Lately, I have been reminiscing back on my youth a bit and wondering how on earth I got to be 25 28 already. Perhaps it was the time I spent last weekend living it up on Austin’s East 6th Street, (affectionately known as Dirty 6th) that made me realize I am no longer 20.
But mostly, how is it not 1993 and I am not catching up on Rugrats specials on the ole VCR noshing on Fruit by the Foot? Where does the time go? When I haven’t been daydreaming of raiding fellow Jew Cher Horowitz’s closet, I have been thinking about comfort food. Nothing makes you feel better about realizing kids born in the 1990s are old enough to be in Med School than a nice dish just like Bubbe used to make it. Well, that and still getting carded. And realizing that said kids missed one of the greatest decades of music (arguably) in recent history. I know I would be half the woman I am today without Wilson Phillips and the Gin Blossoms.
(Here is my first challah photo!)
Anyhoo, my go-to comfort food is usually Matzah Ball Soup, but with summer setting in in Texas, I went with my second favorite- challah. Now that Passover is over, onto some bread!! Challah is a rich, sweet, eggy Jewish bread traditionally served on Shabbat and holidays, or to make the best sandwiches you have ever had. I promise. Let’s get cooking, shall we?
This challah also is a sweet one, so feel free to reduce the sugar too. Jew do Jew!
First, prepare the yeast by mixing the yeast with warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar and whisk until smooth. Let yeast stand until it puffs up, about 10 minutes.
Whisk in the 2 eggs, oil, salt, and remaining sugar into yeast mixture until incorporated. Then add the of flour and mix into a ball. Knead until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. Don’t add it too much flour, you want the dough to be slightly sticky.
Place the dough in a warm, cleaned bowl and cover. Let the dough ferment until it has doubled in size, about two hours.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and braid your bread as desired! I like a classic 3 or 6 strand braid. Don’t braid too tightly, as you want room for your challah to grow and those nice challah bulbs to form.
Cover the loafs let proof until about doubled in size again, they should look light and fluffy. Glaze the breads with the last egg yolk mixed with a little water and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until done, rotating half-way through. Tent your challah with foil if the top is browning too much before it’s cooked through.
Enjoy for sandwiches, on its own, or for a special recipe I have coming up next week! Any guesses??
Challah
Ingredients
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1¼ cup warm water about 100 degrees
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs plus one extra yolk for glazing
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3¾ – 4½ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- First, prepare the yeast by mixing the yeast with warm water and 1 teasooon sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until smooth. Let yeast stand until it puffs up, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk in the 2 eggs, oil and remaining sugar into yeast mixture until incorporated. Then about half of the the flour and then the salt and mix into a ball with a wooden spoon or dough hook. Knead until smooth, about 7-10 minutes, adding more flour as needed (pun intended). You may not need all the flour. Or you may need a little more. You want your dough to be soft and tacky. Don't add too much flour. It will also get less sticky as it rises as the gluten activates.
- Place the dough in a warm, cleaned bowl and cover with a towel. Let the dough ferment until it has doubled in size, about 2-3 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and braid as designed.
- Cover and let rise another 45 minutes or so until it's light and fuffy looking (exact proofing timing for challah will depend on environmental conditions.) Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the last egg yolk with 1/2 tablespoon of water and brush generously all over the challah (I do two coats, you can top with sesame seeds or sprinkles or whatever!) and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Tent the challah with foil if it starts to brown too much on the top.
51 Comments
YUM YUM YUM!!!!! Nothing like a little challah to go with my butter :). You continue to outshine every generation of the family. I want to wrap my flapping arms around you and give you a big hug!
Love,
Bube
Thanks, Bubbe. No one could outshine you and your flapping arms!
This challah looks like a work of art…Challah is my favorite bread-I eat it like cake!..I can’t wait until I have the summer off to bake this.
Thanks, Gloria! Mmm I wonder if anyone has topped challah with frosting. Don’t mind if I do!
A fellow Jewish food blogger named Amy?! I didn’t know such a creature existed!
Love the blog, love the challah – have to recommend challah bread pudding!
