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| Round Raisin Challah
2 envelops dry yeast 2 tsp. sugar 1/4 cup hot water 1 stick corn oil margarine, room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 3/4 cups hot water 2 extra large eggs 7 cups unbleached flour (approximately) 1 egg yolk raisins 1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup hot water. Set aside; yeast is ready when it is rising and puffy. 2. Place margarine, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl; pour 1 3/4 cups hot water over them. 3. Crack eggs into large capacity food processor bowl with plastic dough blade, and pulse 30 seconds. 4. Add 1 cup flour and puffy yeast mixture to eggs. Pulse 30 seconds to blend. 5. Add margarine/sugar/salt/water mixture and 3 cups flour. Pulse 1 minute, scrape down sides of bowl, pulse 30 seconds more. 6. Add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time; pulse approximately 15-20 seconds after each addition. Dough will form a large, sticky ball around the blade. The food processor may not accommodate all 7 cups of flour. 7. Spread remaining flour or an extra 1/2 cup flour onto a board or pastry cloth. Turn dough onto floured surface. 8. Knead the dough 2 to 3 minutes, incorporating flour. Ready dough will form a smooth, round ball and will bounce back when lightly touched. 9. Grease a large bowl. Place dough in it, and cover with a towel. Set in a warm place to rise until double in size (1 to 2 hours). 10. Punch down the dough; remove from bowl onto floured board. Let it rest 5 to 10 minutes. For 2 round loaves: 1. Divide dough in half. Divide each portion in half. 2. Roll one piece into a long, smooth strip. Coil this strip into a circle on a greased cookie sheet. Pinch the end under. 3. Divide second portion into 2 unequal strips, about 2/3 and 1/3. Roll into smooth strips. 4. Take the larger of the 2 and make a second coil on top of the first. Take the last piece and make a third coil on top. Baking: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix 1 raw egg yolk with 1 tsp. water; brush the loaves for a shiny crust. 2. Bake for 15 minutes to brown crust. Reduce heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake 15 more minutes (30 minutes total). Cool and remove from pans. Source: "Alphabet Soup: Jewish Family Cooking from A to Z", Solomon Schechter ,Day Schools, 1990. Posted to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jewish_Cuisine/ By gabriella_kapsaski@... |