Strawberry Cake, Strawberry Bread, and Kid Pizza’s Challah Thread

[BakerAunt]

Strawberry Cake and Leftover Egg Yolks

Note: This thread began as a quest to use up egg yolks, but like so many of the Baking Circle threads, it became a lot more.

It's my husband's turn to take a cake for an office member's birthday, and she asked for a strawberry cake. Actually, she asked for it, then said that strawberry ice cream would be ok instead. She clearly thought that her chances of getting a strawberry cake were pretty small. Don't we all deserve the cake of our dreams on our birthday? When my husband asked me if I could make one, I took up the challenge.
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The KAF site did not yield any recipe that excited me, nor was there one in Susan Purdy's The Perfect Cake, my go-to cookbook for baking cakes. However, I had seen one on the Fancy Flours site that I wanted to try one day, so what better occasion? (If disaster hits, I can always whip up a pound cake and take strawberries to put over slices. Always have a back-up plan!) Here's the recipe:
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http://www.fancyflours.com/product/fresh-strawberry-cake-recipe/basic-re...
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So I've ordered the real strawberry extract from FF, and today I found some good fresh strawberries. I will go ahead and puree them and freeze it. (The birthday is not until a week from Monday.) I hope it comes out well. I will let people know. I particularly like the fact that the cake has strawberry puree in it.
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I will, however, need recipes that call for egg yolks, since this cake takes 5 egg whites. Clearly I will need to bake something(s) with those yolks Suggestions?

reply by: KIDPIZZA on September 19, 2015 at 5:10 pm
BAKERAUNT:
Good afternoon. Marliss, my dear friend I thought I would mention to you that the best CHALLAH BREAD is made with 20% egg yolks instead of just eggs. However if you already know this tidbit forgive me.
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. Good luck in your next bake.... I am certain it will come out well as usual.
. .
~CASS.

reply by: Livingwell on September 19, 2015 at 5:30 pm
Wow, bakeraunt, that cake looks delicious! I especially like that it's made with fresh fruit and extract instead of strawberry jello. Please let us know how the cake turns out and post a photo. You could make crepes, pudding, or cookies with the leftover egg yolks, unless you're specifically looking for another cake recipe. I like Cass's idea about using the yolks in challah. I use the ATK's challah recipe and it calls for 2 whole eggs and 1 yolk. I've heard you can sub 2 yolks instead of 1 whole egg in baking (haven't tried it myself), so making one loaf of challah would use up those yolks.
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And speaking of Cass....hi, my friend! I bought jasmine rice to make your rice pudding and will be doing that soon! "Penelope"

reply by: bakeraunt on September 19, 2015 at 6:39 pm
Hi, Cass: Thank you for the suggestion. I've never made Challah bread, but I will start looking at recipes. I remember that the best French toast I ever had was made with leftover Challah.

reply by: swirth on September 19, 2015 at 7:54 pm
What a lucky recipient...that is a gorgeous cake! The extract shows out of stock so I guess you were lucky to get it. For many great ways to use your egg yolks, you can Google on egg yolk recipes...lots of ideas for you as well as ways to freeze them for later.

reply by: Mrs Cindy on September 20, 2015 at 7:52 am
Absolutely make Challah! Your DH will love the sandwiches made with it. Nothing better. And, yes, the best French toast is made using nice thick slices of Challah. Like bread pudding? Use your leftover (if there is any) Challah. I vote for Challah, can you guess? And, like Swirth says, you can always freeze the leftover yolks to use later.
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~Cindy
p.s. Challah doesn't HAVE to be braided. It can be baked in a regular loaf pan.
~C

reply by: Rascals1 on September 20, 2015 at 12:40 pm
Notice most recipes for challah on kaf are dairy free. That's one bread I've never tried.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 25, 2015 at 2:19 pm
The strawberry extract arrived today. I will bake the cake on Sunday.
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I noted that the KAF Challah recipes do not take extra egg yolks. Neither did the one in Bernard Clayton's bread book. I think that they may be simplifying for readers who do not want extra whites around or do not want to separate eggs. I did find a recipe in Secrets of a Jewish Baker that takes two extra yolks, so I may try that one. I note, however, that his recipes seem to call for a LOT of yeast. Is that typical of Challah, or is this the 1980s, 1990s "put in a lot of yeast because home bakers are impatient" approach? The book was published in 1993 and won the 1994 James Beard Award for best baking and dessert cookbook.

