Sweet Delicious Challah

Mix the yeast, 1/3 cup of sugar, and water in a large bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved and let the mixture stand about 5 minutes until a light layer forms on top. Stir in 1.5 cups of flour.

In a separate bowl, mix 2 eggs, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup sugar. Add this to the yeast/flour mixture until well combined.

Add flour, 1 cup at a time, for a total of 4 cups. The dough should be slightly sticky, but not so wet it sticks to your hands. If it seems too sticky add flour a teaspoon at a time until it feels tacky but not sticking.

On a floured surface, knead the dough for 5 minutes. Form the dough into a round ball and place in a bowl lightly coated with vegetable oil. Turn the dough gently a few times to coat it with the oil from the bowl.

Cover the bowl with a cloth and place in a warm area to rise for 1 hour. (Some ovens have a bread proof setting; or you can leave in the oven at 100 degrees for 1 hour). After one hour, knead the dough another 5 minutes.

Cut the dough in half and cut each half into 3 equal pieces. (Each braided loaf will be made up of 3 pieces of dough.)

On a floured surface, roll each of the pieces of dough into ropes about 12 inches long. Ropes should be thicker in the middle and thinner on the ends.

Pinch 3 ropes together at the end and start braiding. Repeat for 2nd loaf. Instead of a long explanation on how to braid, watch the video tutorial linked in the notes below.

Place both loaves of bread on greased baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Place in warm area to rise again for 1 hour.

In a small bowl mix 1 egg, 1 tsp oil, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp water and 2 tsp honey. Brush this glaze onto the top of both loaves of bread.

Bake bread at 350 for 20 minutes. Brush another coating of glaze and bake for another 5 minutes until top of bread is golden brown. Let cool before cutting.