Oma's Challah Bread

The origin of eggless challah, also called water challah, dates to 15th-century southern Germany, when Jewish bakers created a new type of Shabbat bread modeled after a popular Teutonic recipe.

Oma learned this recipe from her grandmother, Sipora, who learned the recipe from her mother when she married in 1875. From a German village called Malsch, just south of Heidelberg on the edge of the Black Forest. Every Friday morning, the women in the village made challahs, which they carried to the baker on sheet trays. While they bought fish, chicken and vegetables, he baked the challahs for the entire town. Each family made their braid a little different so they could be told apart.

3 challahs, about 12-15 servings each
Hands on: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours plus

1 1/4 cups warm water (100-110 degrees)
1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided use
1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
41/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/4 cup poppy seeds

In a bowl, combine the water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add the yeast and stir gently in circles. Set aside for 10 minutes in a warm spot. The mixture should foam.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar, salt and oil. Add the yeast mixture and blend. Stir in the flour, 1/3 at time. Knead for at least 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and firm. It should bounce back when touched. If the dough is dry, add a little warm water. If the dough is sticky, add a little flour.

Place the dough in a large metal bowl that has been coated with nonstick spray. Also spray a piece of plastic wrap, and place it lightly over the dough, leaving enough space for the dough to rise. Cover the bowl with a cloth towel, and let it sit in a warm spot for 2 hours to rise.

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. For traditional braid, proceed as follows. Divide the dough into three even portions. Working with one portion at a time, break the dough into three pieces. Working from the center to the ends, roll each piece of the dough until it is about 1 foot long and slightly thicker in the middle than on the ends. Place the three pieces of dough next to each other. Start braiding in the middle as if you were braiding hair; pinch the end and flip over to braid the other side. Transfer the braided challahs to baking sheets that have been prepared with nonstick spray. Leave about 6 inches between loaves or place on separate baking sheets.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with a little water. Brush the mixture on the challahs and sprinkle liberally with poppy seeds.

Place the challahs in the oven (you may need to work in batches). Bake for 15 minutes at 225 degrees, then raise the oven temperature to 400 and bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more. The challah is done when both the top and bottom are golden brown.

Remove the challahs from the oven. Cool on a rack.

Per serving: 143 calories (percent of calories from fat, 18), 4 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams fat (trace saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 358 milligrams sodium.

Found in (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living) Photo by Jim Scherer