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With the cooler weather, I'm craving piping hot, freshly baked bread out of the oven. I've pulled out my friend, Paula's delicious, homemade Pretzel Challah Bread recipe to bake this week.
The crispy pretzel crust sprinkled with coarse salt is a great complement to the soft inside of the bread! It's fun making this with my kids, who love to knead the dough. If we can do it, anyone can!
*Makes one very large loaf or 2 smaller loaves of Pretzel Challah Bread
2 TBS Active Dry Yeast
1 TBS Sugar
1/2 Cup Lukewarm Water
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3 TBS Sugar
2 Cups Water
1 TBS Fine Sea Salt
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
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6 Cups Bread Flour
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8 Cups Water
2/3 Cup Baking Soda
Coarse Salt to finish (I used Himalayan salt from Trader Joes)
Place 2 TBS yeast, 1 TBS sugar and 1/2 cup water in a bowl. Allow it to proof for 10 minutes. Proofing is a term for the yeast and sugar working to form a bubbly foam from the Carbon Dioxide being released.
In another bowl, add 3 TBS sugar, 2 cups of water, 1 TBS of fine sea salt and 1/4 cup oil together and mix well.
Add bubbling yeast to liquid. Mix well
Add flour and knead until a smooth dough forms.
Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 F
Form challah: Separate dough into three dough pieces and roll out to make long breadstick shapes. Braid loosely and pinch the ends to close off. Note: You can make two separate loaves if you want smaller, in which case you will separate into six pieces. My examples show one large loaf.
Take the 8 cups of water, add baking soda to a large shallow pan on high heat. Allow the water to come to a boil.
Gently place the challah into the pan- let sit 30 seconds on each side. Then with two wooden spoons, take out and place on parchment paper covered baking tray (I used spray oil since I was out of paper).
Brush with the baking soda and water solution you just used.
Sprinkle coarse salt.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Since ovens can vary, keep an eye on it after 20 to make sure crust doesn't over-cook.
Put on wire rack to cool.
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Hi! I am a 40 something mom of 2 teen boys in Manhattan Beach, Ca who likes to eat, drink, laugh, travel, run and shop! Oh, I love animals too. My inspiration focused lifestyle blog is called Ounce of Salt. It promotes living a mindful, healthy and fulfilling life, balanced with a sense of philanthropy.
The name, Ounce of Salt, comes from the idea that salt adds zest– not just to food, but to life itself. The Ounce of Salt brand aspires to add just the right amount of flavor to the lives of its readers. I look forward to connecting!
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