Shoshana Ohriner
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
3 hours, 30 minutes
Yield: 2 large challah loaves
Ingredients
4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packets — 1/2 ounce or 14 grams) active dry yeast
1/2 cup (170 grams) plus 2 teaspoons honey
1 1/3 cup (10.7 oz) warm water (110 to 116 degrees F)
2/3 cup (5.3 oz) olive oil, plus more for the bowl
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
8 cups (1000 grams) all-purpose flour
10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
1 egg
flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top
Preparation
Whiskthe yeast and 2 teaspoons of honey into the warm water, and let itstand for a few minutes, until foamy. In a large mixer bowl, combine theyeast mixture with the remaining honey, 2/3 cup olive oil, and eggs.Add the salt and flour, and mix until dough begins to hold together.Switch to a dough hook, and run at low speed for 5 to 8 minutes.Transfer the dough to an olive-oil coated bowl cover with plastic wrap,and set aside for 1 hour, or until almost doubled in size.
Oncethe dough has risen turn it out onto a floured counter and divide it inhalf. Work the chocolate into the dough. The easiest way to do this isto roll out each half of the dough into a snake about two feet long andthen flatten the roll with a rolling pin so that it is 6 inches wide.Place half of the chocolate in the middle of the dough and bring thesides together around the chocolate, trapping it in the middle. Pressdown on the dough so that the chocolate is attached to it it and thereis no hollow space inside. Then roll the dough out to the desiredlength, approximately 5-6 feet. Repeat with the other half dough. Ifmaking a six strand braid cut each half into 6 pieces. For a woven braid cut each one into 4. Braid the challahs and place them on parchment lined baking sheets.
Beatthe remaining egg until smooth, and brush over the challahs. Let thechallahs rise for another hour, but 45 minutes into this rise, preheatthe oven to 375°F.
Beforebaking, brush the loaf one more time with egg wash and sprinkle withsea salt. Bake in middle of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. It should bebeautifully bronzed. If it starts getting too dark too quickly, cover itwith foil for the remainder of the baking time. The very best way tocheck for doneness is with an instant-read thermometer — the center ofthe loaf should be 195 degrees.
Cool loaf on a rack before serving.
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
http://www.couldntbeparve.com/2014/04/chocolate-olive-oil-challah-with-sea-salt/
Shoshana Ohriner
ShoshanaOhriner is a Conservative rabbi with a love of baking and a passion forconfectionary arts. She lives in California with her husband and threelittle boys, and blogs regularly on Couldn’t Be Parve, a blog dedicatedto natural parve (non-dairy) baking without artificial substitutes. Shoshana believes that no matter why someone avoids dairy, there is noneed to sacrifice good taste — even when it comes to desserts. http://www.couldntbeparve.com/