Challah Bread

Another beautiful masterpiece of bread yumminess! And it's just so PRETTY!! :)


2 Eggs PLUS enough warm Water to equal 1 1/2 cups
1/4 c Canola Oil
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp Salt
2 1/2 c Whole Wheat Flour
2 c White flour
1-2 Tbsp flax meal
2 tsp yeast

Place all ingredients in your bread maker OR

Mix gently for 5 minutes until all the dough is in a ball. Let rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Mix for another 10 minutes--either by hand or using dough beaters on a mixer on low. Then, cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes, or until double in bulk.

After all of that (or when your bread machine finishes) pour the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide into three pieces. Make them into about 13"+ long 'ropes' with tapered ends. Pinch all three together at one end, and braid them together on a greased and lightly floured cookie sheet. Pinch them together at the other end. Fold both ends under just a bit to make it look pretty:
Cover and let rise in a nice warm place for about 1 hour. Using a pastry brush, glaze the bread with:

2 Egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbsp Water

Then sprinkle with Poppy Seeds.

Bake at 350F/180C for about 25 minutes. I thought it was almost too pretty to eat, but the kids LOVED pulling it apart, and it was gone in a few minutes! :)