...because, while there is not much hands-on time, there is plenty of waiting time. So, plan to bake challah on a day when you have other tasks to tackle around the house (i.e., most days). Here is the approximate breakdown:
10 minutes for proofing the yeast
10 minutes of kneading (If you use an electric mixer, those minutes are your own)
10 more minutes of resting time (the dough, not you!)
After a quick 2-minute spin, 45-50 minutes of quiet rising time, during which you can prepare your braiding surface, tins, and toppings
After braiding, another 45 minutes for the loaves to rise
Approximately 50 minutes of baking time
That adds up to a whopping 3 hours of waiting time. Wrap that downtime around morning davening, preparing a batch of cookie dough, reorganizing a cabinet, reading to a very patient toddler, or anything else on that endless to-do list, and you won’t even realize there is a batch of challah in the works. I have come to view challah baking as a 'background activity'—one that mostly happens on its own and incidentally makes the house smell fabulous.
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