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Eggwash, AP flour and Sourdough Challah

ehgf@primenet.com
Mon, 12 Feb 2001 02:22:11 +0800
v101.n009.11
Hi all,

    My two cents on the eggwash discussion is thus: I believe that
deflation when applying eggwash or any glaze for that matter, comes from
several causes. A too thick wash will weigh down your dough, so thin it
with some water if necessary. A cold wash will shock a warm dough, so
keep it a moderate temperature. A heavy hand doing the application as
well as patting on seeds etc will cause deflation, so be gentle and
sprinkle your topping. I do believe that taking all these precautions
will still prove ineffective if your dough is overproofed. When this is
the case, just about anything will cause deflation! Two last tips: Don't
let your wash run down underneath your loaf as it will only burn there.
For seeds, try glazing lightly, let dry for five minutes and glaze again
before sprinkling with seeds; the double glaze provides a thicker, tacky
surface for them to adhere to. Good luck!

    FYI: It is my understanding that All Purpose (AP) flour is simply
the combination of a hard wheat flour such as bread flour and a soft
wheat flour such as cake flour to arrive at a flour with a protein
(gluten) level that can produce acceptable breads, cakes and cookies. I
believe that with all these new, scientifically engineered strains of
wheat, they may now be able to grow one type that has the desired
protein level to be called "all purpose".

    I read the request for the sourdough challah recipe with ambivalence
since it seems to me to be a contradiction in terms. In America, challah
is a somewhat sweet as well as rich bread used to celebrate the sabbath.
It is traditional to make it even sweeter at times such as Jewish New
Years with the addition of more sugar and/or raisins. Well, in life we
must take the bitter(sour) with the sweet ;-) so here is the recipe
based on Ed Wood's "World Sourdoughs from Antiquity". Enjoy!

Ellen aka Gormay


STARTER
2 cups bread flour
1-1/2 cups warm water
bread flour for additional feedings

Combine flour and water in a 2-quart plastic, glass or stainless steel
bowl. Stir the mixture with sufficient vigor to beat in additional air.
Place the bowl in a
protected spot outdoors. If insects or other critters are a potential
problem, cover the bowl with cheesecloth. Stir the mixture vigorously at
least twice every 24 hours. In 2 or 3 days, bubbles should appear on the
surface as the first indication that you have been successful. Feed the
culture another cup of flour and sufficient warm water to maintain
consistency, about 3/4 of a cup. You may need to repeat this additional
feeding at 12-hour intervals for several days.When you capture a yeast
that is active enough to be useful, it will form a layer of foam 1 to 2
inches deep. Culture is ready to use in the following first proof.

FIRST PROOF
2 cups active culture
3 cups flour
2 cups warm water

In a 4-quart mixing bowl, combine the culture, flour and warm water.
Mixture need not be lump-free. Let rise for about 12 hours. Measure out
the 4 cups of culture called for in the challah recipe. Place the
remaining culture in an airtight container and refrigerate to reserve
for another sourdough bread recipe. For the second proof and baking,
follow the directions given in the challah recipe.

SOURDOUGH CHALLAH
Makes 1 very large loaf

Dough:
4 cups culture from the first proof
3 Tbs. butter
1 cup milk
2 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. sugar
2 eggs beaten
6 cups white bread flour
additional bread flour, if needed

Glaze:
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbs. sesame seeds

Place the culture into a large mixing bowl. melt the butter over
moderate heat, add the milk to the butter and warm to 75 to 85 degrees.
Add the salt, sugar and eggs, and stir until dissolved. Add this mixture
to the culture and mix well. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring
until it is too stiff to mix by hand. Turn onto a floured board and
knead in remaining flour until dough is satin Add more flour to obtain
the desired texture if necessary. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls.
Roll each ball into a rope about 18 to 20 inches long and 1 inch in
diameter. Pinch the four ropes together at one end and braid by bringing
the rope on the right over the one next to it, under the third one and
over the last one. Repeat, always starting with the rope on the right
until the braid is complete. Pinch the ends together. Place on a baking
sheet and proof, covered at 85 degrees for 1 to 2 hours, or until about
double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the loaf with beaten egg and sprinkle
with sesame seeds. Bake for 35 minutes. The challah is done when it
turns a toasty
brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.