Sweet Shabbat Challah Draft

How I make it

Dough

1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead for about 5 minutes, on a clean floured surface or in the bowl if it is big enough.

3. If the dough is too sticky to knead, add a little more flour. It should be soft and smooth but easy to handle.

4. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled. Or let it rise in the fridge overnight or over a workday.

Braiding and baking

1. If you separate challah, do it before shaping.

2. Knead the dough for a few minutes and braid the challahs or form other shapes, preferably right in the pan.

3. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you like.

4. Leave the pans in a warm spot for a second rise of about 1 hour, until doubled.

5. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) until lightly browned, from 10 minutes for small challahs to 30 minutes for larger ones.

What I've learned

• It's fine if the dough rises a bit longer than an hour, just don't leave it out all day.
• I usually skip kneading again before braiding.
• I build elaborate shapes right in the pan; they are hard to move without ruining them.
• The second rise makes the challahs airier, but when I don't knead before braiding it isn't really necessary; they rise in the oven too.
• Baking time depends on the size of the challahs and the oven, so I go by color.