Round Challa w/ Raisins and Honey For Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
½ cup warm water (105 F) Combine 1/4 cup warm water and 1 teas. sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle dry yeast over.
Let stand until mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.
Swift 2 3/4 cups flour into large bowl.
Make a deep well in center and place yeast mixture in the well. Add remaining 1/2 teas sugar, eggs, oil, honey. Stir ing. gradually adding remaining 1/4 cup flour.
Knead until smooth, adding flour a tablespoon at the time if sticky, about 7 minutes by hand or 3-4 minutes by mixer.
Place dough in a large greased bowl. turn dough to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft free area until double in volume. Test by pressing two fingers gently into dough: if indent remains after removing fingers, dough has risen completely. About 1.5 hours.
Punch dough down, cover and let rise again until double in volume. About 1 hour.
Punch dough down.
Turn dough out to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.
Roll into 9x12 rectangle.
Sprinkle raisins evenly over the dough, press gently to adhere.
Roll up dough tightly, starting at the 12" side. Roll dough back and forth between palms of hands to form a 32" long rope.
Form dough toll into spiral shape on prepared baking sheet. Tuck end of rope underneath spiral. Cover with towel and let rise again for about one hour.
Position rack in center of preheated oven at 375 degree F.
Brush loaf with egg glaze and bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake until bread sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 25 min. longer.
Transfer to rack and cool completely.

Makes one very large loaf.

teas. sugar
3 teas. dry yeast
3 cups bread or all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbl honey
teas. salt

From the Recipe Collection of Nurit Friedman