Potato Challah

Up next in my adventures of baking was challah. But not your traditional challah, but a rich and dense potato challah.

This is actually pretty easy to make, though it takes a lot of muscle to really knead this baby. I've never had a challah made with potato, but I really enjoyed this addition. The trick to the shiny, golden brown crust, is a little egg yolk and milk mixture brushed on just before baking.

This is best served fresh from the oven, but it'll also make a really fantastic french toast or bread pudding!

CHALLAH

adapted from Roberta Dowling

This recipe makes 6 braided challah!

2 TBLS dry yeast

1/2 lukewarm water

3 TBLS sugar

In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over lukewarm water and stir in sugar to activate.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

2 tsp salt

6 TBLS honey

2 small potatoes, mashed (about 1 cup) plus 1 cup reserved hot potato water

6-7 cups flour

In small bowl, mix together butter, eggs, yolks, salt, honey, hot potato water and potatoes.  Cool to lukewarm and add to yeast mixture.  Mix in 2 cups of flour until smooth. Add remaining flour as necessary until dough is soft and formed.  Knead on floured board for 10 minutes until dough is satiny. Put dough into a greased bowl, spray top with oil, cover and let rise until doubled in size.  Knead another 5 minutes.  Divide dough into 6 sections.  For each of these sections, divide into 3 parts and roll each part into strands and braid.  Place onto pan lined with parchment paper, brush with an egg was (1 yolk/2 TBLS milk), cover and let sit until doubled in bulk again.

For best results, keep dough covered when not working with it so it does not dry out.

Bake at 375 until golden brown, 20-40 minutes.  If it looks like it's burning, cover with foil.

Cool on wire rack.