DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to
warm (140 degrees F.)
- Mix the flour,
salt, and raisings, if using, in a large bowl,
making a well in the center.
- Add ¼ cup sugar
to the well, cover with the yeast, and top with
the remaining ¼ cup sugar.
- Mix the yeast
with the sugar in the well.
- Add the melted
margarine and warm water slowly, mixing well.
- Add the
margarine mixture to the yeast mixture and work in
well with your hands.
- Set aside 1 egg
plus the yolk of another. The orthodox way is to
break each egg individual into a cup, lest blood
be found, in which case the egg in not kosher.
- Add the
remaining 5 eggs (plus the white of the separated
egg) individually to the bread dough, kneading
well after each addition, until all the flour is
absorbed (about 10 minutes). As you knead, you may
have to add more flour, so have some handy. You
can divide the dough into about 4 parts and knead
it in a food processor, using the steel blade.
- Cover the bowl
first with waxed paper smeared with margarine,
then with a towel, and put in the warm oven for ¼
hour.
- When the dough
has almost doubled in size, punch it down and
knead thoroughly and briskly for about 10
minutes.
- Cover with the
greased paper and towel and let rise for 15-20
minutes more in the warm oven, until it is almost
doubled again.
- Remove once
more, punch down, knead again for 5-10 minutes.
Re-cover and let rise once more for 15-20 minutes
in the warm oven.
- Turn the dough
onto a pastry board and knead thoroughly. Using a
knife, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Then divide
each piece into 6. Add a little flour, and knead
each portion, and shape it into a ball. Cover the
pieces not being worked on with a moist paper
towel.
- With the palm of
your hand, roll out the balls into long ropes
about 9 inches in length. Continue until all 6
balls are shapes into ropes.
- Place all the
ropes side by side, touching at one end. Pinch
that end to seal well. Bring the extreme right
rope over the next three; then bring the extreme
left over three. Continue until the bread is
completely braided. When no more can be braided,
pinch the ends to seal together. Shape to the size
of the pan. Braid the remaining 3 loaves.
- Brush with the
remaining egg yolk, making sure you get into all
the cracks. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
- Place the bread
in greased and floured 4½ X 10-inch pans or other
rectangular bread pans.
- Place in warm
oven for 20 minutes.
- Raise the oven
temperature to 200 F. for 15 minutes.
- Raise it to 275
F. for 15 minutes
- Finally, raise
the oven temperature to 375 F. for 10-15 minutes,
until the bread is golden brown. The baked hallah
freezes well.
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