I saw fresh cranberries at the grocery store this week, I clear sign of the Thanksgiving season, and I could not resist bring a bag home.  Usually I go right for the cranberry quick-bead recipe when it comes to baking with fresh cranberries, but this year I decided to go down a different path, and bake a yeasted cranberry bread.  Challah is one of my favorite enriched breads to bake, so… cranberry challah? Why not?

Recipe makes two loaves.

Ingredients:

• 6 – 7 cups Flour
• 4 tsp Dry Active Yeast
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 4 Eggs + 1 Egg
• 1 1/4 cup warm Water
• 1/2 Canola Oil
• 2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• the zest from 1 Lemon
• 1 cup fresh Cranberries
• 1 tsp Honey

Directions:

1. Mix together 2 cups of flour, the yeast, sugar, salt, and lemon zest.
2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and pour your warm water, 4 eggs, and oil into it.
3. Beat all of the ingredients together into the base sponge.
4. Continue to mix as you add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough archives a fairly solid consistency.
5. Knead the cranberries into the dough.
6. Knead the dough for about 4 minutes, until it becomes bouncy and elastic.
7. Place your dough in a greased container and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
8. Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down and divide it into two.
9. Hand roll each half of dough into a long log, and then form them into knots.
10. Place the knots of dough onto two greased or lined baking sheets.
11. Allow the dough to rise for 30 – 40 minutes.
12. Preheat the oven to 350 F (~177 C).
13. Beat together an egg wash using an egg and a tsp of honey.
14. Brush your bread with the wash.
15. Bake your bread for about an hour.