Not-So-Classic Challah

1/2 cup (113 g) lukewarm water
6 tablespoons (74 g) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (85 g) maple syrup or honey
2 large eggs
4 cups (482 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast

Glaze:
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water

Combine all the dough ingredients and mix and knead by hand, mixer, or bread machine until you have a soft, smooth dough.

Allow the dough to rise, covered, for about 2 hours, or until it is puffy and nearly doubled in bulk.  

Gently deflate the dough and transfer to a lightly greased work surface.  Shape dough into a loaf and place in a lightly greased loaf pan.  Cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 60 minutes, or until it has crowned about 1" over the rim of the pan.  Towards the end of the rising time, heat the oven to 375° F.

Whisk together the egg and water and brush the glaze over the risen loaf.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown.

Makes 1 loaf.



From King Arthur Flour (Classic Challah recipe), with a few changes