Whisk the warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar (5 grams) in a medium bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Combine the flour, oil, labne, salt, 1 of the eggs, the nigella, turmeric, yeast mixture, and the remaining sugar (45 grams) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the dough comes together in a firm, stretchy mass, about 7 minutes.
Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead to form a tight ball, about 2 minutes. Lightly oil the mixer bowl, return the dough to it, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Grease two 9 × 5-inch loaf
pans. Divide the dough
into six pieces (160 grams each) and roll each into a
tight ball.
Place three balls of dough in each prepared pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel
and let rise in a warm place until the dough has
risen to the pans' rims, about 45 minutes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Beat the remaining egg with a few drops of water and gently brush it over the loaves to lightly coat. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Bake until golden brown and well risen, about 19-20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Note
Recipe Notes
* please note that the printed recipe in Mastering Spice has an error. 3 3/4 cups is the correct quantity of flour, not 2 3/4 as stated in the book. The weight is correct in both cases.
Make ahead
The baked challah can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw before reheating it in the oven or cutting slices and toasting.
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