You all voted on instagram and the next series of challah is my “Sweet As Candy” series! We’re kicking it off with a Twix challah! This loaf contains a dough covered homemade twix bar and will make the BEST french toast!
Shortbread
1 Cup flour
½ Cup butter (1 Stick), very cold
½ Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon gin
To make the shortbread, place all of the ingredients (except the gin) in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. While the processor is running, add in the gin through the spout at the top.
Once combined, press into a loaf pan (it is okay if the mixture is crumbly) and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Take out and cool completely.
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!
Spread over the top of the shortbread and cool completely, until the caramel hardens enough to be cut.
Dough
3 Teaspoons instant yeast (2 packets of active dry yeast works too but I have found instant yeast results in a fluffier texture)
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
½ Teaspoon almond 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 ten 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 proof. (Make sure the oven is off!) Proof until the dough is doubled in size about 45 minutes-1 hour.
While the dough is proofing, take the caramel topped shortbread out of the pan and cut into three long strips.
Once proofed, turn the dough onto a floured surface and cut into 4 equal portions. Take one of the four portions and wrap one shortbread strip in it. Take the other three portions and braid in a normal braid on top of the dough covered shortbread. Let proof again for 45 minutes in a loaf pan.
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 loaf for 30-35 minutes.
