Bread Machine Challah, a traditional Jewish bread, is a golden, eggy, tender, and only slightly-sweet yeast bread you can mix and knead in your bread machine. This is a dairy-free version.
Add ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water to the bread machine.
Add remaining ingredients: 3 large eggs, 2½ tablespoons honey, 1¼ teaspoon table salt, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 3 cups bread flour, 2 teaspoons bread-machine or instant yeast in the order given using the lesser amount of flour.
Select the DOUGH cycle and start.
Check dough after it has been mixing for about 12-15 minutes. The dough should stick to the side and pull away cleanly. If dough is too sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. (I usually end up adding 1 tablespoon of flour to this dough.) If too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. See this post about the most important thing you should do when using a bread machine.
At the end of the DOUGH cycle or whenever dough has risen to double its original size (open the lid and check), remove dough to a floured surface.
Shaping the dough:
Roll into a rectangle 9 x 14 inches. Cut into three or four strips. Use fingers to pinch long sides of each strip so you now have 3 or 4 cylinder-shaped pieces of dough. (See picture above.)
Loosely braid strips, tucking the strips on each end under the braid to make a neat loaf. Place onto a heavy cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat. You could also spray your cookie sheet with aerosol oil/flour like Baker's Joy.
Cover formed Challah with a tea towel and allow to rise until almost doubled. Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C) for about 20 minutes before the bread is ready to bake.
Brush the entire loaf with egg wash (see below) and place your oven rack in the lower middle of your oven. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the interior temperature reaches 190˚F (88˚C). Cover after 10-15 minutes, if necessary, to prevent the loaf from over-browning.
Move loaf from cookie sheet to rack and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.
Egg wash:
With a whisk or fork, combine 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon water, and a pinch table salt in a small bowl.
Notes
Alternate Mixing Instructions:
Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:
To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using a dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead with your hands until dough becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
Please note: You can substitute active dry yeast for instant or bread machine yeast. Add 1/4 teaspoon extra yeast when using the active dry yeast. According to King Arthur Flour, there is no longer any need to dissolve it. Be aware that it may be a little slower acting than instant yeast, but it'll get there. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/09/25/active-dry-yeast