Around The Dinner Table: Easy and Tasty, Half and Half Challah

What would Shabbos be like with out the delicious smell of fresh homemade challah. I often think of the Challah Lady, who got all her exercise from kneading her dough on Thursday night. (for those who don't get what I'm talking about, I'm referring to a childhood song of an overweight woman who used to kneed her challah dough to solve all her problems "all she kneads in challah dough, the only thing she needs is challah dough") I'm very grateful for my Electrolux, cuz I cannot see myself be so dedicated to that task as she was. I have a feeling that without my machine, the bakery might be seeing me more then once every couple of years.

That being said, I was on the lookout for a delicious half and half challah that was easy to make. My husband didn't want too sweet, but I didn't want too dry... I ended up combining a few recipes to come up with this keeper.

Easy and Tasty, Half and Half Challah

3 Tablespoons dry yeast
4 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons salt
6 cups white flour
2 beaten eggs
1 cup oil
6-61/2 cups whole wheat flour.
egg
sesame seeds

In stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt and white flour, mix well. Add eggs and oil, mix well. Add 6 cups flour and knead with dough hook. Add another 1/2 cup of flour if dough seems too sticky. (I've used a few different mixers, I hate the Kitchenaid for challah, as it seems to be working hard when you make a large batch of yeast dough. My favorite is the Elextrolux aka MagicMill, which effortlessly kneads my dough to the perfect texture in 8 minutes on its built in timer - I even leave the room as it mixes)

Oil dough and place in large covered bowl in ward place to rise for 1 hour. Punch down 3 times during rising. When doubled in size, make the bracha Lehafresh Challah (a special mitzvah for woman to reserve a piece of the bread for Hashem), shape challah, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Allow to rest for 30 minutes to continue rising. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until golden.