sweet potato whole wheat challot

i'll be d*med! yes, it is there on the right of the text entry field! i guess my 50ish eyes couldn't make it out w/o my computer glasses on.....that would have been too easy......i was so worried about my html......i completely missed it!! thanks again floyd. 

deborah

from a blessing of bread-maggie glezer. these were called pan de calabaza (pumpkin bread) but i had 2 leftover smallish sweet potatoes i had baked a few nights before...so i used these.

115 gms sweet potato (i used about 160 grams of sweet potato puree, i figured since i was using whole wheat flour, i would need the extra moisture).

7 grams instant yeast

1/2 tsp ground cardamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

90 grms unbleached bread flour (bob red mills)

410 gms whole wheat king arthur flour 

40 gms granulated sugar (her recipe called for 70 gms but i like things less sweet)

2/3 c warm water

8 grms table salt

1/4 c coconut oil (my secret ingredient!!, she calls for vegetable oil)

1 large egg plus one for glazing 

make a yeast slurry: in large bowl mix yeast, spices, unbleached bread flour. wisk in warm water. let slurry stand for 20, still begins to ferment and puff up slightly.

wisk in sugar, oil, 1 egg and sweet potato puree into slurry till well combined. stir in ww flour (410 grms). when mixture is a shaggy ball, scrape it out onto your work surface and knead it until well mixed, and smooth. i kneaded for about 10 minutes by hand. the dough was slightly sticky, and became smooth towards the end of kneading. she said dough should not be sticky at all, but again, since i used ww flour i thought it should be more hydrated.

i let the dough ferment in a warmed bowl covered with plastic wrap until double-triple in size temp of my kitchen was 79 degrees. it took about 2 hours.

i dvided the dough into 2 portions for 2 loaves. then i divided each loaf into 7 portions again, weighed each portion and made adjustments to have all balls approx the same size. then i usee the sheeting technique she talks about .....rolling each ball flat and thin as i could, and then rolling up long side into a thin tapered 'snake' for the braids. i kept everything except the snake i was working on under plastic wrap to keep it moist and supple.

i braided each challah (7 braids per loaf)and let ferment under plastic for approx 1 1/2 hours. they rose beautifully.  she suggests doing the final ferment in the refrig for up to 24 hours for best flavor development, but i had put so much work into the braiding that i was worried if i got home late from work it might be overproof and ruined so i went ahead and didn't refrig but let do final rise on the counter. i preheated my oven w/ a baking stone on the upper third of the oven per her directions, and baked each bread one at a time (oh and i glazed with beaten egg and a pinch of salt), sesame and poppy seeds.

baked about 35 mintues, tenting with foil last 10 minutes as the bread brown beautiully and i was afraid they might get over dark.

that's it.....my family loved them. said it was better than store challah andthere is only one tiny piece left this morning. i'll need to make again for the new year on monday, this was a test run. 

sesame seeds to sprinkle, i used poppy seeds as well 

deborah

for your kind words. i wish the pictures were sharper, but i'm using a very old and beat up digital camera. only one i have....maybe someday i'll get a sharper picture....crumb was quite fine textured......as far as the braiding, i think it helped to have all snakes pointed on each end (tapered) and i really tried hard to have each snake weigh just about the same. kept everything under plastic as i worked to keep snakes moist and supple. and i did a somewhat relaxed braid, didn't pull too tight, but not too loose either. these really were the best looking ones i've done yet......i'm definatley going to bake again this weekend.....

deborah

today wasn't so good. doubled the receipe and would try some interesting shapes. Unfortuantely  i forgot to double the oil and honey.   it's dry and not sweet! I was going to send some to my mother as a suprise. Not this batch......

Hungarian Celebration Challah: The height of braiding difficulty! Two high 4 braided strands side by side, crowned with a 5 strander... 

string of pearls challah shape 

five strand challah

deborah