I'm a thief

That's right.  This recipe has been purloined from another girl's blog.  Laura Vincent writes a wonderful foodie/muso blog, Hungry and Frozen, and featured this wonderful bread in her last post.  It's so good (and easy) that I had to share it.  So let's not think of it as thievery, but sharing the love. 

Challah is a braided bread, traditionally eaten by Jewish populations for sabbath and special meals.  It's wonderfully soft and a little bit sweet.  This recipe doesn't require any kneading, so the one part of breadmaking that most shy away from is removed.  Happy days!! 

Sprinkle with seasame or poppy seeds, eat toasted with jam, make into french toast and eat with syrup, make a tasty sandwich, pull hunks off at the dinner table.  Yum. 

No-Knead Challah Bread

1 1/2 tablespoons (or sachets) instant yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
125g melted butter
1/2 cup honey
4 eggs
7 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, mix together everything except the flour. Then add the flour and stir to make a stiff, soft dough. Cover loosely (don't seal it off) and leave for 2 hours at room temperature till risen and flattened on top.
2. At this point, divide the dough in half and divide each of these halves into three balls.
3. With one set of three dough balls, roll them between your hands to make longer strands and plait them together on a tray lined with a sheet of baking paper. Repeat with the other three doughballs. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rise for a further hour and a half.
4. Brush your loaves with a beaten egg and sprinkle with poppyseeds or sesame seeds if you wish, and bake at 180 C/350 F for 40 minutes.