This recipe is part of Kitchn 100 — the hundred recipes you need right now. Check out all of the amazing dishes, from Kitchn and beyond, here.
Ingredients
3 large eggs, divided
3/4 cup warm water (about 110ºF)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Cooking spray
2 to 4 tablespoons dukkah (store-bought or recipe below)
Butter and honey, for serving
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/4 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper flakes or ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Lift strand #3 and cross it over strand #4, placing it to the right of strand #
Lift strand #5 and cross it over strand #6, placing it above strand #
Lift strand #7 and cross it over strand #8, placing it to the left of strand #
Depiction of the instructions in Make the challah: step 10Now braid in the opposite direction (clockwise):Lift strand #2 and cross it over strand #7, placing it below strand #
Lift strand #8 and cross it over strand #5, placing it to the left of strand #
Lift strand #6 and cross it over strand #3, placing it above strand #
Lift strand #4 and cross it over strand #1, placing it below strand #
Depiction of the instructions in Make the challah: step 11Take the end of one of the strands and pull it in a counterclockwise direction toward the next strand, twist together, and tuck under the challah. Going in a counterclockwise direction, repeat twisting the ends together in pairs and tucking under the challah. You should now have a braided round with no ends sticking out.Depiction of the instructions in Make the challah: step 12Transfer to one half of the baking sheet and repeat braiding the second portion. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.About 20 minutes before the loaves are ready, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Beat the remaining 1 large egg in a small bowl with a fork until broken up.Uncover the loaves and brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dukkah onto each loaf. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and bake until golden brown and an internal temperature of 190ºF, about 20 minutes more. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve sliced with butter and honey.Make the dukkah:Place 1/2 cup walnut halves, 1/4 cup whole almonds, and 1/4 cup shelled pistachios in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, and toast until the sesame is golden brown and the mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes more.Transfer to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and let cool. Add 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper flakes or ground cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse until the mixture is the texture of coarse sand, about 30 (1-second) pulses.