reply by: Mike Nolan on September 25, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Interesting question. I looked up 4 recipes I had, though I haven't made all 4.
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Peter Reinhart has published at least 3 Challah recipes, the amount of yeast in them range from on the low side (in BBA) to on the high side (in ABED.) I remember when I tested the ABED recipe before the book was published, it was a larger recipe and outgrew the largest bowl I have!
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Jeffrey Hamelman's recipe in Bread uses 3% yeast, but I think he's specifying liquid yeast which only commercial bakers have access to.
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So I guess even professionals vary how much yeast they use in Challah.

reply by: KIDPIZZA on September 25, 2015 at 6:44 pm
BAKERAUNT:
Good evening to you friend. Listen Marliss if you are referring to KAF recipe the 4, braided one I scrutinized this recipe for you. It isn't correct Their lack of baking science shines thru this recipe. It begins with the polish.
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If you are interested in this one I will re~formulate it so that you will get a viable loaf of bread including with the employment of the egg yolks.
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Enjoy the rest of the day.
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~CASS.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 25, 2015 at 7:16 pm
Hi, Cass. No, I decided not to do any of the KAF recipes, since they do not call for additional egg yolks. I'm looking at a recipe in Secrets of a Jewish Baker, by George Greenstein. Let me give you the list of ingredient for this two loaf recipe, and you can tell me what you think:
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1 cup warm water
2 packages active dry yeast (that would be 4 1/2 tsp.
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
4 to 4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tsp. salt
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Maybe the sugar requires that much yeast?

reply by: Mike Nolan on September 25, 2015 at 11:55 pm
4.5 tsp of yeast to 4.5 cups of bread flour means that the yeast is about 3.5% of the flour weight, depending on how heavy his 'cup' measure is. But even at 5 ounces per cup, that'd be a bit over 3% yeast. That would definitely make it on the high side for how much yeast it uses.

reply by: KIDPIZZA on September 26, 2015 at 8:15 am
BAKERAUNT:
Good morning my friend. Marliss, I scrutinized this recipe at your request. This is what I find.
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The yeast measures out to 2 3/8ths% for close to 21, oz of flour (4.5,cups) All you need is half this amount one packet or .25, oz of instant yeast. Even this is excessive ordinarily. But like you picked~up on, the yeast is excessive in this recipe because of the large amount of sugar in this recipe. It is at 9 5/8ths% which is under 12% when total failure occurs. I congratulate you for picking up on this baking science tidbit.
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Hydration is very low at 8, oz. Marliss, observe the dough while it is being mixed for hydration amount. I believe you may have to add some water a tsp at a time till you get the proper consistency. Do not use warm water...use room temp or cold water. Salt is excessive at 2, tsp...this amount is very very close 1/2, oz. all you need is 1,1/4 tsp of table salt.
Marliss dear, this recipe is 1 whole or 2, yolks short.
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Marliss, Member ROBIN, bakes many CHALLAH bread recipes. Ask her to give you one of hers.
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Let us know of your decision on of your intentions.
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Good luck & have a nice day my friend.
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~CASS.

