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Mike Avery[_1_]

On 19 Oct 2006 07:01:38 -0700,
> wrote:
> I bake Challa once a week but suddenly have almost no time on my hands
> so I wondering how I can divide up the recipe into stages so I can do
> it over a few days perhaps. IT takes me say 20 minutes to mix the
> ingredients and then 2 hours letting the dough rise and punching it
> down every 20 minutes or so (can this step be left out?), I then shape
> the challas and let them rise for around an hour followed by baking.
>
> How important is the punching part? If I didnt' do that I could leave
> for the 2 hours and come back afterwards.
> Can I freeze the dough after the 2 hour rise. How would I procede to
> defrost and continue?
> Would it be better to shape the challas first and then freeze?
>
> How much flexibility do I have with this recipe?

Since I haven't actually seen your recipe, it's hard to say. I've
also never seen a Challa recipe, only Challah recipes.

However, I make a sourdough Challah and the process is something like this:

Refresh the starter
Mix the dough
Let the dough rise for about 2 to 4 hours (this could be retarded by
putting the dough in the fridge for up to a day, after the dough was
out for an hour or so)
Scale the dough.
Roll the dough into strands.
Braid the strands.
Wash with an egg wash.
Let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours (this can also be retarded by
putting the dough into the fridge for up to 24 hours after the dough
has been out for an hour or so)
When the dough is risen, brush with an egg wash again, sprinkle with
poppy or sesame seeds and bake.

It is not necessary to punch dough down. Ever. Simply folding it or
kneading it has the same effect, but punching it down tends to damage
the gluten structure.

If you have to punch it down every 20 minutes, I suspect you used too
much yeast. WAY too much yeast.

Hope that helps,
Mike

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