Lion House Bakery Challah Braid

 Awesome - My kids favorite of late.  Made RS Christmas dinner 12.2.25

Recipe makes 2 loaves

I double the recipe in my Bosch and make 4 loaves on 2 sheet pans. One loaf gives me aprox. 15-17 slices, but I prefer just to rip hunks of this amazing bread with softened butter.  Comfort and deliciousness at it's finest.

1 Tablespoon dry yeast

1.5 cups water (110-115 degrees)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten well

Pinch of saffron (optional)

  (Saffron maybe more for looks than taste unless you go to Turkey and buy fresh if so bring me some!)

4.5-5 cups flour

1 egg yolk, beaten well

1/4 teaspoon water

Sesame seeds / Poppy seeds / or Everything but the Bagel seasoning

sea salt fancy touch

corn meal optional

Place yeast and water in a large bowl.  Stir slightly to dissolve.  Add sugar, oil, salt, beaten eggs, saffron, and 2.5 cups flour.  Beat well.  Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough and knead until smooth.(Remember slightly sticky dough makes very awesome bread but you don't want super sticky as that is too hard to shape post rising)  Place in a greased bowl.  Cover and let rise until double in bulk (1-2 hours).  Punch down dough and divide into 6 pieces.  Roll each piece into a long rope 18-20'' long x 1'' diameter.  Braid three of the ropes together. (Online other great braiding / knot ideas).  Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough. Place on a greased cookie sheet sprinkled with some corn meal (think it gives it a fancy elevated easy touch).  .  Mix egg yolk with 1/4 teaspoon water and brush over braids. (Heather uses an entire egg with 1 Tablespoon of water)  Sprinkle with seasame seeds/poppy seeds & sea salt or fav salt. (or Trader Joe's everything but the bagel seasoning for a punch of flavor)

Cover (with a towel or spray plastic wrap with Pam) and let rise 45+ min. (usually doubles in size) You'll get a feel for the rise depending on the season / your warmth in your room etc.

(unique to have eggs / with yeast in a bread more of a "roll" thing to do, so this bread is extra fluffy and yum)

Bake 350 for around 20 min.

some braid techniques