| How to Make Challah Sep 16th 2012, 04:00 This wonderfully rich Jewish yeast bread resembles brioche but is a bit sweeter. It's a delicious treat that goes great with butter and other spreads. Edit Ingredients - 500g/17 oz flour
- 40g/1.4 oz sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 egg
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 200ml/6.7 fl oz lukewarm water
- 25g/0.88 oz butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp of milk
- Some sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
- Raisins (optional)
- A little flour for dusting
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- Preparation Time
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- It is not safe to double, triple, or quadruple this recipe. Doing so will probably result in a less than satisfactory challah. If you need more, make two separate batches in two separate bowls.
- To the mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, salt, honey, yeast, butter, egg, water, and, optionally, raisins.
- Mix it together, first with the spoon and then with your hands. Use a damp towel under the bowl to prevent it from moving.
- Continue to knead the dough using the heel of your hand for about 7 minutes. If you like, you can remove it from the bowl to knead on a table.
- The dough will change its texture, becoming smooth and shiny with a medium-soft consistency. After this occurs, form it into a ball and put it back into the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic bag (black bags work best) and allow the dough to rise for 1½ to 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Once the dough is ready, "punch" the air out while it is still in the bowl.
- Carefully collect the dough, separating it from the sides of the bowl.
- Sprinkle your work space with a little flour before working more with the dough.
- Shape the dough into one log and let it rest for a minute or two.
- Cut it into six even portions using the knife.
- Take one portion of the dough and roll it into one long, snake-like log, starting at the middle and working outwards.
- Repeat with all six portions.
- Lay three of the logs beside each other and join them together at one end.
- Take one of the outside logs and carefully twist it, placing it into the middle. Take the other outside strand and place that one into the middle, making a braided knot. Make sure it is tight but not tight enough to stretch the dough.
- Continue this braiding motion until you reach the end of the logs.
- Trim each of the ends and place it onto the baking tray.
- Repeat with the remaining three logs until you have second challah loaf. Place this one next to the other on the baking tray.
- Cover the dough in a plastic bag and allow it to rise until it doubles in size, or about 30 minutes.
- Set the oven to 350°F (180ºC/gas mark 4).
- Using the brush, coat the surface of the challah with the egg wash and sprinkle them with the sesame seeds.
- Place the challah in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven when deep golden brown.
- Slice and serve.
- For extra sweetness, you can add raisins to the dough.
- Try eating it with butter, cheese, jam, or another topping of your choice.
- You can use an electric mixer if you would prefer not to use your hands to mix the dough.
- You can make one large challah rather than two smaller ones by cutting the large log into three roughly equal pieces instead of six; or cut into 3 larger pieces and 3 smaller ones. Braid the 3 larger pieces and the 3 small pieces separately. Lay the small braid on top of the large braid. This produces a challah which will keep its shape very well.
- You can do a 4 or 6 stranded braid. For four strands place the left one over 2 and the right one over 1 and repeat. (1234/2314/2341/3421/3412/4132/4123/1243/1234) is a numerical numbering of the strands. For 6 strands, place 1 over four, and then 1 over 1 (123456, 234516, 234561, etc.)
Edit Warnings - Supervise all use of kitchen equipment by children.
Edit Things You'll Need - Large bowl
- Knife
- Baking tray lined with parchment paper
- Plastic bag
- Brush
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