Two 1-pound challahs; about 24 servings

Hands on: 20-30 minutes

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Total time: 6 hours

Skill level: beginner

I love the flavor of honey in this bread, but if you don't care for it, I have included a sugar equivalent. I use a new technique that I call yeast slurry to start my doughs. It's easier than proofing the yeast and it gives beginners confidence that the yease is good.

2 teaspoons instant yeast (aka RapidRise, Bread Machine, Perfect Rise or QuickRise yeast)

About 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 cup warm water

3 large eggs, plus one egg for glazing

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup mild honey or 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

To mix the yeast slurry: In a large bowl, whisk together the yeast and 1/4 cup of the flour, then whisk in the warm water until smooth. Let ferment uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes, or until it begins to ferment and puff.

To mix the dough: Whisk into the puffed yeast slurry 3 eggs, the salt, oil and honey (measure the oil first, then use the same cup for measuring the honey; the oil will coat the cup and let the honey just slip right out).

When the eggs are well-incorporated and the salt has dissolved, stir in the remaining 3 1/2 cups flour all at once, with your hands or a wooden spoon. When the mixture is a shaggy ball, scrape it out onto your work surface and knead it until it is smooth, no more than 10 minutes. This dough is very firm, and should feel almost like modeling clay. (Soak your mixing bowl in hot water now, to clean it and warm it if you would like to use it for fermenting the dough.)

If the dough is too firm to easily knead, add a tablespoon or two of water to the dough; or, if the dough seems too wet, add a few tablespoons of flour. This dough should feel smooth and very firm but be easy to knead.

To ferment the dough: Place dough in the cleaned, warmed bowl; cover with plastic wrap. (If desired, the dough can be refrigerated just after kneading and removed from the refrigerator to finish fermenting up to 24 hours later.) Let dough ferment until it has at least doubled in bulk, about 2 hours, depending on the temperature in your kitchen. (If refrigerated, the dough may take an extra 30 to 60 minutes of fermentation.)

To shape and proof the dough: Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or oil it. Divide dough in half. Follow instructions in column at right.

To bake loaves: Thirty minutes before baking, arrange oven racks in lower third and upper third positions and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat remaining egg with a pinch of salt for glaze.

When loaves have tripled and do not push back when gently pressed with your finger but remain indented, brush with egg glaze. Bake the two 1-pound loaves for about 35 minutes. After 20 minutes of baking, switch the loaves from front to back so that the breads brown evenly. When the loaves are very well-browned, remove them from the oven and let them cool on a rack.

Per serving: Per serving: 141 calories (percent of calories from fat, 35), 3 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 6 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 36 milligrams cholesterol, 145 milligrams sodium.

VARIATION: Challah With Saffron and Yellow Raisins

Challah with raisins is very popular, especially among Ashkenazi Jews. The addition of saffron results in the most gorgeous yellow bread. You will be adding the saffron to the water in the dough and kneading the raisins into the dough after fully kneading the dough.

In a small sauté pan, lightly toast two pinches of saffron over low heat until the saffron curls and turns slightly darker. Slide it into a mortar and pestle and grind it into a powder. Or, just crumble it with your fingers into as fine a powder as you can. Add the warm water to the powdered saffron and mix it well with the pestle or your fingers to dissolve all the powder. Use this water to make the yeast slurry.

While the slurry is fermenting, pick through 2/3-1 1/3 cups yellow raisins (using the larger amount if you like lots of raisins), to check for spoiled ones, then rinse them in hot tap water (to help plump them up and wash away any excess sugar). If they are hard, let them drain in a strainer to allow them to absorb the excess water while you complete the dough. If the raisins were already soft, pat them dry in a paper towel after rinsing them and set them aside.

When the dough is fully kneaded, knead in the raisins, kneading just until they are equally distributed, then go on to fermenting the dough.