Round Challah Bread ( traditional )

Ingredients : 

All purpose flour - 4 cups or 500 gms,
Sugar or Honey - 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp of sugar for the yeast ( powdered ),
Dry active yeast- 2 tsp,
Milk - 3/4 cup,
Salted butter - 4 tbsp ( melted ),
Egg - 2 ( beaten ).

Method :
Heat the milk for 20 seconds in the microwave to luke warm.

Add 2 tsp of dry active yeast and 1 tsp of sugar.
Stir with a spoon till sugar and yeast dissolve.

Leave for 10 minutes for the yeast to foam up.
Take a bowl and sieve 4 cups of  flour and then add 1/4 cup sugar to it.

Mix with a whisk.
When yeast is ready ,add the beaten eggs and the melted butter to it.
Mix with a spoon.

Make a hole in the center of the flour bowl and pour  the yeast egg mixture in it.

With a wooden spoon mix the dough in circular motion ,bring the flour to the center.
Mix till all the dough gathers around  the spoon and then dump the dough on the counter.

Knead the dough for 10 minutes till  smooth and does not sticky to the counter.
To test if the dough is ready ,poke a finger and the dough will spring back.

Put 1 tsp of oil in a clean bowl and put the dough  in it,evenly coating it with oil.  

Cover with a damp cloth and put it in a warm place ( oven )for 1 hr for the dough to rise .
After an hour the dough will double in size.

Remove the cloth and transfer the dough on a lightly floured counter.

Spread the dough by patting lightly so that the air comes out and then with a rolling pin spread the dough into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle with 1/4 inch thickness.

Sprinkle raisins in the center of the rectangle.

Lightly brush three sides of the edge with egg wash except  one side of the long side .
Start rolling from the long side which has not been coated with egg wash, till you reach the other side.
Pinch and seam the sides and be sure to place the seam side down or the seams will open while baking.

Taper both the ends of the  long dough .

Take one end and start rolling it towards the center and then roll the other end by closing it .

Tuck in the end and pinch it below the round loaf.

Transfer the loaf to a greased butter paper lined baking tray.
Give a light coat of egg wash on the loaf.
Cover with a greased cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes .

Pre heat oven to 180 C  or 356 F( 1/2 hour )

After 30  minutes ,remove the cling film and coat the loaf  with another egg wash.

Put  the tray in the middle rack of the oven to bake for 30 to 35 minutes or till golden brown.
Check after 30 minutes.
Take out when ready and leave it in the tray for 30 minutes to cool.

Cover with a clean towel or cloth for 15 minutes so that the bread is moist .
Remove the baked loaf from the  tray and  after 30 minutes.

Enjoy this delicious bread with jam or butter .