Challah (Second Helpings)

After partaking of an amazing challah at a friend’s Shabbat a few weeks ago, I was surprised to discover she made it from the 1968 classic, Second Helpings, Please! This Friday, I tried it out myself.

As you can imagine, our copy of the book, handed down to my wife, is tattered and yellowing. The recipe is pretty basic, but with an eye-raising half cup of oil. I gave the dough plenty of time to proof and rise as I wasn’t in a hurry.

This loaf turned out beautifully, but it did grow considerably in the oven, stretching the areas between the braids unattractively. It was soft and sweet, not quite in cake territory, but a very good challah. As it produced a pretty big loaf, we enjoyed it for the next few days, and it resisted going stale.