1. Empty your yeast packet into a small bowl. Add a pinch of sugar and pour 1 cup warm water over top and stir lightly. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes or so until bubbly and creamy. After that, add 2 tablespoons of veggie or coconut oil to the yeast mix in the same small bowl.2. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup sugar. Whisk well.3. Egg replacement time: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons veggie or coconut oil, 3 tablespoons warm water and 2 teaspoons baking powder (it will fizz). Then, pour into your yeast bowl.4. Add the yeast and egg replacement mixtures to your bowl of dry ingredients, stirring as you pour.5. Mix dough with a spatula or wooden spoon, then get in there with your hands and knead until smooth.6. Add up to 1 cup additional flour until dough leaves the side of the bowl7. Coat the inside of a big bowl lightly with oil and drop your ball of dough inside.8. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise on your counter for 2 hours.9. After your dough has doubled in size, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface.10. Gently knead the dough to get out any big air bubbles, then braid as desired.11. Place your braided dough onto a lightly greased and foil - lined baking sheet.12. Cover with damp cloth and let rise 1 more hour.13. Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees, and toss that bad boy inside for 26-32 minutes.14. Once it is evenly golden brown on top, take your challah out of the oven, place on a cooling rack.15. Do not cover. Allow to cool, then put it in your face.

Mix yeast, sugar & warm water together in small bowl (1); let stand ~ 10 min. This mixture will start to bubble.Meanwhile, in a lg mixing bowl, mix eggs, salt, sugar, oil & 2 c flour together (2). Now is a great time to say, “I am making this dough in the merit of _____ (name someone…maybe a friend who is sick that week, or someone you are happy for, sad for, mad at, etc.)
Add yeast mixture (1) to flour mixture (2). Add ~ 1½ cups of flour to mixture. Dough should start to form a ball, separating from the bowl.Place dough on a floured surface & knead, lifting up with one hand & then the other. Knead at least 5 mins as dough becomes increasingly elastic. If still sticky, add a bit more flour to dough. Knead dough into a ball.Place dough back into oiled bowl, cover & place bowl somewhere warm for 1 – 1½ hours to rise, ~ doubling in volume.Preheat oven to 375º. Remove cover from bowl, place dough on floured surface. Take a small piece of dough (~size of an egg), double wrap in plastic wrap & say the prayer over separating the challah (technically only say if more than 5 lbs of flour used, but more on that later)*. Discard this piece of wrapped dough & cont.Punch out dough one more time. Cut dough in half, one for each challah. Then divide each half into 3 equal pcs. Roll out each piece, crimp together at the top and braid into a loaf. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with second ball of dough. May let rise again at this step.Paint each challah with a mixture made of egg yolk plus a little water. Bake ~ 25 – 30 mins, or until bread rises & is golden brown. Remove, cool. Place challah on platter, cover and wait for Shabbas dinner. Eat and enjoy!*Baruch Ata A-Do-Nay Elo-haynu Melech Ha-Olam Asher Kidishanu B’Mitzvotav V’Tziyvanu L”Hafrish Challah. (Blessed are You, Lord, our G-d, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to separate the Challah.)