5 from 6 votes
Challah
Challah is a traditional Jewish bread, close to a brioche, that is often braided. It is prepared for Shabbath and Jewish holidays.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Rest Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings:
4
large loaves
Course:
Bread
Cuisine:
German, Israeli
Ingredients
- 8 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
- 2½ tablespoons active dry yeast
- 4 tablespoons sugar (+ 2 tablespoons for a sweeter taste)
- 5 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed golden
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 egg beaten, + 1 egg white
- 2 cups water more or less depending on the flour used, warm
For the top
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 egg yolk
- white sesame (and/or poppy seeds)
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in the large bowl of a stand mixer, except the water and salt. Stir in water slowly while kneading.
- Add salt and knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a stand-in mixer. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Place dough in a large airtight container or a container covered with a clean cloth. Let rise in a warm, area, draft-free area for 60 to 90 minutes, until double in size.
- Place the dough on a work surface and divide into several pieces that will be used as strands.
- Flatten each piece of dough with a rolling pin to degas the dough and form strands.
- Form braided breads. For medium size breads, each strand must weigh about 3 oz (80 g). For large loaves, each strand will weigh 4 oz (120 g).
- Place each challah on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm) apart, to give them room to rise a second time, as well as during baking.
- Cover the loaves with a clean cloth and let them rise again for about 30 minutes in a dry and draft-free place.
- Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C.
- In a small bowl, combine water and egg yolks. Beat well. Brush this mixture on each challah. Sprinkle sesame and / or poppy seeds.
- Bake for roughly 20 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown.
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