Different people have different customs. I am not a rebbetzein, and therefore I am telling you what I do. I encourage you to confirm with your mothers as far as your family’s minhag or with your Rav about halacha.

I was told that in order to make a Beracha without questions, you should use 5 pounds of flour.

• Prepare your dough and let it rise. If you are making challah with a bread machine you will need to prepare 2 batches (or more), put it all together, touching before Hafrashah. You need to have all the dough (5 Lbs. of flour worth) together.
• Once the dough is ready, make the statement that you are making Hafrashat Challah in the Zechus (merit) of [Mention the name and the reason, i.e. Yosef ben Avraham for Refuah Shleima].
• Say the Yehi Ratzon appropriate for the name of the week (Refuah, Zara Shel Kayama (children) or Shidduch). Click here for Yehi Ratzon.
• Make the bracha of Hafrashat Challah and then separate the challah.
• Make Yehi Ratzon for after Hafrashat Challah. Click here for Yehi Ratzon.
• Say tehillim for the people on your tehillim list. If you knead your dough by hand that is the best time to do so, or you can also say tehillim once you place your challah in the oven.
• The challah that you separated (the Hafrashat) must be burned. It cannot be placed in the oven with your challah.

Optional

• Feel free to put a few pennies in your pushka in the merit of the person you are davening for.
• It is great if you can daven for that person when you light shabbos candles as well.

May the zechus of your chesed and the mitzvah of Hafrashat Challah bring you, and your family, only goodness, health, wonderful kids, financial stability, and much happiness.