Instruction:
Combine
water, sugar (or honey),
salt and butter (or
margarine) in a small
saucepan. Heat slowly
until butter melts;
cool
to
lukewarm. Beat eggs
in a small bowl. Reserve
2 Tbsp. for later.
Sprinkle yeast into
very warm water in
a large bowl. Stir
until the yeast dissolves;
then stir in the water
mixture and the eggs.
Beat in 4 cups of
flour until smooth.
Beat
in enough remaining
flour to make a soft
dough. Turn out onto
a lightly floured
surface. Knead until
smooth and elastic
(about 5 minutes),
using only as much
flour as needed to
keep dough from sticking.
Place in a greased
large bowl; turn to
coat all over with
shortening; cover
with a clean towel.
Let
rise in a warm place,
away from drafts,
1 1/2 hours or until
dough doubles in bulk.
(An unlit oven is
a perfect place for
dough rising.) Punch
down; let rise 30
minutes or until almost
double in bulk. Punch
dough down again and
turn out onto a lightly
floured surface; knead
a few times; divide
dough into 6 even
pieces. Roll each
piece into a rope
about 15 inches long.
Place three ropes
on one greased cookie
sheet and three on
another sheet. Braid
the ropes and turn
under and fasten securely
at each end. Let rise
again in a warm place,
1 hour or until double
in bulk. Combine the
reserved 2 Tbsp. of
egg and the 1 Tbsp.
of water; brush over
the bread; sprinkle
with seeds. Bake in
a moderate oven (350°)
for 30 minutes, or
until braids are golden
and sound hollow when
tapped. Place challahs
on wire racks to cool.
