Nutella Challah

Today we decided to make a nutella and white chocolate chip challah. To say that I absolutely love nutella is an understatement! Every time I go on an international competition I literally live off of it. A typical breakfast in Europe is no where near as good as it is in the US. None of the breakfast food looks at all appetizing expect for the bread and croissant. For breakfast I typically eat between five pieces of bread to 13 croissant with nutella. I am so dependent on nutella that I pack my own jar in my suitcase just in case the hotel doesn't have any. When we went to Sweden for synchro worlds in April I was so sad to see that there was no nutella at breakfast that I immediately went back up to my room to grab my jar. I know that this may sound crazy but it's the truth.

All that nutella must have really paid off as her team won bronze at senior worlds:

Recipe: (makes 2 loaves)
3/4 cup water
1 packet of active dry yeast (about 2 tsp)
1 tbsp white sugar
3 extra large eggs: 2 for dough, 1 for baste
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
1.5 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
3-4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Nutella
White Chocolate Chips
Small bag of Hazelnuts

Mix water, yeast and white sugar into a mixing bowl. Place in a warm place. This could be next to a window that gets sunlight, in the oven at 120 degrees or any other way to warm the mixture. Let stand for about 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to foam.

In a separate bowl mix 2 eggs, brown sugar, 2 tbsp oil, honey and vanilla. Add to the yeast mixture after it has foamed.

Add 2 cups of flour, followed by the salt, and then the rest of the flour. Make sure you mix the flour as you are adding it. Continue to add flour until the dough is no longer sticking to you hands.

Knead the ingredients and form into a ball. Oil the large bowl and then roll the ball of dough in the oil. Place the ball back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place. Let the bowl sit for at least an hour and a half.

Remove from bowl and knead the dough to get out all the air. Roll out the strands. Spread a layer of nutella and then place white chocolate chips on top and close the strand.

 
We made single knots challah knots and a round challah.

After braiding the challah place on a buttered cookie sheet and allow challah to rise for at least 30 minutes in a warm place.

While the dough rises toast a small packet of hazel nuts for 10 minutes at 350. Baste with egg wash (1 egg and 1/2 tbsp water) and then sprinkle hazelnuts on baste.

Bake the knots for about 20 minutes and round challah for about 30 minutes at 350 or until internal temperature is around 170.