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Prep time
3 hours 10 minutes
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Cook time
25 minutes
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makes
8 rolls
Author Notes
If you've ever wanted to practice your braiding technique, here's your chance—here, with large sandwich rolls made with a delicious enriched dough! This recipe calls for shaping the rolls using a single-strand braid/twist shape, but you can also divide each piece of dough into the required number of portions to use for any braided challah style you like. One of my favorites for large sandwich rolls is a four-strand round braid. —Erin Jeanne McDowell
Test Kitchen Notes
Bake It Up a Notch is a column by Resident Baking BFF Erin Jeanne McDowell. Each month, she'll help take our baking game to the next level, teaching us all the need-to-know tips and techniques and pointing out all the mistakes to avoid along the way. —The Editors
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Braided Challah Rolls
Ingredients
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5 cups
(600 grams) bread flour
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3 tablespoons
(37 grams) granulated sugar
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1 tablespoon
(9 grams) instant dry yeast
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1 1/2 teaspoons
(6 grams) fine sea salt
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2
large eggs (113 grams), room temperature
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1/2 cup
(115 grams) warm water (about 100°F/38°C)
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1/2 cup
(115 grams) whole milk, room temperature
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1/4 cup
(85 grams) honey
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1/3 cup
(75 grams) canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil, plus more for greasing
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Egg wash (1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water), for brushing
Directions
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In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt to combine, for 15 to 30 seconds.
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Add the eggs, water, milk, honey, and oil and mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix for 5 minutes more. Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.
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Divide the dough into 8 even pieces. Using your fingertips, gently press the dough to flatten it. Starting at the top of the dough (the edge farthest from you), fold one-third of the dough over onto itself. Press firmly with your fingertips or with the heel of your hand to seal. Continue to fold the dough over and press to seal until a log shape forms.
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Starting with very light pressure in the center of the dough, roll the dough between your hands and the work surface, elongating the log. Roll the dough into a long strand about 12 inches/30 centimeters long. Cover the dough with plastic wrap while you form the other strands.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with one strand at a time, form the dough into a “p” shape with a long tail. Bring the tail end of the dough through the center of the “p” shape, looping it through the hole and allowing the end of the dough to hang loose.
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Holding the rounded end of the “p” shape, twist it twice. Loop the loose end through the portion you just twisted, creating the final shape. As you work, transfer the rolls to the prepared baking sheet, arranging in staggered rows so they all fit evenly on the sheet.
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Cover the rolls with greased plastic wrap. Let rise for 45 to 75 minutes, until visibly puffy.
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Toward the end of the rise time, arrange a rack in the center of the oven; heat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Remove the plastic wrap and brush the egg wash evenly over the surface of the rolls.
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Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden brown (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion should register at least 200°F/95°C). Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!
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