Shabbat Shalom and happy pride to you all 🏳️🌈
Rainbowlicious Challah recipe by Mandy Licious Challah:
Please note, you might need to add a tablespoon of water or flour at a time to get it to the right consistency. (Weather or humidity or type of flour can make the dough vary from day to day.)
¾ cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups high quality bread flour
Generous 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast (not rapid or quick rise)
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple food coloring gels
Yield: 1 loaf
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except food coloring gel in a large bowl and knead for 5-7 minutes. If sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Allow to rise in a large bowl in a dark place, covered with a towel for 1 ½ hours.
After, remove dough from the bowl and divide into 6 equal portions.
Add one color of food gel to each of the pieces. Stretch and knead the coloring into each piece until each piece is fully saturated with color.
Roll each strand into a 10-12 inch rope.
Gather all 6 ropes together at the top, without pinching them together too hard so you can take them apart again later. Now, take the strand farthest to the right go over 2 strands, under 1 strand, and over 2 strands, staying towards the top pinched end. Be sure to pull ropes tightly to keep the weave tight together.
Repeat, always starting with the strand farthest to the right, until you reach the bottom of the strands and can’t do another weave. Pinch the strands together tightly and tuck under.
Now, turn the entire loaf around so the finished end is now at the top. Unpinch what is now the bottom, repeat the weave pattern with the unbraided strands, always starting from the right.
When you can’t do any more weaves, pinch the strands together tightly and tuck under.
Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for an additional 20-30 minutes in a dark draft-free place.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To avoid over browning your dyed dough, baste your challah with aquafaba or oil in lieu of egg wash before baking at 350 for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Click here to see the full instructions of how to make this stunning rainbow Challah from home.
