Challah Bread in a Bag

By Sharon Feldman

Courtesy of Jewlish.com

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tbsp. salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup
• 1 egg for basting (optional for vegan challah, substitute olive oil)
• Sesame seeds for topping

Directions:

1. In a 1-gallon plastic ziplock bag, add the yeast, water, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of flour.
2. Give the bag a little shake. Don’t work too hard- remember, it’s a lazy challah!
3. Place the bag in a bowl of warm water for 30 mins.
4. Remove from bowl, shake, release air from bag, and place on the table for 1 hour. Flip bag every 20 mins. The dough should be very wet. It will start to bubble and self-knead. WHOA.
5. After the 1 hour, add 1/4 cup flour and give the bag another shake so the dough doesn’t stick to the bag.
6. Leave the bag for 1 hour and 30 mins to rise. It should still be a wet dough. If it’s not rising, flip it over and knock it down. If the dough is wet, the recipe will turn out amazing.
7. Preheat oven to 300F/150C.
8. On a well-floured surface, separate the dough and stretch out three strands. Braid.
9. Baste with egg and sprinkle sesame seeds (optional for vegan challah, substitute olive oil). Leave to rise for 15 mins before it goes in the oven.
10.  Bake on a non-stick tray for 40 mins or until golden on top.