Thanksgiving Challah

The joy of Thanksgiving leftovers begins on a Friday. Just in time for Shabbat.

While challah is a no-brainer container for Thanksgiving sandwiches, it is also an underutilized wrapper for Thanksgiving fillings. My Thanksgiving Challah contained tart cranberry sauce, sweet carnival squash, and buttery turkey because that's what I had handy. But you can (and should) get creative!! The moist, dense challah recipe complements the autumnal flavors of your Thanksgiving leftovers. 

RECIPE

Ingredients 

Challah (inspired by The Challah Blog):

• 1 1/4 cup very warm water
• 1 tbsp active dry or instant yeast
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 eggs + 1 egg for wash
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 6 cup bread flour
• 2 teaspoon salt

Recommended Filling (although you can use whatever you have leftover!!):

• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• 1 cup squash
• 1 cup turkey

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast with the water. Add in the honey slowly. Mix gently.
• Let the mixture sit until it has developed eruptions and smells like beer.
• Mix in 3 eggs and canola oil.
• If you have a stand mixer, use it to mix in the flour.
• Mix in the salt.
• The dough should stick together as a ball. 
  • If the dough isn't sticky enough, add a bit of water. 
  • If the dough is too sticky, add a bit of flour. 
• Punch ("knead") the dough a few times. 
• Place dough ball in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap; allow to sit for at least 1.5 hours. 
• Punch out the air bubbles. 
• Separate the ball into 4 equal-sized pieces. 
• Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece into a flat triangle, square, whatever. Maximize surface area but don't make each piece too thin; 1/2 inch is a good thickness.
• Spoon the cranberry sauce evenly over the dough, avoiding the edges. Add in other fillings (squash, turkey, etc.). 
• Roll up each piece into a log ("strand"). Pinch the edges so that no precious filling is lost.
• Make sure each strand is at least 10 inches. (You can stretch it, gently.)
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. 
• On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, braid the 4 strands. 
• Allow the dough to rise 20-30 minutes. 
• Brush the dough with the 4th egg. (I use the yolk and egg white.)
• Put the challah in the oven for 35 minutes or until the loaf is a perfect golden brown. 
• Voilà! Enjoy.