Sometimes something comes into your mind and just takes over it. In these moments you know that fighting is useless, that you are had. That thought owns you.
This is what happened one day when I was innocently perusing instagram. I saw a picture of something described as something like peanut butter bacon challah. This time, it was the description, and not the picture that set my mind aflight. I knew that I had to make this bread.
Now, I’ve made enough bread to know that everything in the recipe has its place. I respect the experimental process, but I wanted a situation that was most likely to result in an edible bread. That day. I wanted this. I had been dragged into baking of passion mode. At this time, I lustfully looked at challah recipes from across the web, identifying the common elements, coming up with a plan.
In the end, I’m glad that I did. This was one of those kitchen experiments that left me wondering why I don’t bake more, why I don’t experiment more, and why I don’t spend more time in the kitchen. Maybe it’ll send you to the kitchen, too.
***How to braid a challah loaf.
Peanut Butter Bacon Challah
2013-04-19 11:56:14
1 package bacon
1 1/2 packages active dry yeast (1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup bacon grease. If you don't have enough bacon grease, add melted butter to get up to 1/2 cup.
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon table salt
3/4 cups PB2
7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour
1. Cook the bacon in a flat pan, placing the bacon so that they are not overlapping, over medium heat. This may mean you cook the bacon in batches. Reserve the bacon grease.
2. Cool and crumble the bacon. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
4. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Add PB2. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading.
5. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
6.Knead crumbled bacon into the challah, before forming the loaves. Take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.
7. Braid the challah loaf. Here's a video.
8. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
9. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Let bread rise one hour.
10.Preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again.
11. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Sherlonya https://sherlonya.net/blog/
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Seriously?!! I just texted my sister, “OMG BACON CHALLAH! It’s so wrong it’s right!” And then I googled it and BAM. It’s so comforting to know I’m not the only deranged baker out there. You are awesome! Thanks for posting this!
I’m glad you found it. If you make it, I hope it fulfills all your bacon challah dreams.