Cg's Egg Challah Bread

-HWDP78B -for later use pn Saffron 3 lg Eggs -- or subs.

3 tb Honey

1 1/2 ts Salt

let sit -- ? 1 t -warm water

3 c Flour -- up 2 4 cups

1/3 c Veg. oil

2 tb OJ

1 Beaten egg -- set aside

Combine these 2 ingredients and let sit in warm place until it bubbles and foams. "proofing the yeast" Sift 2 1/2 cups of the flour into a glass bowl. Make a well in the center and add the yeast, 3 eggs, veg. oil, honey, OJ, salt, and saffron. Beat either with dough hooks, or by hand until well mixed and a soft dough is formed. Start to add more flour and knead it in until you get a non-sticky dough ball. Turn out onto floured surface and knead it for ten mins. until very elastic. 3-5 mins. Oil a bowl and place the dough ball in it and coat well. Cover and let rise in warm place for 1 1/2 hrs. Punch down. Let stand covered for 1 hour. Punch down. Remove to floured board and shape into a round by rolling on the board until it is a rope about 18-22"'s long. Curl it up and place on oiled sheet and cover and let stand for 1 hour or until double. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 375 for 15 mins. lower to 350 and bake for 25 mins. more or until golden and hollow sounding when thumped on botton. Now if you want you can sprinkle on seeds of your choice before baking and after brushing with the egg. Or you can add rasins to the bread, by flattening it, and patting on rasins and then rolling it up jelly roll style and then forming it into the round. You can also bake it in a braid by splitting the dough into three pieces, and rolling each 20 "'s long pinch one end together and "braid" the ropes. Pinch the other end. Then follow the directions for baking. I hope you all try this bread as it is relly great. It can also be used as Easter bread and have candied fruit added to it and then glazed with a powder sugar glaze and sprinkle on collored jimmies. If anyone bakes this bread please let me know how it goes:) TTYL