Instructions: WARNING: The amounts I have used make too much dough for my 2-lb Zoji to handle. If you want to make a loaf in the bread machine using this exact recipe, you will have to remove some of the dough at the end of the dough cycle (about 2 hours on my machine). I have done this and the loaf made in the machine turned out just fine. I used the dough that I removed to make a braided loaf which I allowed to rise for one hour after braiding and then baked in the oven as usual. It came out tasting fine, too.

Add ingredients to ABM in order specified by model. Choose "DOUGH" cycle. Can add 3/4 cup of raisins during second kneading. If you want to cook the bread in the machine, just use the regular white/wheat cycle.

After machine completes, take out the dough and break it into three parts. Cover lightly with plastic wrap (may spray lightly with PAM to keep wrap from sticking if you want) and let dough rise for one hour. Roll out and braid dough (lightly wet ends to help them stick and fold under loaf slightly for rounded appearance). Place loaf on cookie sheet sprayed lightly with PAM, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another hour. Brush with one egg, beaten (I use Egg Beaters. A couple of teaspoons is all it takes.) Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

NOTES: (from original poster) Recommend using very warm water to offset the cold temperature of the egg and applesauce (which is usually in the fridge). The amounts of sugar and honey are equal; however, any amount of both or each totaling 6 Tbsp works fine. Ive used this recipe to make over a dozen mini-challahs and frozen them for later use. Just make the pieces smaller. For Rosh Hashanah, make the loaf round. (meryl@onramp.net)

NOTES: (from me) I changed all the amounts from the original recipe to achieve satisfactory results. This ended up producing 3 nice loaves of challah (all three baked sideways on the same cookie sheet), one of which lasts until the next day when I have to bake three more. You dont
*have* to braid the loaves, but it only takes a few minutes. This gives it a wonderful texture, making it like pull-apart rolls. You can make any size loaf you want ... or rolls or hoagie-sized buns, etc. I think the classic way is to make one large loaf using four braids and then place a smaller loaf on top of the large one.

NOTES : After many less than satisfactory attempts (to put it mildly) at baking loaves of low fat challah (egg bread) that resembled those I grew up eating, I was about to give up. I found a recipe in the Jewish-foods mailing list archive that
*almost* worked for me. I do believe I have finally tweaked and prodded it enough that I can honestly say that this is one incredible recipe. (Kudos to the original poster.) My changes may simply have more to do with the weather, etc., than anything else; but whatever the reason, I have been asked (ordered?) to keep this bread in ready supply. I have to hide them if I want to keep them for later. :)

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