This particular recipe was adapted as a favor for one of our customers Andrea W. who always makes it for her family dinners on Friday nights. It is easy to work with and deliciously sweet. Please follow all instructions carefully for best results. For those who use this bread as part of their religious observance, tips and tricks follow the recipe to help with making the texture the best possible within limited parameters!

2 t. SAF Gold Yeast (It always worked better with the honey)
2/3 C. Water
3 Eggs + 1 Egg for the wash
1/3 C. Extra Light Olive Oil
1/3 C. Honey
1 1/2 t. Bread Salt
3 1/4 C (13 oz or 368.54g) Better Batter Gluten Free Flour
Poppy or Sesame seeds

In the bowl of your stand mixer, with the flat paddle attachment, combine yeast, water and 1/4 c. flour, let sit for 20 minutes until nice and frothy. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs and salt. After the slurry is nice and frothy, mix in the egg/salt mixture, olive oil and honey until combined. Add 3 cups of flour (reserve the rest of the 1/4c flour for rolling) and mix at high speed of the mixer, using the paddle attachment for 4 minutes. The texture will resemble chocolate chip or other drop cookie dough. Place into a heavily oiled bowl and cover with a cloth in a warm place for 2 hours until doubled in size.

Use the remaining 1/4 c flour to lightly flour a rolling surface – Turn dough out to a floured surface and divide into 8 even pieces , taking care not to deflate the bread. Transfer 4 of the pieces to a cookie or baking sheet. Very gently roll each piece into a long rope – WARNING! This bread is very delicate (think fluffy play-dough) and WILL NOT STRETCH. You will need to do the braiding right on the cookie sheet for best results!! Braid 4 strands to make a loaf of challah. Repear to make two loaves of challah.

Cover with a damp napkin or tea towel and let rise 45 minutes to an hour. Prepare the egg wash. 1 egg and 1T of water. Place the risen challah in a 325 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes. After the initial oven spring, take out and glaze the challah with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Put back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until nice and brown and the challah sounds hollow when thumped. Cool on wire racks. Makes 2 medium 4 braid loaves.

Notes:
1) For higher rise this bread may be made in a variation as follows: use only 1 1/2 c flour for the first rise (dough will be closer to a batter). Keep the dough in the mixing bowl for first rise. Add the rest of flour, shape and continue as usual.

2) This bread was absolutely excellent immediately after baking and for at least 2-3 hours later. Like all gluten free bread, it does stiffen a bit on further cooling as the starches absorb the water. Therefore….

a) Be sure to make this bread as closely to sundown as possible without killing yourself with the stress!

b) If your particular halachic authority allows you to place bread on the blech or on the cholent pot or other pot on the blech, you will find, properly wrapped (put it in foil, but leave the end out), that it will stay fresh (very soft) longer…with the caveat that completely unwrapped it may dry out faster than usual!

c) Because of the low quantity of weight of flour and water listed in the recipe, no portion of this is required to be separated and burnt – however, if you would prefer to do so, I did triple the recipe with good results