Challah is a special Jewish braided bread eaten on sabath or holidays!
I like making Challah bread because of the braiding and its sweet and wonderful taste.
Braiding is liking making plaits and it starts from 2 strands to 12.
It is interesting as well as challenging for me.
It is not easy,but with time and practice it can be done.The more we practice the better it shapes and bakes.
Hope to make more of Challah bread:)
Ingredients:
All purpose flour-3 cups,
Dried yeast-1 packet,
Milk-3/4 cup-warm,
Sugar-1/4 cup,
Egg-2-beaten,
Butter-4 tbsp-melted,
Salt-1/4 tsp,
Egg-1- for egg wash,
Sesame seeds- few tbsp to sprinkle on top of unbaked challah bread.
Method:
Warm milk to luke warm and add 1 packet of dried yeast.
Add 1 tsp of sugar from the 1/4 cup.
Mix and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes to foam up.
Sieve flour and add 1/4 tsp of salt and rest of the 1/4 cup sugar.
Mix with a whisk and keep aside.
When the yeast is activated and foam forms on the top,add 4 tbsp of melted butter and 2 beaten eggs.
Mix with a spoon.
Pour the yeast mixture in your mixer bowl.
Attach the dough hook attachment to the beater.
Add the flour mixture and run the beater for 4 to 5 minutes in high speed.
The dough will form a ball and will start leaving the sides.
Take out the dough on the counter sprinkled with little flour.
Knead the dough for few minutes to smooth the top surface.
Place the dough in a greased bowl,tossing all the sides with oil(grease the bowl with olive oil).
Cover with a towel and place it in a warm place(oven or microwave).
Let it rise for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hour to double in size.
Once the dough has risen,take out the dough on a lightly floured counter.
Make the dough in a rectangle log shape without deflating the dough.
Cut the dough into 5 equal size with a broad knife.
Stretch each size into long strands approx 6 inches,tapering the ends.
Place all the strands horizontally,placing them a little apart.
Press and pinch the top end together of all the five strands.
Keep the left two strands (1 and 2) on one side and three strands(3,4 and 5) on the right side.
Take the 5th strand (extreme top right side)over 3 and 4th strand and place it next to the 2nd strand in the center.Now take the extreme right side 1st strand,over second 2nd and 5th strand and place it next to 3rd strand in the center.
Like wise you just have to place both the extreme right side and left side strands in the center and keep braiding till you reach the end.
Pinch together the ends and tuck inside.
Likewise tuck the top end inside too.
With both hands compress the braided loaf from all sides to make it more compact.
Put butter paper on your baking sheet tray.
Grease the butter paper with oil or butter.
Place the unbaked bread on a greased butter paper.
Brush the unbaked bread with egg wash.
Place the tray in a warm place to rise double in size( 1/2 hour to 1 hr depending on the weather)
Cover with a oiled plastic sheet as the loaf is coated with egg.
Pre heat oven to 190 C or 375 F
Once the loaf has doubled in size,brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is brown.
Take out from oven.
To check if the loaf has baked or not,turn the loaf and tap the bottom and it should sound hollow.
Brush the loaf with butter.
Remove the butter paper and leave it to cool on the wire rack.
Wrap with a plastic,once the bread has cooled.
Challah bread can be stored for 10 days.
Cut thick slices and enjoy the challah bread toasted or plain in your breakfast meal!
This is a healthy and a very easy recipe to cook:)
Chicken is cooked in low heat with chunks of onions,whole garlic,ginger and whole spices!
The end result is very delicious!
Ingredients:
Chicken- 1/2 kg,
Onions-3 -250 gms-peeled and chopped into chunks,
Garlic-1 whole small pod or 10-whole,
Ginger -1 inch-chopped,
Whole red chilli-6,
Whole cumin-1 tsp,
Cinnamon stick-2,
Cloves-5 to 6,
Pepper corn-1 tsp,
Bay leaf-2,
Tomato-1-chopped into big chunks,
Curd-3 tbsp,
Green chilli-slit-2-(optional),
Oil-1 tbsp.
