Racheli's Deluxe Challah

This is the challah recipe I have used for years now. It makes a rich bread with a great fine crumb. It is very easy to make--I don't knead it much at all, just enough to get everything really mixed together well. After it has risen once, you can put it in the refrigerator for many days as long as you punch it down whenever it puffs up too much. You can also hold the loaves in the refrigerator after you form them and they will wait a couple of days for you to bake them with no ill effect. You just have to wrap them up well so they don't get any dry spots on them. When you get ready to bake the loaves, if you brush the crust with beaten egg, you get the most delectable shiny and tasty crust.

If you make the double braid, a small one on top of a larger one, it makes such a large and dramatic loaf. I make it for parties and it elicits gasps every time. I have also made many very small loaves from this recipe and that also works very well.