Challah

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs category CO
• 3 yolks from category CO eggs
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tbsp. l. sugar (25 gr.)
• 2 and 1/4 tsp. instant yeast (7 g)
• 1 cup warm water (about 43°C)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
• 4 cups premium wheat flour (500 g), plus up to 3/4 cup (100 g) for kneading

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and yeast and make a well in the center.
   
   In a small bowl, combine the water and honey with 1 whole egg, egg yolks, olive oil, and salt and pour into the well. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon to form a soft, moist dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands, adding up to 3/4 cup flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth, about 8 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.
   
   Grease a large bowl with oil and turn the dough over in the bowl to just barely fill it. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, quickly punch it down to remove any air, form it into a ball again, and return it to the bowl. Cover and let it rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into two pieces. Dust your hands with flour and roll each piece of dough into a 75cm long log. (If the dough is too stiff, cover it and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before shaping.) Roll the strip of dough into a spiral to form a curl on the baking sheet. Lightly pull the end of the spiral and brush it with water. Gently press the end to one side to form a round, twisted loaf, shaped like a crown. Press the loaves gently, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise for an hour.
3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 230°C (430°F). Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the buns evenly with this mixture. Sprinkle with poppy seeds (optional). Place the bread in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 205°C (405°F). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and the temperature reaches 88°C (185°F) when inserted into the center of the oven with a thermometer.