Healthful Challah

CorinneBird's Note:

Extra healthful for weekly consumption. For a family who LOVES challah but also cares about maintaining a healthy diet. Light and fluffy, preferred by my family to traditional challah recipes. I based this recipe off a traditional challah recipe.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 16

Yield: 1.0 challah

• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 (2 1⁄8; teaspoon) packet active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour , plus more for dusting (I like King Arthur flour)
• 2 ¼ cups whole wheat flour (I like King Arthur flour)
• 1 tablespoon stevia
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 6 egg whites (reserve 2 or 3 yolks for egg wash)
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup vegetable oil (I like smart balance omega-3)
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup warm water
• sesame seed

Directions:

1. Place first 3 ingredients in a small measuring cup. Allow yeast to become frothy, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix flours, salt, and Stevia in a mixer using the dough hook or stir by hand. Add all remaining wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Pour in yeast mixture and kneed for 10 minutes. The dough will be very sticky. When smooth in texture, no lumps, turn off mixer and remove dough hook from bowl or place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, dust top of dough with flour and punch dough to release air. turn dough out onto floured surface and cut into quarters. Roll 3 of the pieces of dough into ropes. Braid together and place on greased baking sheet. Cut remaining dough into 3rds and make 3 more ropes. Braid these together and place on top of larger braid. Allow loaf to rise for 45 minutes.
3. 20 minutes before baking time (25 minutes into second rising), preheat oven to 325'F. 5 minutes before baking time, brush egg wash over loaf. (To make egg wash, combine equal parts egg yolk and water and mix together). Sprinkle loaf with sesame seeds and bake for 27-32 minutes .
4. **Once cooled, store in zipped plastic bag. Because there is less oil, this bread drys quickly when left out. The bag keeps it perfectly moist.