voluptuous. Simply the most beautiful and tastiest challah I've made. And it's sourdough! Once you try challah you'll fall in love with it's distinct taste. Although it takes a long time, most of that time is resting! This sourdough version is surprisingly easy to make and yields a soft fluffy gorgeous loaf!
The recipe is here, and pictures of the process are below:
Makes one ~790 g loaf
Ingredients:
Stiff Levain:
30 g sourdough, fed 12-24 hours before starting the recipe
50 g water
100 g all-purpose flour
Dough:
2 egg yolks (~40 g)
1 egg (~60 g)
60 g sugar
4 g uniodized salt
60 g water
60 g oil
325 g all-purpose flour
Egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1/2 tbsp water
Directions:
For the stiff levain, mix together in a bowl, cover, and let sit 8-12 hours at room temperature, or until tripled in size. Mine only doubled, but the bread turned out fine. I used mine at 22 hours because I kept waiting (the result was more sour than if it was only 8-12 hours).
When the levain is ready, add it to a medium sized bowl.
In a small bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, salt, and water. Add it to the levain and mix a little (not completely).
Then add half of the flour, mix to combine, and add the rest of the flour.
Incorporate the flour and knead until a smooth dough forms, about 10 minutes, or as long as necessary until it passes the windowpane test.
Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover and rest for 1.5-2 hours in a warm place. I use an oven with the light on.
Then cut into 4 or 6 equal size/weight pieces and shape, first by rolling each into a long oval/rectangle with a rolling pin, and then roll them up, as shown here: https://youtu.be/KvUGGHgT9t0?t=157. Then cover and rest 15 minutes. Braid as you like.
Place on parchment paper (or braid it on parchment paper), cover with greased plastic wrap, and rest until tripled in size (4-8 hours) in a warm place, I use the oven again. It's ready if you gently poke the dough in various places and it slowly bounces back.
Near the end of the second rise preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brush the loaf with egg wash and top with seeds if desired. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until well browned.
Cool at least 4 hours before cutting.
After mixing the levain. Don't do this in a mason jar like me, use a bowl instead!
After doubling in size. It was supposed to triple but it didn't quite get that far.
After adding the levain to a bowl. It's quite sticky!
In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, sugar, water, and salt before adding it to the levain.
After adding the liquids to the levain and mixing a little.
After mixing in half the flour.
After mixing in the rest of the flour and before kneading.
All kneaded and ready for the first rise!
I leave it in a turned off closed oven with the light on to rise.
After the first rise. It's puffed up a bit!
Cut into equal size/weight pieces.
One piece at a time, roll it out.
Roll it up...
Pinch the seam closed and you have a nice tight log! Repeat with the other pieces.
After resting 15 minutes start braiding!
After braiding!
Then cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and rise in a warm place for the second rise!
After the second rise. I had it rising for 7 hours (maybe could have done 8!)
Brush with the egg wash and then bake!
After baking!
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