Chocolate Chip Challah Bread

Name: Chocolate Chip Challah Bread
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet); 2/3 cup warm water; 1 tsp honey; 1/3 cup olive oil, extra virgin; 1/4 cup honey; 2 large eggs; 500 grams all-purpose flour; 8 tbsp all-purpose flour, as needed; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1 cup chocolate chips; olive oil, extra virgin for dough; all-purpose flour for dusting; 1 large egg, beaten; sea salt

pow.shopow @cook_3737448

Like with most bread doughs, this takes a long time to make. Allow for 5 hours of prep time. *Added* In hindsight, I would have added more chocolate chips. As the bread bakes, the volume doubles, and you really can't have a high enough chocolate chip per bite ratio.

pow.shopow @cook_3737448

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Ingredients

Yeast Proof
2 1/4 tspactive dry yeast (1 packet)
2/3 cupwarm water
1 tsphoney
Dough
1/3 cupolive oil, extra virgin
1/4 cuphoney
2 largeeggs
500 gramsall-purpose flour
8 tbspall-purpose flour, as needed
1 1/4 tspsalt
Other Stuff
1 cupchocolate chips
olive oil, extra virgin for dough
all-purpose flour for dusting
1 largeegg, beaten
sea salt

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Steps

1

Proof the yeast. In your stand mixer bowl, combine the following ingredients. Make sure the water is lukewarm. Test water against the back of your hand. Too much heat will kill the yeast.
2

Leave in bowl for about 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy, like a beer's head.
3

Add the following, then whisk until egg yolks are incorporated.
4

Set your bowl on the mixer with the dough hook attachment.
5

Add the flour and salt.
6

Set mixer on the slowest setting then set to second to slowest. Let mixer do its thing and incorporate the ingredients together and knead the dough.
7

Depending on the humidity, you may have to add several tablespoons of flour. The dough should be a little bit tacky, like the adhesive on the back of a Post-It.
8

When the dough is on your hook and the sides of your bowl is clean, it's time for hand kneading.
9

Turn on your oven to the lowest setting (120 to 170°F F), then turn it off once it reaches the temperature.
10

Dust your surface with flour, and knead dough until it springs back slowly when you poke it with your finger. Roll the dough into a neat ball.
11

In your mixer bowl, add two or three tablespoons of olive oil. Using your kneaded dough, spread the oil around the bowl and lightly coat the dough with oil.
12

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and keep in the oven for the first rise for about 1 hour.
13

Clean your workspace. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
14

Take the bowl out of the oven. The dough should be double in size or more after an hour. Punch the dough down and cover. Place back in the oven for another 1 hour for the second rise.
15

After the second rise, take dough out of the bowl on your lightly floured work surface. Punch the air out of the dough, then roll into a tight log.
16

Preheat oven to 375°F Fahrenheit.
17

Form the dough into your preferred shape. Challah is traditionally braided, but you can shape the dough to any shape that works for you. For braiding instructions, look up The Bread Kitchen's braiding instructions on YouTube.
18

Put the braided dough on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with egg, then lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let formed bread dough rise for 30 minutes to an hour.
19

Before putting back in the oven, brush with the remaining egg wash, then sprinkle sea salt. You can also sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds.
20

Bake at 375°F Fahrenheit until bread registers at 175°F Fahrenheit inside for 30 to 45 minutes. Times may be shorter for smaller loaves.
21

Cool on cooling racks, covered with a tea towel. Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy!