Cg's egg challah bread

-HWDP78B
                        -for later use
           pn           Saffron
   3       lg           Eggs -- or subs.
   3       tb           Honey
   1 1/2   ts           Salt
                         let sit -- ¥
   1       t            -warm water
   3       c            flour -- up 2 4 cups
     1/3   c            Veg. oil
   2       tb           OJ
   1                    Beaten egg -- set aside

  Combine these 2  ingredients and let sit in warm place
  until it bubbles and foams. "proofing the yeast"
  
  Sift 2 1/2 cups of the flour into a glass bowl.  Make
  a well in the center and add the yeast, 3 eggs, veg.
  oil, honey, OJ, salt, and saffron. Beat either with
  dough hooks, or by hand until well mixed and a soft
  dough is formed.  Start to add more flour and knead it
  in until you get a non-sticky dough ball.
  
  Turn out onto floured surface and knead it for ten
  mins. until very elastic. 3-5 mins.
  
  Oil a bowl and place the dough ball in it and coat
  well. Cover and let rise in warm place for 1 1/2 hrs.
  Punch down. Let stand covered for 1 hour. Punch down.
  
  Remove to floured board and shape into a round by
  rolling on the board until it is a rope about 18-22"'s
  long. Curl it up and place on oiled sheet and cover
  and let stand for 1 hour or until double. Brush with
  beaten egg and bake at 375 for 15 mins. lower to 350
  and bake for 25 mins. more or until golden and hollow
  sounding when thumped on botton.
  
  Now if you want you can sprinkle on seeds of your
  choice before baking and after brushing with the egg.
  Or you can add rasins to the bread, by flattening it,
  and patting on rasins and then rolling it up jelly
  roll style and then forming  it into the round. You
  can also bake it in a braid by splitting the dough
  into three pieces, and rolling each 20 "'s long pinch
  one end together and "braid" the ropes. Pinch the
  other end. Then follow the directions for baking. I
  hope you all try this bread as it is relly great. It
  can also be used as Easter bread and have candied
  fruit added to it and then glazed with a powder sugar
  glaze and sprinkle on collored jimmies. If anyone
  bakes this bread please let me know how it goes:) TTYL