Vegan Challah

 

Yield:  2 large loaves

Time: 1 ½ hours, not counting time to rise

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water, plus additional as needed
• 2 packets (4 ½ t) instant yeast
• ½ c sugar
• ½ c oil
• 2 t kosher salt [1½ t if using table salt]
• 2 lbs bread flour 
• ⅛ cup soy milk
• poppy or sesame seeds 

Instructions

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.  Combine with flour, salt, and oil in electric mixer, and mix until combined, adding additional tablespoons of water until dough gathers into a ball. Add two more tablespoons of water and continue to mix until well kneaded.
2. Cover mixing bowl with damp dishtowel and let rise until doubled in bulk. 
3. Punch down, divide into six parts and form into one large or two small braided loaves.  Set on baking sheets or parchment and let rise a second time. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Brush risen loaves with soy milk, and sprinkle with seeds.  Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown and baked through.

Notes:

• OK to refrigerate overnight after 1st rise, even do the rise in the refrigerator. This is now my standard Thursday night routine.
• You can also make with 50% bread flour and 50% all-purpose. (Or even 100% all-purpose if you have no bread flour.)  The dough is a little easier to handle, and the crumb is firmer.
• Adjust salt and sugar to your family's taste.
• One large loaf will take a little longer to bake than two small.

Variations:

• Add golden raisins and form into round loaf or braided ring for Rosh Hashanah, or for a sweet bread at any time of year.

Source: Adapted from a recipe found in various places on the Internet and attributed to a Rebbetzin Batsheva Esther Kanievsky [who used an egg wash instead of soy milk].