Friday, February 17, 2012

Challah

This is my attempt at Challah.  I think it turned out pretty good and J came home from CQ pretty much just to sample the food.  He loves my cooking.

I decided to go for a real challenge and cut the dough into 6 balls then rolled it out into what is in this photo.  Now for the hard part, braiding the dough strips.

It took a bit of playing with but I got it finally.  I should have done a better job on tucking the ends in and under but well, this is my very first time making Challah.





I let the dough rise for one final time.  Don't mind the jelly roll pan its not really dirty but it is stained from the non stick surface wearing off.  I guess I shouldn't have used a metal spatula on the pan over the past decade but the damage was done with the first big scratch, after that I didn't care.
It really did rise nicely and I'm quite proud of the bread.


Fresh from the oven.  Even hours later when J came home to grab a bite to eat this bread was the first aroma that he had when entering the house.





Not the best photo, it looks really dark, but here it sits on my Grandma's cutting board.

There is a story behind this cutting board.  It was lost to me for 6 years while I moved about with my first husband.  When I got back to the states from Germany I went to my  first apartment, they were renovating it, I went in and asked the workers if I could get something.  Sure enough the cutting board was where I had left it 6 years before my first military move to Texas from NY.  I had used Grandma's cutting board to extend a shelf in a cabinet in my tiny apartment beside its original use.  I was so happy to have the cutting board in my possession again too.  With my move here to WA some how the board split in two.  J repaired it for me and I'm once again using it for its original purpose.  This is the only item that I can think of that I have from my mom's mother.  The cutting board has to be close to 80 years old and the handles broke off years before it was passed down to me.

Oh and I hate to say, but there is only about half of the loaf left.  Fresh baked bread doesn't last long in my house.

Just a little note, I got two lines today on my OPK.  The test line was darker than the control line.  We have a go.  Oh I highly doubt with all my issues this one will implant and there is of course the possibility that the follicle has no egg in it too.  But trying naturally is way more fun than any IVF!

18 comments:

  1. Beautiful bread!

    I hope you get a bun in your oven ;) Have fun trying!

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    Replies
    1. Running away from home for the weekend with J. Many chances to make our own bun in the next 24 hours!

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  2. The Challah looks amazing!! My mouth is watering just looking at it.

    I love the story about your grandmother's cutting board. It's very symbolic.

    Have a good trip and fingers crossed!

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    Replies
    1. The bread was very tasty and now I'm thinking that I might change up the recipe a bit for next time. We had a wonderful trip.

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  3. The bread looks professional, and its no surprise that it got eaten so quickly. There is nothing like fresh baked bread. Now I wish I was living closer to you so I could get a slice :-)

    Have a wonderful weekend, and good luck ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Oh if only you lived closer. I do love to bake bread.

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  4. Beautiful bread -- yes, I second that! Good on you...

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  5. That is impressive!

    Have lots of fun trying!!!

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  6. How wonderful to have something that belonged to your grandmother. I'd say it's held up pretty well! The challah looks yummy!

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    Replies
    1. I'm thinking some butcher's wax might be what the board needs before it dries out any further.

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks. I can't wait to try my hand at artisan breads.

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  8. OMG challah is beautiful. When I worked in the city there was a Jewish bakery and my Jewish co worker said to me I should try it. yum yum yum. Now you have made me hungry!

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    Replies
    1. I should try my hand at bagels. I miss NYC bagels.

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  9. Holy crap! What did you put onto the challah to make it so shiny? Mine never looks like that!

    Good luck, lady!

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    Replies
    1. Egg and milk beaten together then brushed on before the final rising. Had I thought about it I could have added some salt to the top before baking and made more like a pretzel finish.

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  10. Wow! That looks amazing! What did you put on there to make it so pretty? Mine is never as good.

    Have fun trying!

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