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7/14/13

Egyptian Sesame Challah Recipe AND a Giveaway of Nile Style Cookbook by Amy Riolo


If you haven't won my first giveaway for a copy of Amy Riolo's Nile Style cookbook with six of my photographs in it, do not fret. This is your second chance! Leave a comment telling me your favorite bread for a chance to win your copy of the book.

My favorite photograph I took for Amy's book was definitely Egyptian Sesame Challah, so that's the recipe I will share with you today.

I made half the recipe and had to use both the regular and bread flour and it still came out awesome! This is definitely a keeper.

Egyptian Sesame Challah
Recipe courtesy of Amy Riolo

Makes 2 9-inch loaves

Ingredients
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or oil
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sesame seeds (untoasted)

Directions

Combine yeast with 1 cup lukewarm water in a small bowl, stir to combine and allow to rest until frothy.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, 2 eggs, and yeast mixture. Stir well to combine and form a dough.

Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. If dough becomes too sticky to work with, add a little more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, and continue kneading.

Place dough in a large bowl greased with butter or oil. Turn to coat, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to rise for 1 hour.



When dough has risen, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide in half. Take on half of dough and divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into a 12-inch-long rope and place perpendicular to one another. At one end of the ropes, gather the ends of each piece together and press down to seal. Braid the three strands together. Grab each end of the dough braid and connect them to form a circle. Repeat with remaining half of dough.


Place loaves on a greased or parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Place egg yolk in a small bowl. Add a tablespoon of water and whisk to combine. Brush egg yolk , on the top and sides of the loaves to cover and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until completely golden and the bread sounds hollow when you know on the top of it. Allow to cool before serving. (If not serving within a day, wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to a month.)


This recipe was incredible easy to make, made my condo smell divine and was really delicious. It's more dense than the Jewish challah I've made before, but just as satisfying. I had it with fig jam.


Are you ready to win your own copy of Nile Style? Leave me a comment with your favorite type of bread. I will choose one winner (randomly) Sunday July 21st. You must have a legal US address.

And the winner is Mary!!

10 comments:

Emily R. said...

My favorite bread is naan with garlic!

Arugula Files said...

I could never make bread.

sweetashoney.co.nz said...

yumm! I do not know how you cross the bread but it is lovely!

kelly said...

This looks so gorgeous and you made it look so easy! My favorite bread is these little Amish dinner rolls that are like little pillows. I treat myself to them at the farmers market every now and then :) Congrats again on contributing to the book!!

Samantha LeSesne said...

Irish Soda Bread would have to be my favorite bread. It's something that I make all through the month of March. Nothing reminds me more of family Irish meals than to smell Irish Soda Bread baking in the oven. And what is truly fantastic about it is that it's not a complicated bread to make!

Rachel Clayson said...

My best friends mother growing up made the most amazing Challah bread! I have never been able to replicate it, and have never had another like it. I hope to one day make my favorite bread just the way I remember =]

Kathy Carroll said...

I love to make sourdough bread.

Anne Thrope said...

My favorite bread.....Challah, made with honey, topped with poppys seeds. My neighbors used to ask me to bake it for them for the holidays.

Sarah said...

I love a crusty baguette!

chezsasha.com said...

This is gorgeous! I adore Challah.
I love all the breads out there - focaccia, baguettes, naan, etc. Also, the rye kind with walnuts and raisins. Yum.
I am technically commenting at midnight, so it's Monday already, but I still hope you can put me in the drawing! :)