Pomegranate Beet Challah with a sweet naturally neon pink swirl. Challah back, y’all!
So I’m writing right now with this view of Lake Travis. Um yeah, rough life. Well not exactly this view, because my laptop is open, but you get the idea.
But in a few short days I’ll be in Seattle for the IFBC Conference! Woo hoo! One of my favorite cities in the world. (You can see photos from my last trip right here.) I can’t wait for lots of seafood, and temperatures under 100 degrees. This is my first time going to IFBC, so I’m excited to learn some new tricks, meet some new friends, and fill my suitcase with lots of swag. I’m super grateful that Imperial Sugar is sponsoring me so I can experience it all! One particular part I’m looking forward to is a tour of Sur La Table. I’ll make sure to tell you all about it! In the meantime, a recipe that I have been really looking forward to sharing with y’all. Pomegranate Beet Challah!
Rosh Hashanah is coming up, and one of the many traditions is to serve a round challah to symbolize the circle of life. Another tradition is to serve sweet food for a sweet new year. This Pomegranate Beet Challah has both! Yesssss.
It’s easy to make too. I swear. But it takes a little time. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse beets and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut off ends and dice into 1/2 inch pieces and sprinkle with salt. Roast on a foil lined cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
While your beets are roasting, place pomegranate juice and sugar into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes until syrup reduces to 1/4 of the original amount. Let cool, syrup should be very thick. You just made pomegranate molasses! Mazel tov. Make more and drizzle it on yogurt. You’ll love it! Put cooled beets and pomegranate syrup in a food processor and blend together.
Now time to make your dough! Prepare the yeast in a large mixing bowl by whisking it with warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar and whisk until smooth. Let yeast stand until it puffs up, about 10 minutes. If it doesn’t get foamy, your yeast is bad or the water was too warm or cool. Try again!
Whisk in the two eggs, oil, honey, salt and remaining sugar into the yeast mixture until incorporated. Then add the flour and either with a hook attachment using an electric mixer or your hands if you’re a badass or bubbe knead until smooth, about 5-10 minutes, and form into a ball.
Place the dough in a bowl greased with oil and cover. Let dough ferment in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about two hours.
Now time to braid! Divide the dough into four stands and roll out. Let sit for a few minutes if the gluten is causing your strands to bounce back. Flatten strands, then put a thin row of the beet mixture along one edge and roll up careful not to let any air bubbles in. If some filling leaks out, don’t worry. Because that just makes the whole thing more beautiful! I was worried until I realized this.
To do the round braid, layer the strands like the photo below on the bottom left. Then take every other strand and wrap it in one direction over the other strands. Then take the other strands and wrap it over the first strands in the reverse direction.
Keep repeating until you reach the ends of the strands. Tuck the strands under to secure and ta da!
Carefully place the loaf on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cover, and let it rise again for 1.5 hours or until tripled in size. Ooh so pretty. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the last egg with a tablespoon of water and use it to wash the challah. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Halfway through baking, give the challah another wash with the egg for extra shine and to get into new creases.
Gahh how gorgeous, right? I hope you try this, it would make the best French toast ever. Or just do as I did and slather it with butter.
Pomegranate Beet Challah
Ingredients
- For Filling:
- 3 medium beets
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- For Challah:
- 1 envelope active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 3/4 cup warm water about 100 degrees F
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg and 3 egg yolks, plus one for glazing
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil plus more for greasing bowl
- ¼ cup honey trick, measure the honey after the oil and it will slide right out!
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 3/4 - 4 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse beets and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut off ends and dice into 1/2 inch pieces and sprinkle with salt. Roast on a foil lined cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
- While your beets are roasting, place pomegranate juice and 1/2 cup sugar into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes until syrup reduces to 1/4 of the original amount. Let cool, syrup should be very thick. You just made pomegranate molasses! Mazel tov. Make more and drizzle it on yogurt. You’ll love it! Put cooled beets and pomegranate syrup in a food processor and blend together.
- Now time to make your dough! Prepare the yeast in a large mixing bowl by whisking it with warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar and whisk until smooth. Let yeast stand until it puffs up, about 10 minutes. If it doesn’t get foamy, your yeast is bad or the water was too warm or cool. Try again!
- Whisk in the two eggs, oil, honey and remaining sugar into the yeast mixture until incorporated. Then add the flour and salt and either with a hook attachment using an electric mixer or your hands, about 10 minutes, and form into a ball. If it's too sticky, add a bit more flour. You may not need all the flour.
- Place the dough in a bowl greased with oil and cover. Let dough ferment in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about two hours.
- Now time to braid! Divide the dough into four stands and roll out. Let sit for a few minutes if the gluten is causing your strands to bounce back. Flatten strands, then put a thin row of the beet mixture along one edge and roll up careful not to let any air bubbles in. If some filling leaks out, don’t worry. Because that just makes the whole thing more beautiful! I was worried until I realized this.
- To do the round braid, layer the strands like the photo below on the bottom left in the post. Then take every other strand and wrap it in one direction over the other strands. Then take the other strands and wrap it over the first strands in the reverse direction.
- Keep repeating until you reach the ends of the strands. Tuck the strands under to secure and ta da!
- Carefully place the loaf on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cover, and let it rise again for another 45 minutes or so until it's light and fuffy looking (exact proofing timing for challah will depend on environmental conditions.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the last egg yolk with 1/2 tablespoon of water and use it to wash the challah. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Halfway through baking, give the challah another wash with the egg for extra shine and to get into new creases.
Notes
Some other pomegranate recipes to try!
Samantha @FerraroKitchen says
Ahh I can’t wait till this weekend!!! I still need to make my hatch recipe! lol I’m making a round challah today too! For Rosh hashanah and sending to my mom! LOVE the stripes of gorgeous red in yours!
Amy Kritzer says
Thanks! Yours looks gorgeous too!
Julie @ Florence & Isabelle says
What a great idea! I can’t wait to try this. Looks yummy!
Amy Kritzer says
Thanks, Julie!
Dena says
Lovely AND different!
Amy Kritzer says
Thanks, Dena!
Lisa @ The Meaning of Me says
I kinda want to make this…looks amazing!
Amy Kritzer says
You should! Thanks 🙂
Lisa @ The Meaning of Me says
If I have a bottle of pomegranate molasses in my pantry already, can I just start with that? How much would you use of that?
Amy Kritzer says
Oh yes that would work! I would just keep adding some to the beets until you have a sticky filling.
Lisa @ The Meaning of Me says
Yup, I keep some all the time. Got it for a recipe, realized it was amazing (definitely on yogurt), and keep it as a staple now.
Lisa @ The Meaning of Me says
So my challah looks like it may be a fail…very humid here today and it’s not rising well and I’m running out of time to solve the problem. Can I save my beet and pomegranate mixture for another day? Fridge or freezer? And for how long?
Sigh.
Amy Kritzer says
Oh no! Yes you can refrigerate it for a day or two. Drain it before using it, as some liquid may have formed. Sorry! Or you could just eat it over some yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast, or drizzle over some chicken or steak. That would be yummy too!
Paleo Kosher Kitchen says
This challah is so pretty! My kids would go crazy for this!
Amy Kritzer says
Thank you!
mandy says
This is really beautiful. Thank you so much!
Amy Kritzer says
Thanks, Mandy!
ronnievfein says
So interesting. Not sure I’ll ever figure that braid out, but the stuffing part is a sure thing.
Amy Kritzer says
Yay thanks!