Challah Bread Baking

Every Friday, Daniel and I are baking Challahs together.
Daniel help me add the ingredients to the mixer bowl, mix, knead, shape, and braid the Challah dough. He love helping with the egg wash ("painting the challah") and sprinkle it with sesame seeds (yes, he often like doing it one sesame seed at the time...).

We do a lot of cooking and baking activities together, but this one is probably our favorite. We sometimes add chocolate chips or dried fruit to the dough, we do it in different shapes, and we always find new ways to make it fun.

Challah

Ingredients (makes 2 medium challahs):
1 lbs flour
1 tbsp (17 grams) dry yeast 
1/2 cup + 1tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use Canola)
3/4 tbsp salt

Directions:
Combine yeast with a little bit of the water and 1 tbsp sugar and set aside.
Add to the mixer bowl flour, sugar and salt. 
Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture.
Turn on the mixer on medium speed, and add 1/2 cup sugar, egg, oil and water, and mix until combined to a dough, about 5-7 minutes.
Knead the dough for a few more minutes by hand, put in a clean bowl with a little oil and cover. Let rise for about 1 hour, knead for a minute, and let rise for another hour, until doubled. 
Create 6 small balls, roll into ropes, and braid two challahs challah. 

There are many challah braiding shapes online, I like the simple 3  ropes braid. Search YouTube for fun new ideas!