Pomegranate Beet Challah

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

Amy Kritzer

Pomegranate Beet Challah with a sweet naturally neon pink swirl. Challah back, y’all!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine Jewish

Servings 1 huge challah

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 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
• 1 ¼ cup warm water about 110 degrees F
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, plus one extra yolk for glazing
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil plus more for greasing bowl
• 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, 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 2-3 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 about 30 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

You’ll also need up to four hours time for risings.

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Some other pomegranate recipes to try!