Challah recipe
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Introduction
This is my first attempt at writing a recipe in a long time. It was adapted from a recipe in chapter 2 of A Taste of Challah. If you try this out, I’d be happy to hear about your experience.
Ingredients
- Water
- Active dry yeast
- Salt
- Sugar
- Flour
- Canola or other neutral oil
- Optionally, filling ingredients (such as raisins or chocolate chips)
Tools
- Measuring cups
- Three mixing bowls
- A cloth towel
- A stirring implement
- A rolling pin
- An oven
Guidance
This makes one challah that’s pretty large. If you’re making it for only a few people, I’d recommend halving the recipe.
Activate yeast
Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to a small bowl.
Next, you will want to add a warm water to a bowl. Ideally, it will be around 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a thermometer or an electric kettle with temperature control, you can just heat water to this temperature and then add 6 tbsp of it to the bowl. If not, you can approximate this temperature by adding 1/4 cup of room temperature water and 2 tablespoons of boiling water to the bowl.
Then, add 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (this is the typical size of a single yeast packet) to the bowl and stir. Cover the bowl (for example with a cloth towel), and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Mix ingredients
Inspect the mixture. It should be foamy because the yeast should be active. If things seem amiss, try again. Otherwise, sift (or just add if you don’t have a sifting implement) 4 cups flour into the second-largest bowl. In the largest bowl, add 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup warm water, 1/2 tsp salt, then half of the flour from the other bowl, then mix. Add the active yeast mixture and mix again, then add the rest of the flour and any filling ingredients you wish to include. Add 1/4 to 3/4 cup more water until the flour is absorbed. Add a tablespoon of oil to the bottom of the large bowl (lifting the dough so the oil is between the dough and the bowl) or a new bowl and allow the dough to rise for 10 minutes.
Knead
Knead with lightly oiled hands for 5 minutes. Then return the dough to the bowl, adding a few drops of oil to the bowl if it seems dry. Let it rise for 10 minutes again. Knead for 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl (potentially adding a few drops of oil), cover, and allow to rise for an hour.
Divide
Place the dough on a floured surface. Divide the dough into portions. To make one challah with three braids, divide it into thirds. Roll each portion into an oval/pancake shape. If you have filling ingredients that you want to be layered throughout the challah(s), distribute them on top of the flat pancake shape now. Then, roll up each pancake into a log/crepe kind of thing. Cover them and wait five minutes.
Shape
Squeeze each log into a longer, thinner, rope-like form. Each should be approximately the same thickness. Pinch the tops together and braid into the desired shape, then apply any garnishes or bread washes. (I liked a wash that I made by mixing 1 tbsp of nondairy milk with 1 tbsp of maple syrup.) Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F such that the oven is preheated for a few minutes (A Taste of Challah says 20 but I think that’s excessive) before you put the challah in.
Bake
Bake the challah for 20-25 minutes, until it starts to brown at the edges. It can be frozen for long-term storage.