Honey challah for a sweet new year
THE new year is the perfect time to bake your own challahs. This simple and delicious recipe includes honey to make the challahs extra sweet for a sweet new year.
And because it is the high holy days, there is no need to plait the loaves making it even easier than year-round challahs.
Ingredients
4 cups plain flour
4 cups whole-grain flour
1 tablespoon rapid-rising yeast
1 1‚ÅÑ2 tsp salt
2 cups hot water
1‚ÅÑ2 cup honey
1‚ÅÑ4 cup margarine
2 eggs, beaten
1 egg yolk to glaze
1 tsp water
Sesame or poppy seeds to garnish
Method
Combine the flours in a large bowl, setting aside one cup. Add the yeast and salt to the flour in the bowl. Combine the water, honey and margarine and stir until the margarine melts. Stir the warm liquids into the flour mixture, then stir in the eggs.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured board for seven to 10 minutes, adding as much of the reserved flour as necessary to form a smooth, elastic dough. Cover the dough and rest it for 10 minutes.
Halve the dough and shape it into balls, then place it on greased baking trays. Cover the dough and allow it to rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
Beat the egg yolk with the teaspoon of water to make the glaze. Brush the loaves with the glaze and sprinkle them with poppy or sesame seeds.  Bake at 180 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes, or until brown. Remove the loaves from the baking trays and cool them on wire rack.
This recipe and image was published courtesy of the National Honey Board. www.honey.com.
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