Challah Bread Recipe (Step-By-Step) | Diethood

Challah is a traditional bread that tastes nearly as good because it seems to be! My home made challah recipe is tremendous easy, and it creates an attractive, tender, braided loaf.

They are saying you eat together with your eyes first, and for me, nothing embodies that greater than challah. How attractive is that braid? Challah is a wealthy kosher bread with a tender, fluffy inside and golden, glowy exterior, assured to face out on any desk. My tried-and-true challah recipe is ideal for particular events, holidays, or Sunday dinner. Better of all, it’s straightforward, and with a couple of easy elements, you can also make it, too!

All About Challah Bread

Steeped in custom. Challah is a conventional Jewish bread that makes an look on sure holidays.
Straightforward approach. You don’t want fancy gear or perhaps a mixer to make the bread. It’s straightforward and requires solely 7 elements.
Wealthy, fluffy dough. Challah makes use of what’s referred to as an enriched dough, made with eggs and oil.
Great leftovers. Use leftover challah to make challah French toast or bread pudding!

Challah ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

You Want Solely 7 Components

Remember to scroll to the printable recipe card for the precise ingredient quantities adopted by step-by-step directions.

Lively Dry Yeast – Examine the expiration date on the yeast packet and ensure it’s recent; in any other case, your challah gained’t rise correctly.
Lukewarm Water – You’ll have to activate the yeast with sugar in heat water (98°F to 105°F). If the water is just too sizzling, it’ll kill the yeast.
Sugar – White granulated sugar works completely right here, and so does brown sugar.
All Goal Flour – Measure the flour utilizing a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. In any other case, spoon the flour from the bag into your measuring cup (don’t scoop proper from the bag). Then, stage it off with a knife. This avoids including an excessive amount of.
Salt – Salt balances the sweetness within the dough.
Eggs – You’ll want two entire eggs and one egg yolk for additional richness within the dough. Reserve the leftover egg white to mix with water for an egg wash.
Oil – I like to recommend vegetable oil or any neutral-flavored oil, so it gained’t impression the flavour of the completed bread.

Baked challah next to a bread knife on a baking sheet lined with a dishcloth.

Ideas for Bakery-Type Challah

Use recent yeast. If you happen to discover that, after leaving the yeast to activate, it nonetheless hasn’t foamed up, which means that it’s not recent. You’ll have to discard it and begin with a brand new packet.
Examine the egg yolks. For this bread to be kosher, the egg yolk mustn’t have blood spots in it.
You’re after a clean dough. In case your challah dough feels sticky whereas kneading, sprinkle it with a bit of extra flour.
Don’t substitute water with milk. Conventional challah recipes use water to stay kosher. Whereas some variations of challah comprise milk and butter, milk isn’t a alternative for water on this recipe, as it can impression the end result of the bread.

Methods to Serve Challah

One in all my favourite methods to eat challah is piled with recent berries and drizzled with maple syrup for French toast. It additionally makes an excellent base for a French toast casserole.

It’s additionally scrumptious to tear off items to dip in hummus or baba ganoush, or I’ll smash some grilled eggplant on prime. I really like to make use of challah for sandwiches, crammed with rooster salad or roast beef. Alone, challah slices are nice dipped right into a heat bowl of creamy roasted tomato soup.

You’ll be able to chop up day-old challah to make bread pudding recipes, or add it to a savory breakfast casserole.

Overhead view of challah next to a bread knife with slices cut from the end.

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Massive Mixing Bowl – For mixing and rising the dough. You need loads of room for it to double in dimension.
Stand Mixer with Dough Hook (non-compulsory) – Makes kneading straightforward, however you may completely knead by hand when you want.
Kitchen Scale – Useful for dividing the dough into three equal parts for a fair braid.
Baking Sheet – Retains the challah from sticking and helps it bake evenly.

