Vegan Challah - Sweet Bread

• Before making the 4 pieces of dough into cylinders, flatten each one with a rolling pin and spread chocolate spread on it. Then roll the dough into a cylinder and continue the rest of the recipe as stated.
• Another option is to spread almond cream on the dough, honestly, this is my favorite recipe ever and I will post a detailed recipe for this Challah in a different post.
• You can add a tbsp of garlic powder to the dough ingredients, cut the dough to even, small pieces, brush them with garlic oil and bake into Garlic Challah Buns

Tools:

• Electric mixer with dough hook
• Dough scraper
• Pastry brush
• Knife
• Scale

Ingredients:

• 1000 g all purpose flour
• 30 g vital wheat gluten
• 20 g dry yeast
• 480 ml room temperature water
• 160 g sugar
• 120 ml olive oil
• 22 g table salt

• Non-dairy milk  or cold brewed tea for brushing
• Sesame seeds or poppy seeds for topping

1. In the mixer bowl, pour room temperature water with the dry yeast and mix so there aren’t any lumps. Let the yeast and water sit together for a couple of minutes.
2. Pour the flour on top of the water, make sure to cover all the area touching the water with flour.
3. Add the gluten and sugar on top of the flour.
4. Start kneading with the dough hook on slow speed and pour the olive oil while the dough is kneading. Turn speed to medium and leave for 5 minutes.
5. Add the table salt and knead for another 2-3 minutes. The dough will be flexible and thick, don’t allow the dough to start ripping.
6. Take the dough out with the dough scraper and cover with plastic film. You can leave the dough at room temperature for a 30 minutes rest or you can leave it to rest in the fridge for up to 2 hours.
7. After the dough has rested, take it out of the bowl and weigh two equal pieces(around 900 g each ).
8. Each piece will then be cut to 4 even pieces (around 220 g each)
9. Roll each piece into a cylinder shape, cover and let rest for at least ten minutes.
10. Roll the cylinders into a long snake- like shape and again let them rest (rest is crucial to prevent the gluten from ripping).
11. Put two cylinders parallel to each other and to the table, the other two pieces will be put vertically to make a criss cross shape.
12. Now each piece will go over the edge next to it in a circular direction.
13. 
14. Tuck the small edges beneath the loaf and transfer gently to a tray lined with baking paper.
15. Preheat the oven to 365 F.
16.  Cover the Challah loaf with a damp clean towel (or if you have a moist proof function to your oven) and let it proof until it doubles in size.
17. Brush your Challah with the milk or the cold tea all over and add the toppings. (without brushing, The Challah’s color will come out really pale)
    
18. 
19.  Bake the Challah at 365 for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature to 350  F and bake for another 15 minutes.
20. Enjoy your freshly baked Challah.

1. This Challah can be kept frozen after it’s shaping and before proofing, make sure to seal it very securely before freezing, or it might get frost bites and look less pretty when baked.
2. To thaw it, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge for a night. Then proof it, brush it and bake as the recipe says.