Preparation time: Depends on how many strands you fill and roll, about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Rising Time: 2 1/2 hours total
Baking Time: 40-45 minutes

1 WHOLE recipe Maggie Glezer’s Chernowitzer Challah or your favorite Challah recipe that gives you about a 1 1/2 lb to 2 lb loaf.

Filling
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons grated semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons raisins
2 Tablespoons to 1/4 sugar, depending on how sweet you like it
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

EGG Wash – 1 large egg plus 1-2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa, if desired, beaten together until uniform.

DIRECTIONS
1. After it’s first rise, divide dough into 3, 4 or 6 equal pieces, depending on the amount of strands you’re going to use for the braid. Combine all filling ingredients.

2. Roll each piece into a cylinder shape, then place on a lightly floured board and roll out into an oblong, flat sheet of dough, about 14 x 5 inches.

3. Divide filling evenly on each sheet of dough, then roll up tightly into a cylinder, making sure none of the filling gets near the edges. Pinch to seal each, then roll the cylinders into about 18-21 inch strands, tapering the ends.

4. Braid dough as you like, using the videos above if you need help.

5. Place braid on a greased, parchment or silpat lined baking sheet, cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.

6. While the braid is rising, preheat oven to 350F.

7. When doubled in size, remove plastic wrap and brush all over with egg wash. Bake for about 40=45 minutes, brushing with more egg wash half through baking, if desired.

8. Let Challah cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes then remove to a baking rack. Let completely cool before slicing.

Grandma’s AMAZING Challah
Makes a 1 1/2 lb loaf
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Rising time: 2 hours total
Baking time: 30-35 minutes

*3 3/4 – 4 1/4 cups Bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
*1/4 cup tepid water
1/4 cup of sugar (I add an extra 2 tablespoons, but that’s optional)
3 egg yolks
3/4 tsp salt
A scant 1/4 cup vegetable oil
*3/4 cup tepid water

Egg Wash – 1 large egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup tepid water. Cover and let bloom until foamy.

2. Place 1 cup of the flour into a large bowl. Make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour the bloomed yeast into it. Mix the bloomed yeast into some of the flour from the sides of the hole, covering lightly with flour. Place in warm place, covered with towel.

3. When the batter rises and looks foamy, add oil, sugar, salt, eggs yolks and remaining 3/4 water, then mix until batter like. Slowly start to add remaining flour until you get a nice, non-sticky, somewhat firm ball of dough. You may or may not use all the flour, depending on many factors like the weather etc.

4. Remove from bowl, and knead on a floured surface for 10 – 15 minutes until smooth and elastic.

5. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

6. When risen, gently punch/fold down the dough and remove from bowl to a floured surface. Cut into desired amounts of strands, rolling each to about 18-21 inches, tapering the ends, and braid, using one of the videos above if you need help in doing so.

7. Place braid on a greased or parchment/silpat lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap (I like to lightly grease the plastic wrap prior to placing it on top of the braid) and let rise for about another hour until doubled in size.

8. Right after covering braid to rise, preheat oven to 350F.

9. Once doubled in size, remove plastic wrap and brush all over with egg wash.

10. Bake at 350 degrees about 30-35 minutes until golden brown, brushing with more egg wash half way through baking, if desired.

11. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then remove to a baking rack and cool completely before slicing.

* You could make the Challah dough in a bread machine on the dough cycle  following the manufacturer’s directions.  Just don’t bloom the yeast first, layering 1 full cup of water, and all the flour (start with the least amount and add more flour as the machine starts to mix, if needed, until it feels as described in the above recipe), along with the other ingredients, according your bread machine’s instructions (you know how it is, some go wet first, dry last – others dry first, wet last).

http://lisamichele.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/a-unique-twist-on-challah-2/