reply by: Livingwell on September 26, 2015 at 9:11 am
Bakeraunt, I make the challah recipe from America's Test Kitchen and have always had good luck with it. The crust has an almost pastry-like flavor to it that we and others really like, especially the next day. I also like that it has two rises before shaping the dough for the third, final rise. The recipe is below if you want to try it. The original recipe makes the dough in a stand mixer, but I mix and knead it by hand, so have changed the directions to reflect that:
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3 to 3-1/4 C. bread flour
1/4 C. sugar
1-1/4 tsps. salt
1 T. active dry yeast (the original recipe uses 2-1/2 tsps., but I like using 1 T.)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 C. plus 1 T. warm water (about 110 degrees)
4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled a few minutes
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
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Egg wash:
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1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. cold water
Sesame seeds (optional)
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In a large bowl, whisk together scant 3 C. flour, 1/4 C. sugar, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, and warm water until yeast is completely dissolved. Let stand 5-10 mins. or until foamy. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolk, and melted butter until blended. Whisk into yeast mixture. Stir in flour mixture and knead until dough forms a ball and is smooth and elastic, adding remaining 1/4 C. flour, 1 T. at a time, as needed, to prevent sticking (sometimes I have to add even more than that to get the dough to come together on a humid day). Transfer dough to greased bowl, turning once so greased side is up. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Gently press down dough to deflate it. Cover and let rise until doubled in size again, 40-60 mins. Divide dough evenly into three parts. Cover and let rest a full 10 mins. Roll each part into a 16-18 inch rope, about 1-inch in diameter. Braid, pinching ends together and tucking them under. Place bread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place until loaf becomes puffy and is almost doubled, about 30-45 mins. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and 1 tsp. water. Gently brush a light wash over top of loaf and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 20-25 mins. or until golden brown. The original recipe says to bake 30-40 mins. or until an instant-read thermometer reads 190 degrees. When I've baked it that long, the outside is very dark, almost black in spots, even though my oven registers that the temp is right on with an oven thermometer, so keep an eye on it in our oven. Makes 1 large loaf.
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Note: Recipe can easily be made into two smaller loaves and baked 20-25 mins.
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Most times, I use a 4-strand braid. There is a picture of it on my personal page if you want to see how pretty it looks. I read somewhere that you can sub 2 egg yolks for 1 whole egg, so maybe using all yolks in this will get rid of those yolks for you. If you try it, I would be interested in hearing about the result.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 26, 2015 at 9:52 am
Hi, Cass: I looked at the threads, and Robin says that her favorite recipe is in Secrets of a Jewish Baker. However, she also says it takes about 8 egg yolks, and there is no such recipe in the book.
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Robin also mentioned the Williams-Sonoma recipe for challah, which is supposed to be based on the one from Secrets of a Jewish Baker:
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http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/challah.html
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It also uses a lot of yeast and uses fewer eggs. One reviewer mentioned using less flour.
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I might use your suggestions for the ingredient list I posted, reducing the yeast and salt, as you suggest and adding an additional egg yolk or two. What do you think?

reply by: bakeraunt on September 26, 2015 at 9:50 am
Hi, Livingwell. I do have their Baking Illustrated Cookbook, so I will look at the Challah recipe. However, the idea is to use up egg yolks, since I will have 5 of them after baking the Strawberry Cake. I will keep this recipe in mind for when I only have one or two extras.

reply by: Livingwell on September 26, 2015 at 10:44 am
If it's true that you can sub egg yolks for whole eggs, the ATK will use up all of your extra yolks. Five just in the bread (2 each for each of the whole eggs, plus the extra yolk) and one in the egg wash, for a total of 6 yolks. Actually, you'll have one leftover egg *white* if you do the wash. Does that sound as clear as mud?

reply by: KIDPIZZA on September 26, 2015 at 12:58 pm
BAKERAUNT:
Hello again. Marliss, These recipes that have been gifted for you may bake well, so I cannot comment on them. Soooo, this is what I am going to do, I am gifting the recipe we used in culinary college many years ago.

I will not state the directions because they are the usual proofings & mixing order & I know you know how to prepare & bake yeasted bread.... BAKE at 40O Degrees. This recipe will bake (2) 1# loaves. If you wish to reduce tell me the exact amount you wish & I will reduce it for you.
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Bread flour-------------------------20, oz------------------------------------------100%
Water--------------------------------8,oz---------------------------------------------40%
Instant yeast----------------------.25,oz--------------------------------------------1.25%
Sugar--------------------------------1.5, oz------------------------------------------7.5%
Salt--------------------(2,tsp)------.375,oz------------------------------------------1.75,%
Malt syrup---------------------------1/8,oz-------------------------------------------5/8%
Veg Oil--------------------------------2, oz--------------------------------------------10%
Egg Yolks--------(7)-----------------4,oz---------------------------------------------20%
-----------------------------------------36.25,oz----------------------------------------181.25%-------------------------
Good luck & enjoy the baking & the day as well.
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~CASS.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 26, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Thank you, Cass. I have everything I need to bake it except for malt syrup, so that ingredient is a problem. I don't know if I can find it locally, but I will look. I do have malted milk powder. Is it possible to substitute that and increase the liquid?
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I also have active yeast, but I have used it interchangeably with instant yeast with no problem.
I will have 5 egg yolks from the recipe, so I may use one whole egg along with those.
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I will bake the Challah on either Monday evening or Tuesday, since I first need to bake that cake so that I have the egg yolks to use! That will be tomorrow.
One final question: How long do you bake the Challah (or to what temperature)?

reply by: Mike Nolan on September 26, 2015 at 3:41 pm
Malt syrup and malted milk powder are not interchangeable.
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Most Challah recipes take 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees, depending upon the size of the loaf. The loaf should be a golden brown, even in the cracks (if it is a braided loaf.)

reply by: KIDPIZZA on September 26, 2015 at 5:34 pm
BAKERAUNT:
Hello again. You can omit the MALT... In general you can subst extra sugar for it...it is used for extra flavor as well as for extra crust color. One more thing when fermentation time is short in comm kitchens it aids in speeding up the proofing times. SOOOOO, Marliss just omit it.
Yes Marliss, you can successfully use 4, yolks & 1, whole egg it will give the same weight as 7, yolks.
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Yes Marliss you can subst the active yeast for the instant yeast. the baking temp is 375 / 400, degrees Either temp. will bake it well enough.
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Marliss due to the eggs in this recipe & the egg wash it helps to brown the crust quickly...Soooo, watch it carefully you can tent the top. Bake till it reaches 190 / 200 internal degree. Bake for approx. 25, minutes to see if it requires tenting overall I think 35 /40 minutes max. Cool for at least 1, hour min. Then you can cut into it..
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Also Marliss, if you are going to seed the crust, approx. 3 to 5 minutes before you are to remove the bread apply another application of egg wash....turn off oven. Remove the bread after 3, minutes. This is done so the seeds stick...otherwise they will fall off very easily...just some more of my free baking secrets.
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Good luck Marliss..
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~CASS.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 26, 2015 at 6:46 pm

Thank you, Cass. I will let you know how I do with the Challah. I won't be seeding it, since my husband does not do well with most seeds, and that includes poppy and sesame, but thank you for the baking secret on how to get seeds to stick. Have a lovely rest of the day.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 27, 2015 at 5:30 pm
One final question, Cass. I have a scale and will weigh ingredients, but my scale won't do small amounts like .25 oz. (This is the cheaper scale; the more expensive one expired due to battery leakage, and I haven't had time to research its replacement.) I checked a conversion chart (Thank you, Swirth, in a previous post!), and .24 is 1 tsp. active dry yeast. So, will 1 tsp. of active dry yeast do the trick? Thanks!

reply by: KIDPIZZA on September 27, 2015 at 8:45 pm
BAKERAUNT:
Good evening young lady. 1, tsp of active yeast weighs .125 of an oz. Soooo, Marliss 2, 1/4 tsp
will suffice dear friend.
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Now Marliss allow me to care of your small problem about your scale About a few years ago while I had an few extra bucks there was a super duper scale on sale at local BBB stores I had a $5.00 off coupon
There was a pretty looking scale there & so being I am a sucker for BIG BARGAINS like our most learned buddy SWIRTH is (She is cheaper than me...REALLY SHE IZZZZZ)
I still have not open the package yet It still in the box.
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Marliss I know I will die before I will need it. Sooo, let me gift it too at my expense. Send me the address that you would like me to send to you at.
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~The
MASKED MARVEL.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 27, 2015 at 7:28 pm
Dear Masked Marvel,
Thank you for making sure that I use the correct amount of yeast. I misread Swirth's chart, so that was my mistake. I now see that it says .25 oz. of active yeast = 2 1/2 tsp.
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Thank you also for the generous offer of the scale. I will e-mail you.
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You might want to remove your e-mail address from the post, so that it does not get picked up by those blasted spammers.
Bakeraunt

reply by: Mike Nolan on September 27, 2015 at 8:11 pm
About a year ago I bought a digital 'pocket scale' that weighs in 0.1 gram increments. I use it to weigh anything less than about 20 grams.
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Since I've been doing a lot of re-scaling of recipes, I find it helps me be consistent from batch to batch. (For example, the other day I made a batch of apple pie filling. I took 2 bags of apples and weighed them after they were peeled, cored and sliced, and then adjusted the quantities for all the other ingredients to the right proportions.)
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Google for 'digital pocket scale', you may find them on Amazon and other sites for $10 or less, often even with shipping.

reply by: bakeraunt on September 29, 2015 at 1:44 pm
I will definitely look at these. Thanks,

reply by: bakeraunt on September 29, 2015 at 1:57 pm
For those of you wondering about the strawberry cake: I took it to my husband's office yesterday, and the birthday girl was not in! It stayed overnight in a refrigerator there, so I hope that it is ok for today. I made my husband promise to try to save me a little slice. (Twelve people will be at the celebration, so it may not be so easy.) I did taste the frosting (and I even have extra for a small cake), and it is delicious. I hope that I get to taste the cake!
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It is not a hard cake to mix and bake, but it does require separating five eggs and pureeing strawberries. I also bought the strawberry extract. I mixed the cake in my Cuisinart 7-qt stand mixer. (I'm finally getting the hang of how it works on cakes), but I whipped the egg whites with my Cuisinart hand mixer, which has a balloon whisk attachment, then folded them in by hand. It makes three, not very thick, 9-inch layers. I baked two in my regular oven and one in my Cuisinart convection oven. (It does a great job, but oh how I hate doing the settings on that thing). The frosting was ready to use right after I mixed it up, and it was easy to spread. I did do a crumb coat and refrigerated for 30 minutes before doing the final coat. The cake is a gorgeous pink, with little flecks of strawberry.
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IF I get to taste it, I will report back later today.

reply by: Livingwell on September 29, 2015 at 7:11 pm
Oh my gosh, I can't believe that after requesting the strawberry cake, the birthday girl didn't come in today! Maybe she had an emergency. I hope so and it's not a case of just deciding to take her birthday off. Did you get a picture of the cake before you sent it off with your husband? I can taste it just from your description!

reply by: bakeraunt on September 30, 2015 at 7:02 pm
Everyone loved that strawberry cake. Two pieces went home with the birthday gal for her children. My husband was able to save me a nice-sized piece (ah, the advantages of 3-layer cakes!), and I shamelessly ate it all last night. I will definitely bake this cake and make this frosting again.

reply by: Livingwell on September 30, 2015 at 9:05 pm
Yaay, bakeraunt! I'm glad you got to eat some of your creation. That's OK that you ate it all by yourself.....chef's perks 😉

reply by: bakeraunt on October 01, 2015 at 6:59 pm
I suppose this is a Part II. We all know that we never waste any ingredient. This afternoon, I used my leftover scant cup of strawberry puree to make three mini-loaves of strawberry bread. I am also in the midst of baking Kid Pizza's Challah! I have two braided loaves rising on the parchment-lined baking sheet and I've started heating the oven. I used the directions from Secret of a Jewish Baker to do a 15 minute rest period after first degassing the dough and dividing it in half. Then I cut each half into three pieces and rolled each into a rope. I then went back and rerolled the first three ropes and braided them. (I did not try to do a top braid.) I did the same with the next three. (I've found that bread flour usually requires a rest period or it "fights!" the shaping.) I brushed them with a mixture of beaten egg and 2 tsp. water. I will brush them again before putting them into the oven. The first rise was about 70 minutes. I think that the second one will be about 45.

