Challah Bread...

 

I have an almost unhealthy obsession with bread. When I go to a restaurant I want the bread basket on the table with the menus! As a child I ate pumpernickel, rye and crusty Vienna breads while my friends were munching on soft, doughy Wonder bread. During my "hippie days" I baked so much bread I could have opened a bakery. Thinking I could make bread faster I got a bread maker, but that left me feeling un-kneaded. I stalk bakeries & specialty food stores, order sour dough bread from Boudin's (I have a frequent Buyer's card),  I am always on the hunt for the I-just-can't-stop eating-this-have-a-piece-it-is-amazing-bread!!!
So, it should come as no surprise that when I took a 5 day intensive bread clinic (part of my pastry license program) I was dizzy with excitement and completely fixated! It wasn't enough that the classes went from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday thru Friday, I went home each evening and baked (more) bread. Believe me, I baked enough bread in 5 days to supply all the Bakeries and Deli's in Manhattan.
I learned about sponges, starters, Biga, sour dough, different flours, glutens, effects of vitamin C, yeast...we made popovers, honey whole wheat bread, French breads, pizza dough, calzones, seven grain bread, Panzanella, Brioches (sweet, Marzipan with apricot brandy glaze and savory with shallots and mushrooms), Chibatta, pecan carmel sticky buns, lemon ricotta danish, French toast, Croissants (with almond filling), Black Russian Rye, Roasted red pepper bread, Pane Alle Olive, Pain de Campagne, Touch of Grace biscuits, Tuscany bread soup, dinner rolls, Italian Easter bread, Challah bread, Fogasse, onion rolls, bread pudding, baguettes, brushettas, canederli, Grissini Torinesi, focaccia, Pagnotta, & English muffins...... did you know YOU CAN MAKE ENGLISH MUFFINS AT HOME & THEY ARE BETTER THAN STORE BOUGHT! 

So, now that I have this vast wealth of knowledge the least I can do is can pass it around, starting with this recipe adapted from Joan Nathan for Challah bread that I adore.

Challah Bread
{go here for recipe}