Oh, my. Send the leftover bun to me! Beautiful.

Recipe:

Basic challah recipe that makes two loaves. Theres a good challah braiding video here.

• 1-1/4 cup warm water (approx. 100 F.)
• 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and an extra pinch to start the yeast
• 4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups bread flour

In the machine, place water and pinch of sugar. Stir in yeast. Let
mixture stand for a few minutes to dissolve yeast. Then add the sugar,
eggs, yolk, honey and oil. Add all but 1/2 cup of the flour.

Process on 'dough' cycle and remove when kneading ends.

Dust in additional flour as dough forms into a ball and seems wet enough
to receive remaining flour. Usually it takes all the flour, but holding
some back as the dough matures through kneading results in a better
mixture. You will also notice that on humid days, the recipe will absorb
a larger amount of flour. This is normal. When the dough cycle is
complete, prepare egg wash and divide dough into six sections and braid
into 2 loafs.

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place bread on sheet.
Generously brush bread with egg wash. Place whole baking sheet into a
large plastic bag or under a towel. Allow bread to rise 30 to 40 minutes
(until almost doubled). Brush again with egg wash.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place bread in oven, reduce heat to 350 F. and bake 30-35 minutes.

Honestly, I don't use 6 cups of flour in a year lol. Sad, huh?

This is the video that I used for the six braid method

You should have shown how your bread looks cut, but they look lovely whole as well!

I use challah primarily as French toast and freeze half of it unless I am giving it away.

Ricky, what you do with the extra bit (though you usually do it first, before dividing the dough) is burn it or throw it away while saying, "This is challah". That's the ritual that actually makes the part you keep real challah rather than challah-like enriched bread. (If you want to say blessings as well, there are a few different versions. Here's one.)

plllog - I got that same comment from someone on Facebook. Sorry, but that would be wasting food - a mortal sin at our house. I'll burn a piece of the parchment paper that has some crumbs on it.

Wow Ricky, that looks fabulous! I especially love the little one. I'm not sure where the 'extra' piece of dough comes from. Aren't you dividing the dough equally?

Thanks so much for the recipe. I'm going to definitely try making a couple. I'll stick with the 3-braided loaf.

Jasdip - I'm still learning to equally divide the dough and to get the braids to all start out the same length with uniform thickness. Not the easiest task!

Ricky, it looks delicious. I've not tried the six strand braid, yet, only the three strand one, but I like challah a lot.

So the leftover bit gets burned or sent to Seagrass, yeah, that makes perfect sense. (grin)

Annie

Here's my gluten free version. No kneading or shaping - special silicone pan does it.

GF Challah
Bread www.nogluten-noproblem.com/2012/06/gluten-free-ratio-rally-bread.htmlNote: I use a Royal Challah Silicone Baking Pan ( www.amazon.com or half price at www.fancyflours.com).

∞Spray PAM in a
special silicone challah pan, or a metal loaf pan and 2 small loaf pans and put
on baking sheet pans (to insulate or stabilize silicone pan).

∞In a small bowl
mix together a variety of seeds:

sesame, pumpkin,
poppy, flax, caraway, and always some kosher salt

∞In a bowl whisk
together:

1¼ C brown rice
flour, ¾ C sorghum flour, ⅔ C cornstarch, ⅓ C tapioca flour, 1 t gum, 1 t salt

∞In another bowl
mix together and proof:

1 C warm water,
1 T sugar, 1 T yeast

∞Add and beat
together with a wooden spoon:

¼ C honey, 2 T
sugar, ¼ C melted butter, 4 beaten eggs

∞Add the flour
mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.

∞Use a measuring
cup to put into pans/mold about ¾ full.

∞Cover with a
tea towel and let rise one hour in a warm place.

∞Bake 375F 20
minutes.

∞Turn out
(upside down) onto a PAM sprayed baking sheet pan.

∞Brush with egg
wash and sprinkle with seeds.

∞Bake 15 to 18
minutes more until internal temperature is 190F to 200F.

∞Remove to rack
to cool completely.

Thanks, Nancy! Perfect for my celiac goddaughter.

Thanks from me too, Nancy. I made your gluten free brioche at Easter and Amanda loved it. I tried one and it was really good, I would be able to use it for French Toast and I don't think anyone would notice that it's gluten free.

Annie