Amazing Over-the-top Challah

Directions

1. Put raisins in small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
2. Put milk, sugar, butter, saffron and vanilla bean in double boiler and bring to scalding, 190F.
3. As soon as milk mixture reaches 190F, remove from boiler and place in a bowl of ice water. Quickly cool milk mixture to 110F and remove from ice water.
4. Take out vanilla bean and scrape all the seeds into the milk. Throw away the husk.
5. Add yeast to milk mixture and mix well until yeast dissolves
6. Transfer to a very large bowl and let rest 10 minutes in a warm place.
7. In a small bowl, beat three eggs well. Add to milk mixture.
8. Add salt to milk mixture and mix well.
9. Add 3 or 4 cups of flour and mix.
10. Continue adding flour, one cup at a time, until the mixture can be kneaded but still somewhat loose and sticky. You want to use as little flour as possible. You won't use the full 8 cups and that's fine. You'll need the rest for kneading and braiding.
11. Pour the dough onto a generously floured working surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes of active kneading. Again, try to use as little flour as possible, just enough to keep it from sticking to the kneading surface.
12. If you've never kneaded dough before: 1. Hold the dough in place with your left hand 2. Place the heel of your right hand into the middle and quickly push a lump of dough away from you. 3. With your right hand, fold that piece that you pushed away back onto the lump. 4. Turn the dough 45 degrees and repeat. Keep a delicate layer of flour under the dough to keep it from sticking but try to use as little as possible. Once you start, you'll get the hang of it and it becomes somewhat of a dance.
13. Clean and dry the large mixing bowl. Coat the bowl with a little oil or butter.
14. Place the dough into the bowl, flip it once to coat with the butter or oil
15. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, but not longer than it takes to double in size.
16. Massage the raisins a bit to clean off any dust or particles then drain, rinse and dry them.
17. Pour the dough back onto the kneading surface
18. Flatten out the dough and sprinkle the raisins on.
19. Fold up the dough to cover the raisins and knead for 1-2 minutes only, until the raisins are somewhat incorporated into the dough.
20. Put the dough back into the big bowl and let rise again for about 30 minutes in a warm place, but not longer than it takes to double in size.
21. Preheat oven to 375F degrees
22. Move dough to kneading surface and split into two balls.
23. Divide each ball into six equal parts and roll into strands about 15 inches long and about 1.5 inches thick. Do this as quickly as possible. They don't have to be perfect.
24. For the Braid: Place 6 strands on the floured kneading surface parallel to each other Pinch the tops of the strands together so they stick. Make the braid as follows, without pulling or stretching the strands: 1. Move far RIGHT strand over TWO 2. Move 2nd from LEFT over to the far right 3. Move far LEFT strand over TWO 4. Move 2nd from RIGHT over the to far left Repeat steps 1-4 until the strands are braided. Pinch ends together and tuck both ends under the loaf
25. Repeat for second loaf.
26. Prepare baking sheet either with baking paper or non-stick spray
27. To move the challahs to the baking sheet, slide a hand under each end with your fingers extended until your fingers meet. The challah will look squished. Lift and place onto baking sheet and arrange with about 2 inches of space on all sides.
28. Beat 1 egg in small bowl. Brush generously on loaves with a soft brush.
29. Move baking sheet to a warm place and let sit for about 30 minutes or less. You actually don't want them to rise too much now. They're ready to bake when they expand about 3/4 inch.
30. Gently brush with egg again.
31. Slide baking sheet into the oven just below the middle position
32. After about 20 minutes, stick the thermometer deep into one of the cracks at the end of the challah and leave it there.
33. Total bake time is about 30 minutes or when the internal temperature is 190F.
34. Notes: a. a great place to raise yeast breads in in your oven with just the light on b. If using oil and water, no need to use a double boiler, just heat the liquids to 110F
35. Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes then move to a rack or screen so the steam doesn't condense under the challah.
36. I always make two loaves. One gets eaten quickly. The second one gets sliced and put in the freezer. Do I need to point out that this makes French Toast to drool over?