Try this recipe enriched with soya milk and saffron to taste the most melting silken dough with a rich crisp crust. If you can't find ground saffron, infuse 4 generous pinches of saffron strands to 40ml of hot water. When this water is bright yellow/orange (about 10 minutes) strain and add this liquid to the remaining water, ensuring the quantity is 240ml.
Makes: 4 large loaves or 40 bulkies (rolls from challah dough)
Preparation: 35 minutes plus rising
Cooking: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients
● 385ml warm soya milk
● 2 generous pinches ground saffron (about 1⁄8 tsp)
● 2 tbsp dried yeast
● 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
● 1 tbsp honey
● 1 tbsp golden syrup
● 1kg strong white bread flour – the best you can buy
● 3 tsp salt
● 5 eggs plus 2 egg yolks for the mixture and 1 yolk for glazing
● 115g light olive oil, plus extra for greasing
● Poppy seeds, sesame seeds or even hundreds and thousands, to decorate
Method
● In a small bowl, combine 240ml warm water with the warm milk, saffron, yeast, sugar, honey, golden syrup and about 100g of the flour.
● Whisk until smooth and no yeast lumps remain. Set aside in a warm place to ferment for about 20 minutes until the mixture is bubbling.
● In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining flour with the salt.
● Beat the eggs in a bowl with the yeast mixture and oil with a fork until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and mix to a soft, pliable dough. You may need a little more oil or flour, depending on the mixture's dryness.
● Place the dough in a large, clean, oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for 40–60 minutes or until doubled in size. Or leave to rise overnight in the fridge, which definitely improves the flavour.
● Preheat the oven to 200°C and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
● Tip out the risen dough onto a floured work surface and knock out the air with your fists. Shape into plaits or individual rolls (bulkies). Place on prepared baking trays, cover with a clean cloth and set aside to prove in a warm place for 30–40 minutes until doubled in size.
● Mix the remaining egg with a little oil and lightly glaze the challah. Sprinkle with seeds and bake for about 30–35 minutes until golden and sound hollow when you tap them on the base. Bulkies will take about 20 minutes.
Adapted from Warm Bagels and Apple Strudel by Ruth Joseph and Simon Round, Kyle Books
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