Easy Challah Bread with Honey and Olive Oil

Plan this particular one-loaf batch for the day before: the dough is able to take its essential second rise in the refrigerator overnight, followed by warming it for one hour before the actual baking. The finished challah yields 12 slices while possessing a fluffy, soft crumb from the bread flour, honey, olive oil, as well as eggs.

Bread flour is essential to the loaf’s height because its higher protein content creates considerably more gluten than all-purpose flour. Instant yeast keeps the mixing process moving along with no separate proofing step. Meanwhile, honey provides both sweetness and adds moisture. Mild olive oil provides the traditional dairy-free fat, while eggs improve the overall dough. Weighing solid ingredients during an important stage of the process is essential. It aids in keeping the desired ratios of dough when making a batch.

Expect the kneaded dough to ultimately become smooth after the process. The dough should exhibit a silky texture, displaying enough gluten to stretch thinly and translucently during the windowpane test. After the initial rise, the dough should double in size while then falling back when it is lightly smacked; after shaping, the braid should feel springy yet be nearly doubled. Underproofing typically results in a loaf that is dense and doughy, whereas overbaking has the potential to render the loaf dry.

Serve the cooled loaf either sliced or torn, paired with butter or toasted bread if preferred. Leftover challah can be transformed into French toast or bread pudding, and forming the dough into dinner rolls instead of one braid also serves well for sandwich preparation with ease.