Badolina’s Braided Challah

Directions

1. Add yeast and cold water to an electric mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook. In separate bowl measure dry ingredients and in another container, measure eggs and oil.
2. Whisk together yeast and water until fully dissolved. Add dry ingredients, then eggs and oil.
3. Mix with dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes, then medium speed for 5mins.
   place dough onto a lightly floured table and knead into a ball. Place in metal bowl lightly greased with baking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
4. Punch down dough and divide dough into 4 pieces roughly 275 grams per piece. Cover dough with plastic wrap when you are not actively working with it to prevent drying.
5. Form each piece into a ball and roll into a rope. Continue rolling each rope until the reach about 24 inches in length. Apply even pressure across rope starting from the middle to the ends. If dough won’t stretch any more, place under plastic wrap and wait 10-15 minutes before coming back to that piece.
6. Place one rope horizontally and another rope vertically on top of the first one. Criss cross horizontal rope over vertical one and alternate crossing the vertical rope over the horizontal one. Continue this motion until there is no more dough to braid.
7. Smush ends together and tuck under loaf. Place on large baking tray. Spray or sprinkle dough lightly with water to prevent drying. Place loaves roughly 4 inches apart on tray.
8. Let loaves rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
9. Brush loaves with egg wash (see recipe above) and decorate with seeds, if desired. Bake @ 375°F in middle rack of oven for 35 mins, or until golden brown.
10. Cool loaves on wire rack and enjoy!