Challah for the holidays.

Rachel made Challah bread with a dried fig filling.  The recipe came from the new Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  #1 Sister gifted it to Rachel and she immediately started putting sticky notes on recipes to try first.

This challah loaf won out.
I love this cookbook and just might have to purchase it for myself.  I wanted to add my own sticky notes on the pages of Rachel's book (but that would have been a bit pushy, don't you think?).
The directions are well written and the photos are just gorgeous.  The Challah had a nice crumb and it was utterly delicious.  Good job Rachel!
I can see slightly altering the filling in many different ways and you have to agree that the presentation is stunning.  I love the swirls of fig in the ropes and the sprinkling of course salt on the top was a nice flavor touch.  This would be a superb bread for New Year morning, but we'll have to make more if we want some.  This loaf won't last that long.  Aren't we fortunate that our girls are talented cooks and bakers?  I will be well taken care of in my old age (and quite possible very rotund).

We got about 12 inches of new snow and the sun is shining and the world is white, blue and sparkly.The family is all home and the everything in our world is just right.  I am grateful.
Hope your Christmas holiday was Merry and bright.  Ours sure was.