Challah With All-Purpose Flour

I've been baking the same challah every Friday (or in this case, Thursday evening) for oh, close to fifteen years. We like it. Today, without thinking, I mistakenly used all-purpose flour instead of thre higher-gluten variety. I think I like it better. A challah doesn't really need much crust development, and this softer version really did seem more like a traditional egg bread. I don't know why it never dawned on me before.

Now I need to buy some smoked turkey breast and cover it with Miracle Whip and tomatoes for the perfect sandwich. Or cream cheese and jelly. Yeah, that sounds better.

I asked Danny to hold the challah like a "baby" but he seems to be holding it more like a Stratocaster. Rock on little dude. Rock on.

My old friend Spaceman Snoopy is posing with the "Dannycake" the smaller challah I make with the leftover dough. You know:

Danny cakes, Danny cakes,

Bake some man,

Bake me a Dannycake as fast as you can!

Bake it With Lard (no, not really)

Bake it with cheese

And put it in the oven for

Danny And Me.

You Will Need:

1 1/3 cups warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

7 teaspoons granulated (not instant) yeast

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons softened butter

3 eggs

5-6 cups all purpose flour

1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water for wash

Dissolve the yeast in the water with the sugar and let proof in a large bowl. Add the eggs, butter, salt and 3 cups of the flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon mixing well. Add the rest of the flour, a cup at a time until you can remove the dough to a work surface and knead, adding flour as you go. Knead about ten minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a buttered bowl, turn once to coat and cover. Let rise until doubled-about 2 hours. Punch down, divide in 3 parts and cover. Let relax ten minutes.

Grease a baking sheet and braid the dough into a challah. Place on sheet and cover with a dishtowel. Let rise 30-45 minutes or until almost doubled. Brush with egg wash.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake 20 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when rapped with knuckles. Carefully remove to a rack to cool.