Challah is a really forgiving recipe. I took a baking class at a local culinary school and the instructors were big on accuracy so all ingredients were weighed and all items cooked to internal temperatures which eliminates inaccuracies to to different oven temps etc. We were taught how to accommodate for humidity as well but honestly I couldn't be bothered with the complicated formula for home baking. Most breads, cakes and pastries are done at 195 although if you're making a dough with a higher hydration as caroline says, you need a higher internal temp. For home cooking if you aim between 195 and 205 you should be fine on everything. And it only takes 2-5 minutes to go from 195 to 205 in a 350 oven. Try spray your bread with water while it bakes. This will keep the crust from getting to hard. Also, iirc, if your oven temp is too low (get an oven thermometer) the crust will be harder as it will "thicken" before the middle reaches optimal temp. Also, I HIGHLY recommend you try the New York Times no knead bread. It's an artisinal bread that takes 18 hours but most of that is wait time for fermentation. Truly, it's a fool proof recipe that turns out a stunning loaf. You will need a 4-6 qt Dutch oven like Le Creuset. The $50 one from Target works well too. I have both so I know from experience ;) This was made in my old crappy oven that couldn't hold a temp: and here's the recipe, the metric weight measures are mine so feel free to ignore :) No-Knead Bread Published: November 8, 2006 Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery To quote Mr. Lahey "so easy and fool-proof even a four year old can make it" Time: About 1 hours plus 14 to 20 hours rising 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting 430g ¼ teaspoon instant yeast 1g 1¼ teaspoons salt up to 2 ¾ by taste 8g Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed. 1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water 345g, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. 2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes. 3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger. 4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack. Yield: One 1½-pound loaf. Turning your dough is a technique used to develop the gluten. It's common in some kind of breads, like ciabatta. This recipe calls for the dough to be turned once or twice after it's initial fermentation. Basically all you do is after you dump your dough on the counter pull your dough at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. Fold the dough over into the center, like you would a letter. Then repeat this at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock. That is two turns (technically one, because you're doing them both at the same time), cover your dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes. Then, turn your ball of dough over, form your ball, place it on a floured cloth, cover it with another cloth, and let it rise for two hours. and if you want it also, here's my Challah recipe. The secret ingredient is subbing honey for half the oil Honey Challah - makes 1-2 loaves - can be doubled are quadrupled. I used quadruple to make all the items above. 1 egg (can substitute egg beaters) 1 cup warm water 4 ½ -5cups flour ½ T salt ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup oil or 1/8 cup oil and 1/8 cup honey (If you measure the oil first the honey will slide right out) 1 pkg dry yeast (2 ¼ Tsp. bottled yeast) 1. Put yeast in water. Use some sugar or salt to proof the yeast. Add the 1 ½ cups of flour, the sugar and the salt and mix. Add the egg and the oil/honey. Add 2 more cups of flour and mix on medium speed until dough is smooth and separates. 2. In a separate bowl, put in half of the remaining flour then the dough and then the remaining flour and mix. Oil a loaf pan - add dough - then flip. Let rise for 2 hours. 3. Punch the dough down. Make your multiple loaves of challah. Let rise in the pan for ½ hour. 4. Coat with an egg wash (egg and water). Could also put some honey and sesame seeds on top. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. If youÂd like to make this recipe in your bread machine, then place ingredients in order listed into machine and set on dough setting. When machine ends after first rising, continue with recipe at step 3. (You cannot double this recipe if you are using a bread machine)

Happygram, Sorry it took so long to post this, a crazy day! I braid this in a six strand braid I learned from the directions Cloud swift posted from Secrets of a Jewish Baker. My recipe originally came from Cook and Tell by Bok Hurwich. It is also in Better Homes and Gardens Best Loved Community Recipes (Volume 1). Makes 4 Loaves (48 servings) 2 packages (or scant TBSPs) active dry yeast 3/4 cup warm water 2 tsp sugar 1/2 cup butter 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup honey 1 TBSP salt 8 eggs 10 cups All purpose flour 1 cup raisins 1 egg yolk, beaten 1 tsp water 1/4 cup poppy seed if desired 1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a 1 cup measuring cup. Stir in the 2 tsp sugar and set in a warm place until the mixture rises to the top of the cup. 2. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and add the boiling water. After the butter melts, stir in the 1/2 cup sugar, oil, honey and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with your mixer using the flat beater(you can use your kitchen aid for this recipe if it is at least 5 quart heavy duty if not you will have to do most of the kneading by hand)after each edition. 3. Add the yeast mixture to the egg mixture. Beat in 5 cups of flour (on first speed). Stir in 4 cups of remaining flour. If continuing in KA put on the dough hook. Knead on first speed for about 10 minutes adding small amounts of the last cup of flour as needed. You can knead on speed two for the last three minutes. Continue with rising in step 4. 4. Turn the dough out onto a well floured board and knead, gradually working in the remaining cup of flour. Shape into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. 5. Turn dough out onto a greased surface and knead in the raisins. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Dived each piece to shape your dough as desired. I usually make I three strand braid, one four strand braid, and two six strand braids. 6. Place the loaves on parchment covered baking sheets, 2 per sheet. Cover the loaves and let rest for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350. 7. Stir together the yolk and water; brush the wash over the loaves. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds if desired. Bake in a 350 oven for 35 minutes. If needed , cover the loaves with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent over browning (I have never done that). Nutrition per slice: Cal. 155 / Sodium 168 mg. / Fat 5 g

I have given the artisan bread book to so many friends as gifts... pretty cool, huh? Do you guys have a special container to keep the dough in in the fridge? I bought one of the ones they recommended, but there's no convenient way to keep the lid ajar. I would love to see other people's solutions! I have not made the bread since we moved into this house (Halloween) because the fridge was so small. I am a little nervous that my new CD FD Jenn Air won't have enough room, either! (Never had a CD fridge before.)

Sonnie, I don't know what "rapid pre-heat" means . All I do it turn on the oven to convection bake and change the temp to 350. I don't ever lower the temp due to convection. My understanding is that it means nothing unless you are baking something for a long time. As soon as the oven reaches temp I put in whatever I am baking. The only time I do a long preheat is if I am doing my artisinal breads and then I do preheat for 45 min-1 hr since I am using my cast iron pots or my steel baking stone...those need a good long pre-heat. As an example of convection speeding up baking I messed up last night and didn't take out my roast chicken soon enough. I used convection roast and it was a 5# chicken. It was in at 375 and I left it too long...sigh...dumb. The oven roasts very well and I should have paid attn but had company and got side-tracked. As far as quick breads drying out or not rising on convection I haven't had that happen. I always bake all quick breads at 350 for 45-1hr.15min...depends on size of pan and recipe. Usually 1hr. They always rise nicely and are very moist. I know in the past there have been complaints about the newer Miele ovens. Mine is 7 yrs old and rococco girl's is about that too. We have the same ovens. She never has a problem either. I hope you get good results. PLease do let me know. c