I thought I "invented" brioche challah about 15 years ago, but now everyone else has the idea too! LOL--it was inevitable! Anyway, in traditional Judaism, challah does not have butter because it is usually served at the special meal to celebrate the Sabbath on Friday night and that is usually a meat meal--it is not kosher to serve anything with dairy at a meal that has meat. But brioche certainly makes a great challah if you don't keep kosher or if you do not intend to serve it with meat. I usually let my brioche dough proof in the fridge overnight. The cold dough is especially easy to shape and manage for brading into challah or any other fancy shape. I like to make those pastries where you put a filling down the middle third and then cut diagonal "straps" on either side that are crossed over the filling (I can't remember what that's called!) with this dough. It looks dramatically beautiful and is so easy to do. One of the old Sunset Bread Books (anyone remember them?) had a to die for poppy seed filling that I always make around this time of year (to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim). Yes, Jan - a mock braid is what it's called. I'll have to check out that poppyseed filling - bet I can find it... And now I've got the urge to make brioche dough again, even though I've got pizza dough and sourdough both rising at the moment. Thanks for the inspiration! PJH I found this - says it's from Sunset Magazine, 1961 - yes? FILLING: 1 1/2 cup golden raisins warm water 2 cup crushed poppy seed, firmly packed OR- FOR WALNUT ROLL: 1 1/2 cup ground walnuts, firmly packed 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup milk 2 lemons, grated peel of 1/2 tsp vanilla. To make the filling: First plump raisins by allowing to stand in warm water for a few minutes; drain. In a saucepan, combine raisins, poppy seeds (or walnuts), sugar, milk, and lemon peel. Cook over low heat, stirring, until thickened and of spreading consistency, about 20 minutes. (If mixture becomes too thick, add a little more milk.) Stir in vanilla. Let cool slightly. Makes filling for 2 rolls. To make filling for a single roll, or to make one of each flavor, cut quantities in half. With these heavy fillings, the raisins swell and steam when hot, sometimes causing the tender dough to split in small cracks as the rolls bake.

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