Method:
Heat oil in pan and add whole cumin,whole red chilli, chopped ginger and whole garlic,bay leaf,cardamom,cloves,cinnamon,onion,tomato,chicken and salt.(curd and green chillies are not added now)
Mix and put the heat on high for a minute.Once it starts to heat up at the bottom,lower the heat.
Lower the heat and put a lid on and let it simmer for 1/2 hour on your small burner.
Low heat is important as the dish will dry up and stick at the bottom as no water has been added.
The chicken will cook in its own juice and with the juice of onion and tomato.
( this recipe can be made with mutton too,but the cooking time will be 40 minutes and the quantity of onions has to increased( add 2 more onions).
After 30 minutes,check the tenderness of the chicken..
The chicken will 90 % cooked.
Add 3 tbsp of beaten curd and slit green chilli(optional).Check salt.
Mix and put the lid on and let it cook on simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and mix with a spatulla so that no specks of curd can be seen.
Close gas.
This dish does not have a gravy,but the chicken has a wonderful taste and flavour due to the ingredients!
Goes very well with paratha or plain roti.
This recipe is from `joyofbaking.com'
This is simple because no blenders are required for the cupcake and all the mixing is done in a bowl.
The only time taken is measuring or weighing the ingredients!
Made these cupcakes for little kids on demand:) and they loved it!
Ingredients:
All purpose flour or maida(sieved)-125 gms or 1 cup and 2 tbsp,
Cocoa pwd-1/3 cup,
Sugar granulated(powdered)- 1 cup,
Baking pwd-1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp,
Baking soda-1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp,
Egg-1-beaten,
Warm coffee-1/2 cup or 120 ml-(boil water and add 1 tsp of instant coffee-keep aside to cool a bit),
Warm milk-1/2 cup or 120 ml,
Canola oil-1/4 cup,
Salt-1/4 tsp(optional-add salt if not making frosting),
Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp.
Ingredients for chocolate frosting:
Coarsely chopped chocolate-90 gms or 1/2 cup( can use any semi sweet chocolate or cooking chocolate),
Butter (salted)-1/2 cup (used 90 gms butter and it was perfect)
Icing sugar-1 cup,
Vanilla essence-3/4 tsp.
Note:These cupcakes are great with the frosting:)
I have not used salt in the cupcakes as the frosting has salted butter in it.
Method:
Pre heat oven to 350 F or 180 C
Line paper cups on the cupcake tray.
For making coffee,boil water in gas or microwave for 1 minute.
Take out and add 1 tsp of instant coffee.
Mix with a spoon and keep aside to cool a bit.
Warm milk for 10 seconds.
Whisk together flour, cocoa pwd through a sieve.(cocoa pwd have lumps so it is important to remove them),sugar,baking soda and baking pwd.
With a wire whisk mix all together.
In another bowl whisk together beaten egg,warm coffee,warm milk,canola oil and vanilla essence.
Pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with wire whisk until combined.
Remove the wire whisk and stir gently mix with a spoon if any flour is left at the bottom of the bowl.
Using a ice cream scooper or spoon fill the cupcakes 3/4.
Tap the tray on the counter to remove any bubbles.
Bake in the oven for 17 or 18 minutes or till tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place the tray on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
Take out the cupcakes from the tray and leave it to cool completely.
Chocolate frosting:
Chop the chocolate coarsely.
Melt chocolate in double boiler in gas or microwave in the taking 30 seconds at a time for the chocolate to melt.( it will take 2 minutes)
If you are using microwave to melt do it in intervals and check if the chocolate has turned soft.
Leave it for 3 minutes outside.
Mix with the spoon to smooth it.
Let it cool.
Take your mixing bowl and beat butter for 1 minute(creamy).
Add the icing sugar.
In low speed run the blender for few seconds and then in high speed for 2 minutes.
Add in vanilla essence and the chocolate.
Run the beater for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is smooth and glossy.
Scrap the sides in between.
Fill the frosting in the piping bag and with a choice of your tip,decorate the top of the cupcakes.
Best if eaten fresh.
Can be stored in the fridge for several days,since oil has been used,the cupcakes will remain moist.
Makes -12 cupcakes.
