Challah Bread

Mix a tablespoon of sugar with ¼ of warm water. Mix well. Add the yeast, mix and let rest 10 minutes or until it doubles in size.

After 10 minutes, add the remaining warm water, one whole eggs, three yolks, a tablespoon of vegetable oil and honey to the yeast mixture. Mix well.

In an additional bowl, mix the flour with the salt and raisins.

Gradually add the flour to the liquid mixture and mix well with a whisk. Once the dough startıing to be thick start kneading with your hands, on a clean surface, until you get an elastic dough that does not stick to your hands.

Bring water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Place the pot of boiling water in the center of your oven (off).

Spread a large bowl with vegetable oil and place your dough in the center. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and bring it to the center of your oven (must be turn off) over the pot with boiling water. Close the oven and let the dough rest for an hour.

Take the dough out of the oven and knead it again until all the air is removed. Put it back in the center of the oven, with the pot of boiling water, for an additional hour.

Take your dough out of the oven again, knead it and divide it into four equal parts. Make four rolls of equal size. Join the ends and braid your dough (see video on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs_3lwu8XU8).

Place on a tray covered with baking paper.

Mix one egg white with two tablespoons of water. Beat lightly. With a kitchen brush, paint the surface of your bread. Sprinkle with poppy seeds on it and let it rest in the center of your oven for 20 minutes.

Bake your bread in a preheated oven for 40 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius, painting your bread in 20 minutes again with the egg white wash.

Enjoy!