Every year while eating my Halloween candy, I would always save the 100 Grand bars for last. There’s just something about that caramel and crispy rice that makes it the perfect candy and the perfect challah!
Caramel
1 Can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Teaspoon salt
Place all ingredients in a pot over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for 15 minutes, or until the milk is an amber color. Do not overcook or it will get too chewy!
Put the caramel into a bowl and cool in the refrigerator for an hour. Take out of the fridge and divide into 3 balls. Roll each ball into a log about 8 in long. Roll each log in crispy rice cereal until completely coated. Place in the freezer.
Dough
3 Teaspoons instant yeast
¾ Cup sugar
½ Teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup butter, melted
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup warm water
3-4 Cups flour
Whisk egg, salt, melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, water, cocoa powder, and yeast in a large bowl.
Add the flour one cup at a time to yeast mixture. Using a strong spatula to mix at the beginning and using your hands to mix once it gets too difficult with the spatula.
Once the dough is fully mixed, turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place ½ cup of crispy rice on top of the dough and knead for 2 more minutes. (If you don’t knead the dough well enough, the challah will not hold its shape when it is braided.)
Grease a large bowl with spray oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and put in the oven to prove. (Make sure the oven is off!) Proof until the dough is doubled in size about 45 minutes-1 hour.
Once proved, turn the dough onto a floured surface and cut into 3 equal portions. Take the caramel out of the fridge.
Take one of the 3 portions of dough and roll into an 8in log. Flatten into a rectangle and place one of the frozen caramel/crispy rice logs into the center. Pinch the dough closed and roll into a log. Complete with the other two portions of dough.
Braid the challah into a three strand braid and let proof for another 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating beat one egg with a splash of water to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the top of the loaves.
Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes.
