Daring Bakers' Challenge May 2012 - Challah

May’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge was pretty twisted – Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to make challah! Using recipes from all over, and tips from “A Taste of Challah,” by Tamar Ansh, she encouraged us to bake beautifully braided breads.

So, whadda you do when it's crazy humid and a bazillion degrees outside?  Why, crank up the oven and bake some bread, of course. (Yes, I am Polish.)

Using the honey white recipe Ruth provided, I created one standard braided loaf and one 4-strand loaf with pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon.  If I don't end up eating the entire pecan-cinnamon loaf tonight, I foresee a French toast breakfast tomorrow.

All those years braiding Barbie's hair finally paid off.  And if I do say write so myself, that is a gorgeous loaf of bread, isn't it?

I stretched out each strand and sprinkled the pecan, brown sugar, and cinnamon mixture.  Then I pinched the dough back together and created a 4-strand braid.