Challah

1 1/3 cups water
3 eggs
2 2/3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 2/3 tablespoons sugar or honey
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour, additional if needed
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine on dough setting. After dough cycle is complete, remove and divide dough into three pieces. Roll into three strands. On a baking sheet covered with either parchment paper or foil, place the strands next to one another and braid. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat an egg with 1 teaspoon water.

Brush top of bread with egg mixture. Bake for 45 minutes.

Optional: Add 1/2 cup raisins to bread mixture; add about 1 teaspoon honey to egg wash.

NOTE: I used almost 5 cups of flour. 4 cups left the dough extremely sticky!
This recipe came from the Erie, PA newspaper's cooking section.