This challah bread loaf is the easiest homemade bread to enjoy for Hanukkah. The dough could be braided and then baked in the oven if you prefer, but the simple bread machine loaf is wonderful as well. This traditional Jewish egg bread makes absolutely amazing French toast and bread puddings as well.
PREP TIME 5 minutesminutes
COOK TIME 3 hourshours
TOTAL TIME 3 hourshours5 minutesminutes
YIELD 12-pound Loaf
Ingredients
1cupwater
2eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/2tablespoonshoney
1/4cupcanola oil
4cups(548 g) bread flour
2tspsalt
2tspinstant yeast
OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
Add the ingredients to your bread machine’s baking pan in the order listed from water to yeast.
Choose the Basic or White program setting based on your machine’s options. Select the coordinating setting for your loaf size on your machine and press “Start.”
When the loaf is done, remove it from the bread pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds can be sprinkled over the dough before the third rise if desired.