Recipe: Deborah Cohen's No-Knead Challah with Apple Raisin Variation

Deborah Cohen's No-Knead Challah with Apple Raisin Variation
rec.food.cuisine.jewish/Philip & Karen Selwyn (1998)

No-work challah is hard to ruin, according to Ellyn Polsky, who got the recipe from her sister, Deborah Cohen, who now lives in Isreal.

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup very warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (see note)
3 eggs
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups all-purpose flour (approximately)
1 egg beaten with a little water in a large bowl

Mix yeast and warm water. Stir in sugar. Add 3 eggs, margarine, and salt, mixing well. Add 2 cups flour; stir well. (Dough should be very sticky, but a little additional flour may still be needed.) Let dough rise 6 hours.

With floured hands, divide dough into 2 or 3 sections. Divide each section into three strips. Roll strips into ropes of approximately equal size. Braid each set of three ropes on floured cookie sheet. Let rise 1 hour.

Brush egg-water mixture over tops of loaves. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven 20 minutes.

Turn onto wire racks to let cool. Wrap and freeze, if desired.

Note: For Rosh Hashana, 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup honey or 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate may be substituted for the sugar. Also, 1 cup golden raisins may be stirred into the mixture before flour is added.

Original source:
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION (VOL II)
Women's League of B'Nai Amoona, St. Louis, MO
Current source:
Old Favorites for a New Year by Sarah Casey Newman
ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH (on-line edition), 9/18/89