Indulge in the delectable world of challah bread, a culinary masterpiece with a rich history and diverse variations. From the classic braided egg bread to innovative sweet and savory options, this versatile bread offers a symphony of flavors and textures. Discover the traditional braided egg challah, a symbol of unity and nourishment, often gracing the Shabbat table. Embark on a culinary journey with our curated collection of challah recipes, ranging from the classic to the contemporary.
Unveil the secrets of the classic challah, a timeless recipe passed down through generations. Learn the art of braiding, a technique that transforms simple dough into an intricate work of edible art. Explore variations like the sweet challah, a delightful treat infused with sugar, raisins, and spices, or the savory challah, a savory delight adorned with herbs, cheese, and vegetables.
For those with dietary restrictions, we offer gluten-free and vegan challah recipes, ensuring everyone can savor the joys of this beloved bread. Experiment with our egg-free challah, a delicate and fluffy alternative, or delve into the realm of sourdough challah, a tangy and aromatic delight.
With step-by-step instructions, helpful tips, and captivating food photography, our challah recipes are designed to guide you seamlessly through the baking process. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice venturing into the world of bread-making, we've got you covered.
So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and let's embark on a culinary adventure, creating delicious memories with every bite of challah bread.
CHALLAH I (BRAIDED EGG BREAD)
I bake challah every week for our Sabbath meal. It's so easy to make in a KitchenAid mixer. Challah tastes great in French Toast or Cinnamon Toast recipes. This challah recipe is my kid's favorite.
Provided by CardaMom
Categories Yeast Breads
Time 40m
Yield 1 large challah
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup water in bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast over water and mix,let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the next 6 ingredients to mixing bowl. Mix with dough hook for 6 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky.
- Place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.
- Punch down dough. Let rise again until double in bulk.
- Punch down again. Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
- Roll dough into three long strands. Braid the strands, tucking ends under. Cover with towel and let double in bulk.
- Brush with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle with seeds. Bake at 400 F for approximately 30 minutes, until golden brown. The challah is done when it sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.
BRAIDED EGG BREAD (CHALLAH)
Did you know Challah is a very special bread? Used in Jewish cuisine, it is typically eaten on major Jewish holidays. For the Challah to be ready for ceremony, a small portion of the dough is set aside as an offering before baking the bread. Also it's delicious and beautiful!
Provided by Amy H.
Categories Savory Breads
Time 3h
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- 1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast and 1 cup flour.
- 2. In a 1 quart saucepan over low heat, heat milk and butter until milk is warm and butter is melted.
- 3. If milk is too hot, bring temp down to around 120 degrees.
- 4. With mixer at low speed, beat milk mixture into dry ingredients, just until blended. Beat at medium speed two minutes more.
- 5. Reserve 1 egg yolk. Add remaining egg white and 2 eggs, and 3/4 cups flour. Beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/4 cups flour to make a soft dough.
- 6. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic about 10 minutes working in more flour while kneading. (Work through the pain!!!)
- 7. Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning dough over to grease top. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. (about an hour)
- 8. Punch down dough, turn onto floured surface. Cover with bowl and let rise 15 minutes. Grease large cookie sheet.
- 9. Cut 2/3 dough into 3 equal pieces. On floured surface, with wet hands, roll each piece into a 13-inch rope. Place ropes side by side and loosely braid.
- 10. For top part of loaf, cut remaining piece of dough into 3 equal pieces and roll into a 14 inch long rope. Braid as before, but smaller than the last.
- 11. Place smaller braid on top of first one, stretching if necessary.
- 12. Seal ends and place on greased cookie sheet.
- 13. Cover with damp cloth again and let rise until doubled. (about 45 minutes)
- 14. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- 15. in a small bowl, beat egg yolk and 2 Tbsp. water. Brush the loaf with egg yolk and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
- 16. Bake 30 minutes or until loaf is golden.
- 17. Cool on wire rack.
CHALLAH (BRAIDED EGG BREAD)
Challah bread is one of the most satisfying things I make. I usually knead it in my Kenwood mixer, but there's nothing like kneading by hand to help relieve stress.
Provided by Mirj2338
Categories Breads
Time 4h
Yield 4 medium challahs
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Mix together 2 1/2 cups flour with the sugar (honey), salt and yeast.
- There is no need to dissolve the yeast first.
- Add the water and oil.
- Mix in 4 eggs.
- Beat in another 1 1/2 cups of flour very well.
- Add 4-5 cups of flour, until a very soft dough is formed.
- Knead for about 10 minutes.
- If using the dough hook, knead for about 7 minutes.
- Let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Alternately, let rise in the refrigerator overnight and then let warm to room temperature for about 1 or 2 hours.
- Decide how many challahs you want, how many strands you want to braid in each.
- Make a dough ball for each strand; roll them into ropes and braid.
- Let rise covered for 1/2-1 hour.