Like this one: http://www.bakingandmistaking.com/2009/12/chocolate-bread-pudding.html
Amazing! Nice to meet you Amy. You blog looks great too and that challah bread pudding?? I die! I need that in my life pronto.
I love challah! And yours looks stunning!
Thank you! Your photography on your site is beautiful.
This has to be the best bread tutorial around. I love it and I’m inspired to try my hand at challah!!
Thanks for sharing, Amy!!
Thanks, Andie! I’d love to see what challah creations you came up with.
please make challah French toast!
You read my mind! Check back next week!
Your challah looks amazing. Soul satisfying and delicious.
I grew up on MIami beach and have a profound appreciation for jewish inspired dishes.
Awesome.
Velva
Thanks so much, Velva!
Is it 2 eggs in the dough and one for the glaze?
Hi B- sorry for any confusion! It is 2 eggs in the dough and one for the glaze. I updated the recipe to make it more clear. Thanks for reading!
Thank you!! Im excited to give it a try!!!
Great! Let me know if you have any other questions- enjoy!
That is one awesome looking challah. It’s one of my favorite breads.
Thanks, Joanne! I love challah too- these two loaves are going quickly!
[…] when I am craving something sweet only French Toast will do. And you can keep your brioche, because challah bread is the way to go. For a little kick, I made mine with Baileys- and added a splash in my […]
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This looks awesome. My stepdad is Jewish and this year we couldn’t find any candles for the menorah : ( so I want to find other ways of acknowledging Chanukah. I love your headline, BTW; my mom & I always sub “you” with “Jew” when we’re talking to him
X D
Thanks!
Thanks, Courtney! So sad you could not find candles, maybe you could order some online for future Hanukkahs? HAHA subbing “Jew” with “you” never gets old for me. Happy Hanukkah to Jew and your family!
This was my first attempt at baking bread from scratch and it came out perfectly! My family loved it. We’re going to use it for french toast as well. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s great news, Kristin! I am so glad you and your family loved the recipe. Enjoy your French toast too!!
This actually worked!!! Usually I have so many struggles with bread/yeast recipes but this was a fabulous recipe and perfect for Hanukkah. Now I am no longer scared to bake breads, THANK YOU!
This makes me so happy! I am thrilled my recipe worked for you. Happy Hanukkah!
I am now using your recipe for the 8th time for a pre-Passover snack. All of my friends are amazed that it turns out so well!
Oh yay that makes me so happy you like the recipe! I’m having Chinese tonight and a sandwich tomorrow for sure before I go bread free!
[…] used my favorite challah recipe as the basis for my pretzel challah. First up, make your slurry combining 3/4 cup of flour, […]
Gonna try this recipe.It will be my first time trying to make bread. I heard the best french toast is made with challah 🙂
Awesome, Earl, good luck! Challah French Toast is awesome! It’s also tasty for bread pudding or the stuffing I made on the blog yesterday! (11/15/12)
[…] adapted from: What Jew Wanna Eat Like this:LikeBe the first to like […]
Hi again Amy,
Can I use the 7 gram dry active yeast in this challah recipe? Or do add in more than 7 grams? Thanks
Hi Nat- one package of instant yeast is 7 grams, so use 25% more when using dry active yeast. I would use 9 grams!
Thanks Amy I look forward to cooking these soon 🙂
Hi Amy! I made this with the 9 grams of dry active yeast and the challah tasted so yummy but mine were a little flat after I brushed the egg on and after baking they were still flat, do you know what may have caused this? What did I do wrong??? Did I leave them too long to rise maybe? Thanks
Yes, you may have let it rise too long. Try a little shorter next time. But glad it tasted great!
I will try again 🙂
Good luck!!
[…] when I am craving something sweet only French Toast will do. And you can keep your brioche, because challah bread is the way to go. For a little kick, I made mine with Baileys- and added a splash in my […]
[…] Bagels on WJWE, you know I don’t just sit on my tush all day schmearing schmaltz on homemade challah, right? Though that would be the life. To balance my noshes I like to walk, run (as evidenced […]
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