Best Challah Recipe

Makes 3 challas (can be frozen):

2 oz Red Star yeast

1 tsp sugar
2 ½ c warm water (bath temp, not too hot)
1 c sugar
½ c vegetable oil, ½ c margarine
1 tbsp and 1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
½ tsp baking powder
4 eggs
12 c flour

Glaze: 1 egg yolk, beaten w/ 1 tsp water, ¼ tsp sugar, and sesame seeds

In small bowl, dissolve yeast (crumbled) in 1 tsp sugar in ½ c water. Let stand 10 min, til
foamy. In mixer, pour remaining 2 c water, sugar, oil, salt, vanilla, yeast, powder, eggs, 4
c flour. Beat well. Add flour 2 c at a time, beating well in between, leaving last c or two
to knead in w/ dough hook or by hand. Place dough in large greased bowl, turning over to
grease all sides. Cover w/ clean, damp towel, let rise in warm place until double in bulk.
1 ½ - 2 hours. Punch down (for lighter, airier bread, let rise another 45 min – 1hour).
Braid. Place braided loaves on well-greased baking sheet. Cover w/ damp cloth, let rise in
warm place for 1 hour. Before let rise, glaze and seeds. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Then switch placement on oven racks for 10-15 additional minutes. 4 hours total.