Unlike regular bread dough, challah dough is richer in sugar and fat, and it is often braided to distinguish it from regular bread. Challahs are a Jewish staple during the High Holidays enjoyed in Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot.
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Before you get to baking, however, there are five golden rules that will help you create the perfect challah, one that you’ll want to make again next year.
1. Make sure the flour and water you use are cold. Use cold water from the refrigerator, and place the flour in the fridge for several hours. Unlike the common practice of using lukewarm or warm water, it's advisable to use cold ingredients, especially water and flour, to knead a cold dough.
Cold ingredients prevent gluten from breaking down during the kneading process. In warm dough, you risk gluten collapse, which can be seen in the final volume of the challah and the way in which it tears.
2. When braiding the challah, ensure the braids aren’t too loose or too tight, allowing the braided challahs to rise without affecting their volume.
3. After braiding, let the challahs rise covered in a warm place until they double in volume. Only then should you put them in the oven.
4. Immediately after braiding the challahs, brush them lightly with beaten egg spreading an even layer. After the initial rise, perform a second brushing with the egg, paying particular attention to the raised parts of the braided dough. Finish by sprinkling with white or black sesame seeds.
5. Bake the challahs at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) in turbo mode. If they brown too quickly, you can lower the temperature to 170 degrees Celsius (338 degrees Fahrenheit). The challahs are ready when they have a uniform golden-brown color, and the connections between the braids are golden and not white. Allow them to cool on a raised wire rack.
Sweet challah
Ingredients (for 3 challahs, 600g each):
- 1 kg cold bread flour (7 cups + 1 tablespoon)
- 510 ml cold water (2 cups + 2 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons (60g) honey
- 1/2 cup (90g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (18g) fine salt
- 60g canola or sunflower oil
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon (10g) dry yeast (or 30g fresh yeast)
- 1 beaten egg with a teaspoon of water and a pinch of salt for brushing
For the garnish:
- Sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, or poppy seeds
Instructions:
1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the liquids: cold water, honey, egg yolks, and oil.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and yeast. If using fresh yeast, crumble it into the flour. Keep the salt aside for now.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the liquids in the mixer bowl. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on low speed for 5 minutes.
4. Stop the mixer and add the salt, then continue mixing on medium speed for another 5 minutes until you have a stable, elastic, and somewhat soft dough.
5. Transfer the dough onto your work surface, knead it briefly, and let it rest, covered, in a warm place for the first rise, which should take about 1 hour.
6. After the first rise, divide the dough into 200g portions. Roll each portion into a ball, and let them rest, covered, for about 10 minutes.
7. Take each ball and roll it into a 25cm long braids. Braid three braids together to form a challah. Place the braided challahs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush them with a thin layer of eggwash.
8. Allow the challahs to rise again until nearly doubled in size. Brush them gently with eggwash again and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
9. Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F) in advance. Place the baking sheet on the lower third of the oven. Bake the challahs for 25-30 minutes, or until they have a uniform golden-brown color. If the challahs brown too quickly, you can reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F) for the remainder of the baking time. Remove from the oven and cool on a raised wire rack.
Challah stuffed with dates and apples
Ingredients (3 medium challahs, 600g each):
- 7 cups + 1.5 tablespoons (1 kg) bread flour
- 1.5 cups + 1 tablespoon (400g) cold water
- 1/2 cup (100g) white or brown sugar
- 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1.5 teaspoons (17g) dry yeast or 50g fresh yeast
- 1.5 tablespoons (35g) honey
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2.5 teaspoons (15g) coarse sea salt
For the date filling:
- Spiced date spread (recipe below)
Optional fillings:
- Caramelized apple cubes (recipe below)
- Chopped roasted almonds
For garnish:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup of chopped almonds and walnuts
- 3 yellow date stalks
For the honey syrup:
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon warm water
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and yeast.
2. Pour cold water, honey, oil, and eggs into the mixer bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients on top of the liquids and, using a dough hook attachment, start mixing on low speed for about 5 minutes until the dough begins to become uniform.
4. Add the salt and continue mixing on medium speed for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic dough. If needed, knead the dough for another minute. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on a lightly floured surface. Let the dough rise for an hour, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place.
5. Section the dough into 200g pieces and roll out each part of the dough into a ball. Let the dough rise for an additional 20 minutes while covered
6. For the egg wash: in a small bowl mix the egg, honey, and salt. Cover and keep on the side.
7. Roll out each dough ball into an oval shape. Overlap the ovals with the narrow side facing you, and spread a strip of the date spread down the center of the dough.
8. Optionally, add caramelized apple cubes and chopped roasted almonds to the date spread. Brush one of the long sides of the dough ovals with the egg mixture and roll them into cylinders or logs so that the dough wraps around the date filling. Braid the three logs into a challah.
11. Arrange the shaped challahs in a parchment-lined baking pan, making sure to leave some space between them. Complete the process with the rest of the rolled-out dough pieces.
12. Brush the challahs with the egg wash and gently sprinkle them with chopped almonds and walnuts.
13. Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F).
14. Mix the honey and warm water to make a syrup.
15. Let the challahs rise while covered, until almost double in size. Then brush them with egg wash again.
16. Bake the challahs in the preheated oven for 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to 160°C (320°F) and bake for another 25 minutes.
17. Rotate the baking sheet with the challahs in the middle of baking to ensure even baking. Continue baking until the challahs have a uniform golden-brown color.
19. As soon as the challahs come out of the oven, brush them with the honey syrup prepared earlier to give them shine and extra sweetness for the new year (adding the syrup is optional). Remove from the oven and cool on a raised wire rack
Spiced date spread
Ingredients:
- 1/2 box of date spread
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger powder
- A pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Mix the date spread with the spices using a spoon or fork.
2. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Store it at room temperature until ready to use.
Caramelized apple cubes
Ingredients:
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons oil or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Heat oil or coconut oil in a pan over medium heat and add the brown sugar. When it starts to form a light caramel, season with salt and black pepper.
3. Add the cubed apples and stir them until they caramelize. The apples should remain slightly firm and turn golden.
4. Allow them to cool to room temperature.