Challah-lah!

A very soft and morish bread - my favourite actually.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf (challah)

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons  yeast (granulated)
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 2  eggs (measured with water)
• 1 1⁄8 cups water

Directions

1. Place all the above ingredients in bread machine pan in the order I have listed them in.
2. Select dough cycle.
3. When dough cycle is complete, remove dough and place on lightly floured surface and allow the dough to rest for about 10 minutes.
4. Then divide dough into 3 evenly sized pieces (I usually weigh each piece to ensure this).
5. Roll and'gently massage' each piece to form 3 long snakes.
6. Approxiamately 30-35 cm each.
7. Pinch 3 ends together and place under something weighty (I use a heavy bread board), and then start plaiting!
8. When you get to the end, pinch the ends together (as you did at the beginning with the other end), and tuck underneath.
9. Place covered bread dough in warm and draught free place on lightly greased oven tray (a sun room or conservatory is great for this- otherwise a pre-heated warming drawer of an oven is also good) Leave it to double in size (about 1 hour).
10. Brush with a lightly beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with poppy seeds.
11. Bake in oven at 180'C for about 25-30 minutes- or until a nice golden brown colour.
12. Cool on wire rack.