Barbara's Thanksgiving Challah |
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Prep Time: 120 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes |
Ready In: 160 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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A thanksgiving tradition at my house, this is actually my Hungarian great aunt's challah recipe. She was orphaned at about age four and sent to live with relatives. She was responsible for putting the bread in the oven and taking it out when it was done. She later became a great baker. I wanted a way to get my small children involved in some Thanksgiving fun. (My small children are now all in their 20's.) I decided we would make auntie's recipe in the shape of a giant turkey. It fills a large cookie sheet and the first few years it did not come out of the oven looking very turkey like. This didn't matter because it was still fun.We have perfected shaping it. Children of any age can participate because anyone can add ingredients. I always had everyone participate in the kneading. I hope my children will carry on the tradition and that others are able to enjoy this. You could, of course do this with any bread dough. It is definitely a time consuming project so read the recipe all the way through before you commit to it. The preparation time includes the 2 hours of rising time and because it is an old recipe the times are estimates. Use your eyes and your nose to judge times. Ingredients:
1 ounce yeast |
2 cups warm water (110 -120 degrees) |
1/2 cup sugar |
4 eggs |
1/4 cup butter (melted) |
2 teaspoons salt |
8 cups flour |
2 pretzel rods |
1 slivered almonds or 1 seedless raisin |
10 -15 square crackers (i use wheat thins) |
Directions:
1. In a large bowl (or your electric mixer bowl), dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of water with 1 teaspoon sugar. Wait until this starts to foam and bubble (about 5 - 10 minutes). Add 3 eggs, butter, salt, remaining water and sugar. Stir to mix thoroughly then using your mixer or by hand add flour 1 cup at a time mixing between each addition. When dough leaves sides of bowl turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. (I live in Florida and perhaps because of the humidity I find that always need to add more flour as we are kneading) This is a very forgiving recipe. Cover dough and let rise until doubled in bulk (about 60 - 75 minutes) Punch down and shape into a side view of a turkey. (At my house someone always was assigned the job of finding a turkey model. One year it was my daughter's stuffed animal. Other years it was from a picture in a magazine or downloaded from online.) Place shaped bread on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise to double (about 1 hour). Before baking take a little of the remaining beaten egg and glue the raisin or almond in place for the eye. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Brush on remaining egg glaze and finish baking for another 10 minutes or until fully browned and loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. When bread is cool enough to touch, insert pretzel logs for legs and insert pointed corner of crackers into top surface of tail portion so they stick up for tail feathers.
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