reply by: Livingwell on October 01, 2015 at 7:24 pm
I didn't know that about bread flour and resting the dough. Ya learn something new every day! Thanks, bakeraunt!

reply by: Mike Nolan on October 01, 2015 at 7:54 pm
The gluten in wheat flour comes from two protein groups, glutenin and gliadin. Some strains of wheat have more of one protein group than the other. Glutenin gives dough its elasticity, gliadin gives dough its plasticity.
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Since hard red wheat, a major component of most bread flours, is high in protein, it has lots of glutenin. As a result, it produces a dough that has more elasticity. Resting the dough gives the glutenin time to relax.

reply by: Livingwell on October 01, 2015 at 10:06 pm

When I make challah, I divide the dough into three or four pieces before braiding and rest them about 10 minutes. They're easier to use, but I'm going to try the 15 minute rest bakeraunt suggests and see if that helps even more. With a dexterity problem, I need all the help I can get working with bread dough.

reply by: bakeraunt on October 02, 2015 at 2:13 pm
Well, Kid Pizza's Challah recipe baked up beautifully. I took pictures, and I will see if I can post them on my personal page. I might have let it get a wee bit too brown (might try tenting it at 23 minutes) next time. The total bake time was 35 minutes.( I do use a very heavy baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and I find that cookie sheet prevents the bottom of whatever I'm baking from over browning.). I shamelessly had three slices for breakfast this morning, including one with my homemade jam from this summer. I froze the second loaf, so I hope that it will keep well.
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Thank you, again, Cass for this great recipe. I will never again wonder, when I have egg yolks left over, how I can use them.

reply by: Livingwell on October 02, 2015 at 8:12 pm
Yaaay, I am glad to hear your challah came out so well. Homemade bread and homemade jam are a marriage made in heaven! I can't wait to see the photos and the recipe (hint hint KidPizza and/or bakeraunt). I used to make oatmeal bread and white bread, but found we like challah the best, so that is what I make when I get around to making bread.

reply by: bakeraunt on October 02, 2015 at 11:17 pm
Llivingwell: The recipe is right here in this thread. Cass listed the ingredients. I put them together in the standard way, but I included some of my notes here as well for people who might have less experience with baking bread.

reply by: Livingwell on October 03, 2015 at 6:38 am
I saw the list of ingredients you posted and Cass' re-work of it, but I don't see the amounts by volume. I wasn't kidding when I said I need exact ingredients and specific instructions or am hopeless at figuring out a recipe - haha! The ATK recipe I posted is a good example of how I type out recipes for my tried and true file.

reply by: KIDPIZZA on October 03, 2015 at 7:21 am
LIVINGWELL:
Good morning Penelope. Being that I didn't know that you wanted the recipe I didn't provide for you. Soooo, I am going to post for your benefit the ingredient amounts in volume for you in the same order as the listed recipe is. Go to the recipe & print it out Then alongside write in the amounts as I am now writing in for you.
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Good luck my dear friend.
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4 1/4, cups
1, cup
2 1/4 tsp
3 1/4 TBLS
2 tsp
Malt syrup can be omitted.
1/4 cup, less 2,tsp.
Eggs, you can use 1, whole egg... plus 4, yolks.
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Good luck my dear friend. Enjoy the rest of the day.
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~CASS.

