Cinnamon And Cranberry Challah

Total Time: 33 mins Preparation Time: 3 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (105 degrees - 115 degrees f)
• yeast (active dry-2 packages)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, one divided
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces dried sweetened cranberries (craisins)

Recipe

• 1 stir warm water, yeast and sugar together in a small mixing bowl; let stand 10 minutes, until mixture foams.
• 2 whisk together 3 eggs, 1 egg (reserve yolk), oil, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. stir in yeast mixture and 5 1/4 cups flour until soft dough forms. add sweetened dried cranberries and with floured hands, knead dough. gradually add remaining 3/4 cup flour, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• 3 lightly grease a large mixing bowl. place dough in bowl and roll around so that it is lightly coated with oil. cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• 4 punch down dough; divide in half. each half will make one braided loaf. to make a single braid; divide half into 3 equal pieces. roll each into a 14-inch rope. braid dough and pinch ends to seal. place on a greased baking sheet. repeat steps with remaining dough.
• 5 cover shaped loaves and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. preheat oven to 400 degrees f. beat reserved egg yolk with 1 teaspoons water; brush loaves. bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped. place foil on tops of loaves if tops brown too quickly. remove loaves to a wire rack and cool completely.