6/52
Good morning Monday!
I know, I just posted not one, but two breads last week, and here it is, Monday, and another. I am catching up and posting more… Real time? I got a little behind when I was gaga over carbs in the last couple of weeks. So, on to some Challah.
I have always always always wanted to make this bread. Something about braiding dough, yeah, I felt I would be into it. And it did not disappoint.
Some great stuff about this bread.
1) It is an “egg” based bread. So the inside is so fluffy and dense, like a cake but not all crumbly.
2) HELLO! It is beautiful. Very old world artisan. And since you really have to braid mold it, you really feel like a breadsmith. Something anyone can feel good about on a Friday afternoon (doy, that is when I made it… So maybe not exactly “real” time).
3) It goes with EVERYTHING! Remember how I get bored with the same thing all of the time? Well, not this one. The first night I paired it with Ginger salmon over a bed of spinach and arugula, quinoa, and this bread. Amazing
4) Also, unlike some other breads, (I’m looking at you sourdough) you don’t have to wait day(s) to make this. Boom, and afternoon, start to finish. Most of it is unattended, yeah I totally took a nap while it was rising, and you can enjoy it for dinner.
Really, it all started last weekend. On my way to Austin I decided to call my oldest brother. We were talking about this little goal of mine, and he asked what my next bread will be. Well, I threw around some ideas and then mentioned that I’ve always wanted to make Challah. I mean, you get to “play” with the dough, okay braid it, but still. Anyway, he got all excited and the first thing he said, “That stuff makes the best french toast”. Well, he was reading my language, it is no secret in our house that french toast is my FAVORITE!
I mean, when my other brother and I lived together I made it, ohhh maybe three times a week? Every day off I had, you know I was brewing coffee and making me some eggy toast.
So, when Paul mentioned it. Done and done.
And of course, because I am still in the basics of bread, you know I used Bittman’s cookbook, How to Cook Everything. I really should be on a first name basis with that thing.
Your bread looks fantastic! Where can I find the recipe – I want to give this a try too!
I have been getting my basic bread recipes from Mark Bittman’s book How to Cook Everything. It is a great book because he really goes through a detailed undertaking of, well, everything. From breads to how to properly make sushi. The book isn’t fluffy, it reads like a textbook, but is so amazing!
http://www.amazon.com/Cook-Everything-Completely-Revised-Anniversary/dp/0764578650
Here is the amazon link. $20 is not bad considering it is well over a 1000 pages.
And thank you for the comment! It was SO fun to make!
Any suggestions for my bread this week?
Bridgi
Thanks for the link – I’ll have to check it out.
Cheese and bread are always good – I would highly hihgly recommend this one: http://explodyfull.com/the-secret-to-good-bread/
Thank you! I will look into it today. I have to start making my grocery list for the week, and the ingredients will defiantly be on my list.