Eggless Braided Challah Bread and Avocado Garlic Dip

Braided Challah Bread is a special Jewish bread usually braided and is made for the special occasion. Traditionally it is an enriched bread which uses eggs, flour, yeast, sugar and oil, But today it is made in number of ways and by substituting the ingredients. So here is the eggless version of this beautiful bread and to go with it I have the recipe for Avocado Garlic Oil Dip.

Ingredients:

• 3 and 1/4 cup Bread Flour/ All purpose flour 
• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp milk powder (optional)
• 1 individual packet of Instant yeast (2 and 1/4 tsp)
• 1tbsp sugar
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp garlic powder(optional)
• 1tsp Dried Rosemary or fresh
• 1 tbsp Dried Basil
• 1 tsp dried red chili flakes

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour. Add yeast, sugar, salt, milk powder, all seasonings and mix them well. Add oil and warm water and start to knead the dough. Once the dough starts to come together, grease your hands with more oil and knead it for another two mins. The dough will be soft and smooth. (If it’s feels sticky add another couple of tablespoons of flour to it and knead for good 8-10 minutes.

2. Drizzle some olive oil on the dough and cover it with a damp towel and keep it in a warm place to rise for an hour. The dough should double in size.**

3. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts. Shape them like long strands like shown in the picture. Join 3 strands together on one side and start braiding the bread. At the end of each braid, press the strands together. Brush both the braided breads with milk.

  

4. Braid both the breads and bake them at 375 degrees F on the cookie tray until the Top and the bottom of the bread is evenly brown in color. This may take about 25 mins. The baking time may depend on how thick or thin your braided bread is. So keep a eye after 20 mins.

5. Once they are baked, take them out and let them cool a bit and cut them in slices.

Notes:

1. If you have instant pot, go ahead and keep the dough in it on yogurt setting for an hour. If you do not have the instant pot, turn on the oven light on (Just the oven light!!) and keep the dough inside the oven for an hour. The warmth of the oven light is just enough to rise the dough. You can also preheat the oven and keep the dough on top of the oven/gas range (not inside the oven) and let it sit for an hour.
2. I have used instant dry yeast, so there is no need to proof the yeast. If you are adding Active DryYeast, you may have to proof the yeast first and then add flour to it. 

How to make Avocado Garlic Oil:

Ingredients:

1 Avocado

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp dried Basil

1 tsp dried Rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

Mash avocado in a bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix them together until well blended.

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