I always like to bake bread, but I have to admit that I have special enthusiasm for the project when it’s my three year old who looks at me brightly on a Friday morning and suggests, “Mama, let’s make challah!” Yes, let’s.
I use Claudia Roden’s recipe from The Book of Jewish Food, which I like best of the challah (or “hallah”) recipes I’ve tried. The recipe as written makes four huge loaves, which seems perfectly reasonable once we devour one warm from the oven, set one or two aside to make weekend French toast, and are left with one to eat for the next week’s toast or, more generously, to give away. 
Four loaves of Challah: Dissolve 2 Tbsp. dry yeast in 2 1/4 c. warm water with 1 tsp. sugar and set aside 10 minutes, or until it bubbles up. In your biggest bowl, beat 4 eggs, then add 1 Tbsp. salt, 1/2 c. sugar, and 1/2 c. vegetable oil and beat again. Then add the yeast mixture and beat one more time. Gradually add enough flour for the dough to come together, 9-10 cups in all, first mixing in your bowl and then turning out on a floured surface and kneading. Knead for about 15 minutes, having your three-year-old sprinkle the counter and dough with more flour as needed to keep the dough from getting sticky. Stop adding flour when the dough becomes un-sticky and smooth and very enjoyable to knead. Oil your bowl and replace the dough ball, flipping once so both sides are oiled, then cover bowl and set aside to rise for 2-3 hours, until doubled. Punch down and knead again, then divide into 4 sections (each will become a loaf). If you’d like to add raisins to some of your loaves, knead in a few handfuls now. Next, shape the loaves: you can braid them (make three ropes, set them side by side, then braid outward in each direction from the middle), or you can make a round challah by rolling out a long rope and spiraling it around itself like a snail. Move loaves to well-oiled baking sheets and leave to rise for 1 more hour, until they have doubled again. Brush loaves gently with a bit of beaten egg, sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds (or cinnamon sugar!) if you like, and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until well-browned and hollow-sounding when you tap the bottoms of the loaves.
Emmy Cooks 
Fantastic! It’s such a beautiful bread, really.
You did a lovely job! Well done.
I love that the recipe makes 4 loaves…great to freeze and one or two to share with neighbors. Really lovely photos.
Allison
I like that it makes four loaves as well–finally, a recipe that doesn’t have to be doubled! :)
I started making Challah when I got the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day cookbook-it’s so dangerous. Absolutely to-keel-over-and-die for!
I don’t know about that book but 5 minutes a day sounds VERY doable! I am going to put it on my library list.
It’s totally worth buying, I think they have it pretty cheap on amazon. The Challah is probably my favorite recipe in there, but the olive oil dough is a close second. I use it to make everything from naan to pizza dough to baguettes.
This just clinched it for me–Challah has been on my list of “breads to try” for a few years now. Not sure what has taken me so long, but I’m going for it. Thanks for the inspiration.
What else is on your “breads to try” list? I have a select handful that I make (soda breads, this challah, the “easy little bread” from 101 Cookbooks, quick breads, a whole wheat yogurt bread, and we used to make a lot of the no-knead bread). Actually, that seems like a lot once I write it down, but there are so many more kinds of bread and I would like to branch out as well. Let me know if you have other favorites or new successes!
Love it! Now I am looking for easy-to-follow 6-braid loaves. Any suggestions? Pictures work best for me rather than verbal descriptions.
How about this YouTube video? :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22p3wIHLupc
Challah is truly one of my favorites, and this recipe- and your photos- looks like a winner. I’ll be making this one soon. You sold me with the ‘four loaves’… warm, French toast, bread pudding, and (maybe) share :)
Bread pudding! Yum. I almost always make my bread puddings savory but this bread would be amazing in a sweet one.
These loaves are so beautiful! Lovely work! And I can imagine how wonderful your kitchen smelled as they baked just in time for Purim. Yum!
I do love the smell of baking bread. But I should have been making hamentashen for Purim! Next year.
I have never had Challah but I had a dream last night that I ate TONS of bread so I think it’s fate, I have to make this.
Yes, it does sound like it’s meant to be. :)
That sounds so wonderful. Have you ever tried braiding chocolate nibs or chips into it? I just thought of that when you mentioned the raisins . . .
Yes, dark chocolate, today. Outstanding!
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