reply by: Livingwell on October 03, 2015 at 7:31 am
Thank you, Cass! You are always so thoughtful in making sure your recipe amounts are listed by volume so I can try them. I really appreciate that! I just bought a new jar of yeast when I went grocery shopping the other day because my old one had expired. That's how seldom I've made bread this year 🙁 Quick question: In the original recipe, there is a (7) next to the eggs, but the volume amount says 1 whole egg and 4 yolks. Which should I use? I'll let you know when I make the bread. Have a good week-end! "Penelope"

reply by: KIDPIZZA on October 03, 2015 at 9:30 am
LIVINGWELL:
Hello again. The answer is use either one. The reason I went from 7, yolks to 1, whole egg plus 4, yolks is that Bakeraunt only had 4, yolks left from a previous bake. It really doesn't make a large difference. You have an option here. It is less expensive using 4, whites.
Good luck & remember to check up on the bread after about 22, minutes to see if you should tent the bread. it should bake in 35 / 40 minutes.
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enjoy the day my friend.
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~CASS.

reply by: Livingwell on October 03, 2015 at 9:48 am
OK 🙂 Thanks again! "Penelope"

reply by: bakeraunt on October 03, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Hi, Cass,
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I wanted to let you know that the scale arrived today. Thank you so much. I will enjoy using it, and I will think of you when I do.
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My stepdaughter stopped by, and I offered her an impromptu lunch: ham sandwich on the Challah bread. She pronounced it delicious!
Enjoy your day!
Bakeraunt

reply by: frick on October 04, 2015 at 5:56 pm
Marking this thread for when decent strawberries are again available.

reply by: bakeraunt on October 06, 2015 at 5:48 pm
Frick: Here is the recipe for the strawberry bread.
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Fresh Strawberry Bread (adapted from a "My Best Recipe" that appeared in the L.A. Times over 20 years ago.
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1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz. or 1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. strawberry extract (original recipe used almond extract)
2 eggs (original recipe separated them and beat the whites separately)
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2 cups flour (I use 1 1/2 unbleached flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
1/4 cup powdered milk (I added; you may omit)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
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1 cup strawberry puree (original recipe says crushed or chopped) [For best flavor use very ripe strawberries. The recipe also said that you could use a thawed 10 oz. package of frozen ones, but I've not tried that.
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In medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Mix in the extract. One at a time, beat in the eggs (or egg yolks, if you separated them). In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture, alternately with the pureed strawberries, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. (I use a low mixer speed--1 or 2). If you separated the eggs, beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the strawberry mixture.
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Grease and flour (I spray with Baker's Joy) a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or three mini-loaf pans. (Sizes on mini-loaf pans vary, so use your judgment. I use three "Baker's Secret" ones that are at least as old as this recipe.)
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Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes for the large loaf. The small ones take about 30 minutes. They are done when a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on rack.

reply by: frick on October 06, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Thank you in duplicate. The recipe is copied and pasted into my own files as we speak.
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I wrote you a missive in the Sharing a Recipe thread. You are a dear, and an excellent and dedicated baker to boot. Pun intended.

reply by: Mrs Cindy on October 07, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Oh, my, oh my! This sounds delicious. Beyond delicious. Could you save a piece for me? I'll be right over. Coach is all cleaned up and ready to go on the next trip.......
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reply by: bakeraunt on October 08, 2015 at 9:40 am
Mrs. Cindy: You are welcomed to sample my baking any time! 🙂

reply by: Mrs Cindy on October 10, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Next time I'm near you, be aware and leave the door unlocked. I'm on my way in!
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~Cindy

reply by: bakeraunt on December 08, 2015 at 1:56 pm
Early in October I baked Kid Pizza's Challah bread (recipe is in this thread). I froze one of the loaves. I pulled it out last week and defrosted it. I worried about having frozen it: would the texture be ruined? My fears were groundless. That defrosted bread was soft and tasty, as if I had just baked it! What a great recipe! I love it in sandwiches.

reply by: aaronatthedoublef on December 08, 2015 at 2:48 pm
Most challah recipes, in general, are dairy free. I've started to see a few with butter in recently but growing up my mom's challah (and my recipes now) were and are dairy free.
In addition to all the wonderful uses for challah mentioned in the thread, challah is used for various Jewish celebrations, most notably every week when we usher in the Sabbath.
Such meals often times had meat and as such, everything accompanying the main course had to be dairy free for the meal to be kosher.

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• This topic was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.

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