Challah Dough

[Draggingtree]

Makes one large loaf
Challah Dough
• 1 1/4tablespoon active dry yeast
• 3/4cups warm water
• 1tablespoon honey
• 1teaspoon salt
• 2eggs, lightly beaten
• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 to 4cups all-purpose flour
Egg Wash and Topping
• 1egg yolk stirred with a bit of water
• 2 to 3tablespoons poppy seeds
1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl and allow it to dissolve. Mix in the honey, salt, eggs, and olive oil. Gradually stir in as much flour as the dough will hold, and then turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary to keep it from getting too sticky. When the dough is smooth and elastic, place it in an oiled bowl, cover it with a towel, and set it aside to rise in a warm place.
2. After the dough doubles in size (this should take about 40 minutes), punch it down and divide it into four equal sections. Roll the sections into ropes about 12? long and weave them according to Deb’s braiding instructions (http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2011/09/apple-and-honey-challah/).
3. Dust a heavy cast iron pan with cornmeal, place the dough in the pan, and allow it to rise again until doubled (about 25 minutes). Preheat the barbecue on high with two side-by-side fire bricks on the grill.
4. After the final rise, brush the top of the loaf generously with egg wash and sprinkle it with poppy seeds.
5. Place your pan (or pans, if you doubled the recipe like I did) on top of the preheated fire bricks in the barbecue, and close the lid. Set the heat to “medium” and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the barbecue and let cool completely before slicing.

· 1 1/4tablespoon active dry yeast

· 3/4cups warm water

· 1tablespoon honey

· 1teaspoon salt

· 2eggs, lightly beaten

· 2tablespoons olive oil

· 3 1/2 to 4cups all-purpose flour

Egg Wash and Topping

· 1egg yolk stirred with a bit of water

· 2 to 3tablespoons poppy seeds

1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl and allow it to dissolve. Mix in the honey, salt, eggs, and olive oil. Gradually stir in as much flour as the dough will hold, and then turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary to keep it from getting too sticky. When the dough is smooth and elastic, place it in an oiled bowl, cover it with a towel, and set it aside to rise in a warm place.

2. After the dough doubles in size (this should take about 40 minutes), punch it down and divide it into four equal sections. Roll the sections into ropes about 12? long and weave them according to Deb’s braiding instructions (http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2011/09/apple-and-honey-challah/).

3. Dust a heavy cast iron pan with cornmeal, place the dough in the pan, and allow it to rise again until doubled (about 25 minutes). Preheat the barbecue on high with two side-by-side fire bricks on the grill.

4. After the final rise, brush the top of the loaf generously with egg wash and sprinkle it with poppy seeds.

5. Place your pan (or pans, if you doubled the recipe like I did) on top of the preheated fire bricks in the barbecue, and close the lid. Set the heat to “medium” and bake for 20 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the barbecue and let cool completely before slicing.