Challah
חַלָּה
Challah is the braided Shabbat bread, shaped from enriched yeasted dough and glazed to a luminous gold. The earliest form of braided Sabbath bread is traced to 15th-century Austria and Southern Germany, where Jews baked a bread called 'berches'. The word challah comes from the Hebrew commandment to separate a portion of dough (the 'challah offering') before baking. The distinctive braid symbolizes love and unity; the double Shabbat loaves recall the double portion of manna that fell in the desert on Friday.
Ingredients
- •7 cups (900g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
- •2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- •1 tablespoon sugar (for activating yeast)
- •1/4 cup honey
- •1/3 cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- •3 large eggs (2 for dough, 1 for egg wash)
- •1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- •1.5 cups warm water
- •Sesame or poppy seeds for topping (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast. Let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Whisk together 2 eggs, honey, and oil. Add the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
- 3
Add salt and flour one cup at a time, mixing after each, until a soft shaggy dough forms.
- 4
Knead on a floured surface 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 1–1.5 hours until doubled.
- 5
Punch down dough. Divide into 6 equal pieces for two 3-strand braids. Roll each into a 40cm rope.
- 6
Braid 3 ropes together, pinching and tucking the ends under. Repeat. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- 7
Cover loosely and let rise 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
- 8
Beat the remaining egg and brush over both loaves. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
- 9
Bake 30–35 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom.
Kosher notes
Pareve — no dairy or meat. When making two or more loaves, observe the mitzvah of separating challah: remove a piece the size of an olive, recite the blessing, and dispose of it respectfully.
Comments (1)
Nimrod Eli
Challah with Schnitzel