Just made my first loaf of Challah (traditional Jewish braided bread). Bread came out great but the outside was a little crustier than I was expecting. The recipe called for an egg wash (also a first for me)... is the crustiness a result of too little or too much egg wash? Or to hot an oven?
Edit with more info
Here's the recipe I was using (from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice):
4 cups bread flour*
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 tsp yeast
2 Tbsp oil
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
7-9 oz water
*I did add a decent amount of flour while mixing because the dough seemed quite sticky.
Basic steps:
Knead for 10 minutes, let rise for 1 hour
Knead/degas for 2 minutes, let rise for another 1 hour
Braid into 1 large or 2 small loafs, brush with egg wash.
Proof for 60-75 minutes, then brush again with egg wash.
Bake at 350˚F for 40-60 minutes depending on loaf size
I made a large loaf so I checked it at 45 minutes and it was quite a dark golden brown on top already so I pulled it out. The consistency of the inside was great and the crust was fine too, just a lot crustier than I was expecting.