- Beat the remaining egg and brush on the challah.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 325 F (150 C) for 30 minutes.
- Apply egg wash once more and bake for another 30 minutes at 350 F (175 C).
- This dough is enough for 4 medium sized challahs.
- You can really let your imagination run rampant here, making intricate braids, placing the braids in a loaf pan, even then winding them into a circle.
- You can add about 1/4 cup of raisins to the dough, but we leave them out.
BRAIDED EGG BREAD
For Rosh Hashana, loaves of braided bread-also commonly called challah-are baked to symbolize continuity. Since I first made this bread some years ago, it has become a much-requested recipe. -Marlene Jeffery, Holland, MB
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 55m
Yield 1 loaf (16 slices).
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat water and oil to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients along with eggs. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Set a third of the dough aside. Divide remaining dough into 3 pieces. Shape each into a 13-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. , Divide reserved dough into 3 equal pieces; shape each into a 14-in. rope. Braid ropes. Center 14-in. braid on top of the shorter braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cover with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 134 calories, Fat 4g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 40mg cholesterol, Sodium 123mg sodium, Carbohydrate 20g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 4g protein.
RICH CHALLAH (BRAIDED EGG BREAD)
Many Challah breads either have too many eggs or just not enough. This recipe has just the right amount, about 1 egg per cup of flour. This recipe can also be done on the dough cycle in your bread machine and finished by hand. Best of all it makes THE BEST French toast! Cooking time does not include rising time.
Provided by QueenBof6
Categories Yeast Breads
Time 50m
Yield 1 LARGE LOAF, 16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In bread machine add to bread pan in order suggested by manufacturer, select dough setting, press start.
- After beep, remove risen dough and follow directions on how to shape and bake below.
- In Kitchen-aid stand mixer or like devise mix dry ingredients in bowl and turn on low speed to incorporate.
- Add eggs one at a time, allow to mix in before adding next one, then add oil.
- Turn mixer up to next speed (2 on Kitchen-aid), add milk in a slow stream, knead until soft, smooth, and warm, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Grease a bowl and place dough in bowl turning to coat.
- Allow to rest and rise until double in size.
- ***Shaping and baking***.
- Punch down and turn out risen dough onto a lightly oiled surface, let rest 5 minutes, punching dough down gets it all excited, it needs to sit and relax.
- Shape dough into a log and cut off 1/3; set aside.
- Cut remaining dough into 3 pieces and roll into 18 inch ropes, start braid from middle and braid to one end, pinch together and tuck under, repeat with other side.
- Cut set aside dough into 3 pieces and roll out to 13-15 inches long, repeat braiding method and place smaller braid on top of larger braid.
- Grease a large 1/2 sheet baking sheet and place finished braid sideways from corner to corner.
- Allow to rise until almost double, mix glaze ingredients and brush loaf gently.
- Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes, cover loosely with foil 15-20 minutes into baking to avoid over browning.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 231.9, Fat 7.3, SaturatedFat 1.3, Cholesterol 76.5, Sodium 255.9, Carbohydrate 34.9, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 4.9, Protein 6.2
CHALLAH I
Traditional egg bread for the Jewish Sabbath. You can add 1 cup raisins or golden raisins to the dough just before shaping and then make the loafs into round braids for Rosh Hashanah.
Provided by Joan Callaway
Categories Bread Yeast Bread Recipes Egg Challah Recipes
Time 3h40m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
- Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 164.5 calories, Carbohydrate 30.3 g, Cholesterol 18.6 mg, Fat 2.8 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 4.3 g, SaturatedFat 0.5 g, Sodium 241.3 mg, Sugar 4.7 g
Tips:
- Use fresh active dry yeast: Check the expiration date on the yeast packet to make sure it's still active. If the yeast is old, it may not work properly and your challah will not rise.
- Activate the yeast properly: Follow the instructions on the yeast packet for activating the yeast. This usually involves dissolving the yeast in warm water with a little sugar. Let the yeast sit for 5-10 minutes, until it becomes foamy and active.
- Use the right amount of salt: Salt is important for flavor and texture in challah. However, too much salt can make the bread too salty and dry. Use 1 teaspoon of salt for every 3 cups of flour.
- Knead the dough properly: Kneading the dough develops the gluten, which gives the challah its chewy texture. Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place: The dough needs to rise in a warm place in order to double in size. This usually takes about 1-2 hours. You can place the dough in a warm oven with the light on, or in a warm spot in your kitchen.
- Bake the challah at a high temperature: Challah is traditionally baked at a high temperature of 375°F (190°C). This helps to create a golden brown crust and a fluffy interior.
Conclusion:
Challah is a delicious and versatile bread that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is also a popular bread for Jewish holidays and celebrations. With a little practice, you can make perfect challah at home. Just follow the tips above and you'll be sure to impress your family and friends with your delicious homemade bread.
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