CHALLAH!

Making challah was like my second Bat Mitzvah. It was a more tangible coming of age, to say the least, and I believe I am much more of a woman today than I was at 13 thanks in no small part [I estimate 70%] to the fact that I am now learned in the making of the bread.



Ingredients:
5 cups flour
1/2 cup cugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs yeast
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Combine flour, salt, yeast and sugar . Melt the butter in the 1 1/2 cups boiling water then add them to the mix. Add 2 of the eggs. Kneed for 10 minutes, slowly adding flour so it becomes doughy - DON'T ADD TO MUCH! Refrigerate, 1 hour.

Knock down dough, divide into 3 sections and then braid each to form the challah. Place the braided dough on a greased sheet on the top shelf of the oven (WITHOUT HEAT) with a pan of water on the lower shelf, for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and glaze with the third egg, beaten. Cook at 350 degrees for about 1/2 hour.




NOTES: The bread's lopsided tumescence is easily remedied by rolling out the individual strands of the braid more evenly. The texture was perfectly pillowy though and thoroughly addicting. Also, the bread was on the sweeter side of the challah spectrum which I'm not used to (just a matter of what you grew up with) but my friends loved.


*Thanks to Leslie who, in keeping with the Bat Mitzvah analogy, acted as honorary rabbi and thereby made my womandom possible.