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Put together the yeast. Place the lukewarm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Stir to mix and canopy with a plate or a lid. Put aside for 10 minutes or till the yeast is foamy.
Combine the dry elements. In a big bowl, whisk collectively the sugar, flour, and salt.
Add the liquid. Make a nicely within the middle of the flour combination. Pour within the yeast combination, and add eggs, egg yolk, and oil.
Combine and knead. Combine every part with a spatula, then knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes or combine it in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for 6-8 minutes, or till clean.
Rise. Frivolously coat a big bowl with oil, then place the dough within the bowl. Cowl it with a clear towel and let the challah rise for two hours or till doubled in dimension.
Prep the dough. Uncover and punch down the dough to take away air. Flip the dough out onto a flippantly floured floor and divide it into three equal parts. I exploit a kitchen scale to verify they’re even.
Form the dough. Roll every portion right into a 15 to 16-inch-long rope. Prepare the ropes vertically, one subsequent to the opposite, then collect and squeeze them on the prime.
Braid the dough. Braid the ropes collectively similar to you’ll braid hair. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper after which switch the bread onto the baking sheet.
Second rise. Mud the bread with some flour and canopy with a clear kitchen towel or fabric. Let it rise for 45 minutes.
Put together to bake. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Make the egg wash. Whisk the reserved egg white with water till mixed.
Bake. Brush the dough with the egg wash, then switch the bread to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating midway by means of.
Cool and serve. Take away the challah bread from the oven and funky it on a wire rack earlier than slicing and serving.

The yeast must be recent for an ideal challah bread. If the yeast isn’t foamy, discard it and check out with a brand new packet.
For the right kosher bread, be certain that to examine the egg yolks. They mustn’t have any blood spots.
Don’t substitute water with milk.
The dough must be clean. If the dough is sticky midway by means of kneading, add some additional flour.

Dietary information is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might differ based on the elements and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed information.

The right way to Make Challah Bread (Step-By-Step)

You’ll discover challah with 3-, 4-, and 5-stranded braids. I maintain this one easy with three! A fast brushing with egg white makes the bread completely shiny. Comply with the steps under to make it your self.

Activate the yeast. Begin by stirring the yeast, lukewarm water, and a pinch of sugar collectively in a bowl. Cowl the bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes, till the yeast seems to be foamy.

Adding the wet ingredients to a bowl of dry dough ingredients. — Combine the dough.

A round, glossy ball of dough left to rise in a glass bowl. — Combine the dough.

Put together the challah dough. Subsequent, combine the dry elements in a big bowl. Make a nicely within the center, and add the yeast combination, adopted by the eggs, egg yolk, and oil.
Combine, then knead. Mix the elements, after which knead the dough. You are able to do this by hand for 10 minutes, or utilizing your mixer’s dough hook attachment for 6-8 minutes.
Rise. As soon as the dough kinds a clean ball, place it in an oiled bowl. Cowl and let the dough rise for two hours, or till it’s doubled in dimension.

A hand punching down risen challah dough in a glass bowl. — Punch down and divide the dough.

Challah dough ropes partially braided on a countertop. — Punch down and divide the dough.

Divide the dough. After it’s risen, punch down the dough. Flip it out on a clear floor and divide the dough into three parts. Roll every portion right into a rope, about 15-16 inches lengthy.
Braid the dough. Prepare the dough ropes aspect by aspect. Pinch the highest ends collectively, after which cross the ropes over one another in a braid, as you’d braid hair. Place the dough braid on a lined baking sheet.

Braided challah dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. — Rise once more.

Risen challah braid brushed with an egg wash on a parchment-lined baking sheet. — Rise once more.

Second rise. Now, mud the highest of the braid with additional flour. Cowl and let the dough rise once more, this time for 45 minutes.
Bake. Whereas the oven preheats to 350ºF, brush the highest of the challah with an egg wash. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Midway by means of, rotate the bread so it bakes evenly on all sides. Afterward, go away the challah to chill on a rack earlier than slicing and serving.

Challah loaf on a wooden cutting board with slices cut from the end.

The right way to Retailer

Retailer at room temperature. Enable the challah to chill after which wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Maintain the bread saved at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Freeze. You can too double-wrap the loaf and freeze your challah for as much as 2 months. Thaw it at room temperature.