Spiced Butterscotch Raisin Challah

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of warm water

• 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast (one packet) (I usually end up using about 2.5 though)

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 4 large egg yolks

• 3.5-4 T honey (you can add more if you wanted it sweeter. I usually add a honey glaze on top so I don’t like too much honey in it)

• ¼ cup canola oil/neutral oil

• 2 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 teaspoon salt

• 5-7 cups bread flour (use your best judgment though, it might need more or less)

• Sesame seeds (optional)

• Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove (to taste)

• Mix-ins: 1 cup raisins (or to taste) and ¾ butterscotch chips (or to taste)

• Oat streusel topping: ¼ cup old-fashioned oats, ½ flour , ¼ packed brown sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 4 Tablespoons cold butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Make sure to notice as soon as it is ready and then turn it off and let it cool while you prepare the dough.

2. Mix ¼ cup of very warm water (about 110 degrees) with 1 teaspoon sugar. Add in yeast and let proof for 10 minutes. Make sure the water is not too hot because it will deactivate the yeast.

3. Mix 1 ¼ cup lukewarm water, eggs, egg yolks, honey, oil, vanilla, salt and spices in the bowl of a stand mixer.

4. Add in yeast (once it’s proofed).

5. Add flour in small amounts at a time until a slightly sticky dough consistency is formed. I don’t actually measure how much flour I use so you may need more or less than 5-7 cups. I like to keep mine a little sticky in the mixer because I knead in the rest of the dough by hand.

6. Add in raisins.

7. Spread some flour out on the table and knead for about 8 minutes.

8. Spread some oil in a large bowl and flip the dough so it covers the dough.

9. At this point, the oven should be warm, not hot! Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen cloth, not a towel or paper towel because it will stick. Let rise in the oven for about an hour and 15 minutes.

10. After it rises, take it out of the bowl and knead for another 1-2 minutes.

11. Let rise in the oven for another hour and 15 minutes.

12. Once the dough has risen a second time, take it out of the oven. Punch the air out and then add the butterscotch chips.

13. Knead the dough for a few minutes until the chips are well incorporated.

14. Divide the dough into however many strands you want your braid to be. I usually do 4 because I like my challah to expand upwards, not out. But 3 strands will work just as well. The dough is enough for 1 large challah or 2 small-medium size ones.

15. Let rise for about 45-60 minutes.

16. After 40 minutes, preheat the oven to 350.

17. Melt 1-2 teaspoons of honey in the microwave. Brush the challah with a coat of honey before the egg wash. *optional* It adds a little extra sweetness and I find that it keeps the dough really moist.

18. Spread some egg wash on the dough (egg and a dash of water)-- save the remainder to reapply later.

19. Sprinkle on the oat streusel topping, look below *optional*

20. Bake for ~35 minutes for 2 challahs, ~45 minutes for 1 challah.* Once again, use your best judgment, it might need more or less time. It should be golden brown and pretty firm to the touch.

21. *Turn the pan around in the oven so that it cooks evenly on both sides!

22. Let cool for 10 minutes.

23. Enjoy!

Oat Streusel Topping

1. Combine oats, flour, sugar, and salt into a medium bowl.

2. Dice the cold butter and add into the oat mixture.

3. Use hands to combine.