Challah

It is not at all difficult to prepare traditional challah, I present a recipe with step by step photos to your attention.

Ingredients

For glaze:

Egg white – 1 pc.
Water – 2 tbsp
Poppy (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl, combine water, butter, whole eggs, and yolk and stir well.
In a mixer bowl or regular large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the liquid mixture and stir for about 2 minutes. (You can knead the dough by hand, but it will take about twice as long.) If necessary, add the remaining flour and knead for another 8 minutes, until elastic (the dough should not stick to the edges of the bowl).
Transfer the dough to a floured surface, form a ball, and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and place in a warm place to rise, for about 1-1.5 hours.
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Knead the matched challah dough, put it on a work surface, and divide it into two parts, one should be twice the size of the other.
Divide most of the challah dough into 3 more parts and roll each into a rope 40 centimeters long and 2.5 centimeters thick. Fold all three bundles side by side, connect and fasten the ends.
Weave the ends of the braids and fasten the ends. From a smaller piece of dough, also form 3 identical bundles, 40 centimeters long and 2.5 centimeters thick, also weave a braid.
Prepare the icing. In a small bowl, beat the egg white with water. Transfer the large braid to a baking sheet, grease with icing, and put a small braid on top, fasten the ends of both braids. Cover the challah blank with cling film and put it in a warm place for lifting, for 45-75 minutes.
Turn on the oven to preheat to 180 degrees. Grease the matching challah with the remaining glaze and sprinkle with poppy seeds (optional), lightly sprinkle the challah with water. Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven and bake the challah until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Remove the finished challah from the oven, let it rest on a baking sheet, and then transfer to the wire rack and leave until completely cooled.