No Egg Challah Bread

By Crick

Ingredients

• 8 cups freshly sifted white flour
• 2-1/4 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbls dry yeast granules
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tbls salt

Details

Servings 32
Preparation time 60mins
Cooking time 100mins
Adapted from creativejewishmom.com

Preparation

Step 1

Add yeast to 2 tbls of sugar and a half cup of lukewarm water. Let sit until yeast bubbles to the top.
In a mixing bowl, mix canola oil, 1-3/4 cups lukewarm water, sugar, salt and 4 cups flour.
Add yeast mixture. Mix again and add 4 more cups of flour.
Allow mixer to knead for 10 minutes. Mixture should not be too dry or sticky
Place mixture in a loosely fitting plastic bag, sealed tightly. Set in a warm place.
The dough will take about an hour to rise, and the plastic bag may blow up into a large balloon. If no balloon just poke the bag to make sure that the dough is very soft.
Using a rolling pin, roll the entire portion of dough out into a large rectangle, making sure to pop any bubbles you may see in the dough.
Cut this into 16 strips and roll each into a ball
Allow balls to rest for 10 minutes
Roll balls into snakes making them a little fatter in the middle.
Make loaves by braiding four snakes each, tucking the ends under
On cookie sheets lined with parchment paper place loaves and set aside until they have risen
Beat an egg with a little warm water and brush on top of loaves
Poppy seed or other topping can be sprinkled on if desired
In a 350 degree preheated oven place loaves and bake for about 30 minutes or until tops are browned and bottom is hard.
Yields 4 loaves