Challah by
2020: 2x
Ingredients
1.5 cups water
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup date paste
1/3 cup warm water
1 additional TBL date paste
2.5 TBL dry active yeast
2 very overripe bananas
7 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
1/2 TBL salt
For brushing:
2 TBL date paste
2 TBL plain non-dairy milk
Instructions
Add water and turmeric to a small sauce pot. Bring to a boil. Watch carefully so it doesn't boil too long and evaporate. Immediately turn off heat. Add the coconut cream and 1/2 cup date paste to the pot and stir to combine the coconut cream. You want the mixture to cool so that its not hot to the touch, but still warm.
In a very large mixing bowl, mix together the warm water and 1 TBL date paste. Sprinkle in the yeast and set aside to get all yeasty. In a separate bowl mas the bananas very well until they appear pureed. The coconut cream and turmeric mixture should be cooled enough to proceed.
Add the mashed banana and the coconut cream mixture to the yeast bowl. Give it a stir just to combine. Begin adding the flour a cup at a time, adding the salt along with the first cup. Mix after each addition and begin to knead with your hands when the dough starts to form. Once all 7 cups have been added, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and begin to knead like crazy for 10 minutes or so, or until dough is nice and smooth. Add up to another 1/2 cup of flour as needed, until the dough is no longer tacky. Form dough into a ball. Leave it in the bowl and cover with a towel. Set aside to rise for about 1.5 hours or until it doubles in size.
Set two pans with silicone baking mats aside. When dough has doubled, punch it down, knead lightly and divide in half. Take one half and divide it into thirds (approx 12 oz each). Roll each third into a long rope, 18-24 inches long. Braid right on the baking sheet. Pinch the ends. Repeat with the second loaf. Let the loaves rise for about 30 minutes. Brush loaves with the mixture.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread on separate racks for about 40 minutes, rotating half way through. Bread should be browned and golden on the outside. If you tap them they should sound hollow. Let cool for about 30 minutes or so and then slice.
In a very large mixing bowl, mix together the warm water and 1 TBL date paste. Sprinkle in the yeast and set aside to get all yeasty. In a separate bowl mas the bananas very well until they appear pureed. The coconut cream and turmeric mixture should be cooled enough to proceed.
Add the mashed banana and the coconut cream mixture to the yeast bowl. Give it a stir just to combine. Begin adding the flour a cup at a time, adding the salt along with the first cup. Mix after each addition and begin to knead with your hands when the dough starts to form. Once all 7 cups have been added, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and begin to knead like crazy for 10 minutes or so, or until dough is nice and smooth. Add up to another 1/2 cup of flour as needed, until the dough is no longer tacky. Form dough into a ball. Leave it in the bowl and cover with a towel. Set aside to rise for about 1.5 hours or until it doubles in size.
Set two pans with silicone baking mats aside. When dough has doubled, punch it down, knead lightly and divide in half. Take one half and divide it into thirds (approx 12 oz each). Roll each third into a long rope, 18-24 inches long. Braid right on the baking sheet. Pinch the ends. Repeat with the second loaf. Let the loaves rise for about 30 minutes. Brush loaves with the mixture.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread on separate racks for about 40 minutes, rotating half way through. Bread should be browned and golden on the outside. If you tap them they should sound hollow. Let cool for about 30 minutes or so and then slice.