Baking Bread and Bathing Baby

 Beginning the first of the year I am starting a home-based baking business. I made this Chocolate Chip Challah bread as a test run. Boy was it yummy! I am sending out monthly bread newsletter with the list of breads I am making for that month. Then I will deliver in town and ship out of town to customers. I am really excited about this new adventure. 

 My Brod & Taylor bread proofer. 

 The finished product of the Chocolate Chip Challah Bread. Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients

4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 c. sugar and one pinch

7 c. all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 T salt

2 eggs

1/2 c. vegetable oil, plus more for coating the bowl where the dough will rise

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the yeast, a pinch of sugar and 1 cup warm water in a small bowl. Set aside while you measure out the other ingredients or until frothy. 
• Whisk 3 1/2 cups flour, the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and salt in a large bowl. Pour in yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Add 1 egg, the vegetable oil and 1 cup warm water; stir until combined(the dough will seem watery). Gradually stir in the remaining 3 1/2 cups of flour. Mix in the chocolate chips. 
• Turn the dough out on to a well floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth, about 8 minutes. Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl covering the bowl with plastic wrap and placing in a warm place until doubled in size. 1 to 1hour and 30 minutes. 
• Once the dough has risen then remove dough from bowl and separate into 3 balls. Roll each ball out into a rope that measure 16 inches long and is about 2 to 2 1/2 inches in width. Then on a piece of parchment paper place each rope side by side and pinch them together at one end. Then braid the 3 strands. Once braided pinch the dough together at the end. 
• Place the loaf on a baking sheet. Beat the remaining egg with 1 Tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the egg wash all over the surface of the dough and then place the loaf into the oven. Bake until golden brown about 30 minutes. Cut and serve warm with butter. T

 Tip: This makes AWESOME french toast!

 Offspring is doing so well in the sitting up department. She is no longer being bathed in her baby bath but sitting up by herself in her bathing safety seat in the big tub! What a sweet wet baby. 

 One of her rubber duckys lights up and she loves to watch it float around the tub. 

 I just want to kiss her little cheeks every time I see them. Don't worry I do. 

She has a big belly just like her daddy. Love it!