Challah **Sometimes you get it just perfect

Challah; chal·lah also cha·lah or hal·lah (KHä’lə, hä’-)
n. A loaf of yeast-leavened egg bread, usually braided, traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath, holidays, and other ceremonial occasions.

The below photos represent a huge milestone in my blogging experience. They are the very first photos posted to my blog that needed no color or lighting manipulation from a photo program. All I did was crop and add my name to each photo. For the very first time the lighting was perfect. Hallelujah..I finally got it right!

I can’t believe I’ve already completed six breads from my Bread Baker’s Apprentice Baking Group! I enjoy baking bread and would bake bread daily if we could eat that much. Challah dough is very easy to work with and although the braiding looks difficult, it’s not.

I made the loaf of Challah on Saturday and promised Mr. Tastebud’s I would make him some Strawberry French Toast for Sunday Brunch. Unfortunately, Sunday morning I had no appetite what-so-ever. Why I go through times like this I don’t know but sometimes I just don’t feel like eating and nothing sounds good to me. Now when I look at these delicious looking photos, how I wish I had at least tasted it. WOW, it really does look good!

Simple French Toast
Recipe adapted from my Mom

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. milk
5-6 slices of bread
Cinnamon
Cooking Spray like Pam

Option: Fresh fruit

Measure the milk into a small bowl. Add slightly beaten eggs and mix well. Pour milk/egg mix on to a small platter or pie plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Over medium-low heat, heat griddle or skillet coated with cooking spray.

Place a bread slice into the egg mixture, letting the slice soak up egg mixture for only a few seconds, then carefully turn to coat the other side. Coat only 1 slice of bread at a time and only as many slices as you will be cooking at one time. You may have to add more cinnamon.

Transfer bread slices to griddle or skillet, heating slowly until bottom is golden brown. Turn and brown the other side. Serve French toast hot with butter and syrup and fresh fruit.

I’ve done a 3, 4, 5, and 6-Braid Challah and I thought was doing great. But then I found the below video demonstrating a 12-braid Challah. A 12-BRAID Challah…OMW, it’s huge. Doesn’t this look like fun! I might have to make this one next time!

Google Books has the entire book, “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread”, by Peter Reinhart, scanned and you can find the recipe on Page 133 by clicking here.

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Tagged as: Challah, French Toast, Strawberry