Best of all possible Challah

Combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 ½ tsp. sugar in a large bowl to activate yeast.

Once activated, add remaining ¼ cup of sugar, oil, eggs and yolks at once and mix to combine.

Add salt and ~3 cups of flour to mixture [in a stand mixer this amount can be added at once, by hand incorporating flour slowly may be more practical]; mix until too thick to stir and then turn out dough to knead. Incorporate as much of remaining amount of flour as necessary and knead for ~10 minutes, until dough is soft, smooth and slightly tacky, but not sticky.

Form dough into a ball and cover to rise until doubled

Deflate dough and form. Braids are traditional; recipe will make 2 braids, one round braided loaf, or 2 standard 9”x5” loaves.

Place loaves onto a baking sheet (braids) or in greased loaf pans, rise again until doubled; preheat oven to 350o F toward the end of this rise time.

 Brush tops of loaves with egg wash*, then sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 30 minutes at 350o F, bread should be deep golden brown. For a softer, lighter crust bake for 15 minutes, tent loaves with foil, then bake for an additional 20 minutes (35 minutes total).

 If using loaf pans remove bread from pans immediately to a wire rack; allow braided loaves to cool on sheet. Cool completely before cutting.