Challah Bread (Round Challah and 6 Strand Challah)
Challah Bread is a Jewish braided bread that is served on Shabbat and special holidays. This bread is different from a typical bread as the dough is enriched with eggs and oil which makes the bread incredible soft and tastes absolutely amazing. While baking it gets a deep golden color that makes the bread simply irresistible.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500g) , bread flour or all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1 ½ tsp (7g) salt
- 25 g fresh yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast)
- 1 tsp (5g) sugar , for dissolving yeast
- 2 eggs , beaten
- 1/3 cup (65g) canola oil
- 2/3 cup (160ml) water , lukewarm
Instructions
- Prepare challah dough. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
- In a medium bowl stir fresh yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar until it liquefies. Dissolve yeast with lukewarm water and pour over the flour mixture.
- Add beaten eggs and oil and start kneading it until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Give the dough the shape of a ball. Sprinkle oil onto a clean bowl, place the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for about 1-2 hours at room temperature (warm space) until doubled or tripled in size.
- For Round Challah. On a greased surface transfer the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into 4 equal strands, about 16 inch (40cm) each.
- Lay two strands vertical next to each other.
- Place the other two horizontally over and under the vertical ones.
- Choose one direction and take the strands that are under and cross them over the strand on the right.
- Repeat the process in the opposite direction.
- Take the ends and pinch them together and tuck under the loaf.
- Transfer round challah to parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 350F (180C).
- Brush the bread with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds/ flax seeds/poppy seeds etc if desired.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool slightly before serving.
- For 6 Strand Challah. On a greased surface divide dough into 6 equal pieces.
- Roll into 6 equal strands, about 16 inch (40cm) each.
- Pinch them together on top.
- Start braiding using this rule “Over two, under one, over two” always starting with strand on the right.
- Repeat this process until you reach the end of the bread.
- Pinch the ends and tuck them under the loaf.
- Transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile preheat oven to 350F (180C).
- Brush the bread with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds/ flax seeds/poppy seeds etc if desired.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool slightly before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 44.7gProtein: 7.2gFat: 7.6gSaturated Fat: 0.8gCholesterol: 33mgSugar: 5.7g