Latkes Stuffed Challah
Latkes Stuffed Challah combines two of your favorite carbs into one epic Hanukkah treat!
It’s Thanksgiving week but I’m already thinking about Hanukkah! (And not just because Black Friday sales on ModernTribe are starting soon!) Truthfully, Thanksgiving food isn’t my favorite. Okay I do love mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie and I loved helping host Friendsgiving for 40 when I lived in Austin (complete with Bourbon and Coffee Braised Brisket and a photobooth) but mostly because it’s fun to get together with friends and celebrate. But turkey? Stuffing? I could take it or leave it. This year (like last year) we are going out for Chinese! Peking duck here we come. But I’m already excited about Hanukkah because of this Latkes Stuffed Challah!
While the dough is rising, you can make your other filling ingredients. You don’t need a full batch of latkes but you should make one anyway because you can EAT THEM!
I thought of doing all three in each strand, but this seemed a little easier. Let me know if you try it that way!
You want to get your three strands as flat as possible so you can add the filling and roll easily- it’s a little tricky, but you can do it!
You want as much filling as possible so as the dough expands, it’s still filled with deliciousness!
All rolled up and ready to braid!
A little rustic but tastes delicious.
Anyone else love the challah butt print? Just me?
There she is- a thing of beauty!!
Hello, lover.
One more (kate spade challah knife here).
Okay one more, from its good side. But what’s the inside look like? Glad you asked.
Ta da! Chunks of latkes, apples and sour cream fill this Latkes Stuffed Challah.
Fun, right? Perfect for Shabbat during Hanukkah.
It’s tasty warmed up a little because then you get warm apples and latkes, but good cold too.
Gimmel = get a piece of challah.
What Is Latke Stuffed Challah?
It is exactly what it sounds like, and it is glorious. A soft, sweet challah dough is rolled flat, filled with crispy chunks of potato latkes, a tangy sour cream filling and cinnamon sugar apples, then braided and baked. Every slice tastes like a latke with all the toppings, wrapped in bread. Two of the best Jewish carbs in one loaf.
Do You Eat Challah on Hanukkah?
Hanukkah does not have its own special bread the way Rosh Hashanah has round challah. But Hanukkah always lasts eight nights, so it always includes at least one Shabbat, and Shabbat means challah. That makes Hanukkah the perfect excuse to get creative with your Friday night loaf. Stuffing it with latkes is the most Hanukkah thing I could think of.
It also fits a lesser-known Hanukkah tradition. Many families eat dairy foods during the holiday in honor of Judith, a heroine of the Hanukkah story who, as the legend goes, fed a general salty cheese and wine until he fell asleep. With a sour cream and cream cheese filling, this challah checks the fried box and the dairy box at once.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Challah dough: yeast, warm water, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, bread or all-purpose flour and kosher salt.
- Latkes: just 3 or 4. Use leftovers or fry a fresh batch with my best latkes recipe (and eat the extras while the dough rises).
- Sour cream filling: sour cream, cream cheese, a little flour to thicken it, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Cinnamon apples: one diced Granny Smith apple tossed with sugar and cinnamon right before filling.
How to Make Latke Stuffed Challah
Proof the yeast, mix and knead the dough, and let it rise until doubled, about 2 to 3 hours. While it rises, make the latkes and the two fillings. Divide the dough into three pieces and roll each one as flat as you can. Fill each strand with one filling (latkes in one, sour cream in one, apples in one), seal each strand closed, and braid them together. Let the loaf rise again for about 45 minutes, brush it with egg wash and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until deep golden.
Tips for Stuffing and Braiding Challah
- Roll the strands really flat. Thin, wide strips are easier to fill and seal, and they hold more filling.
- Seal the seams well. Pinch each strand closed tightly and braid with the seams facing down so the filling does not leak out in the oven.
- Cut the latkes into chunks. Small pieces roll up more easily than whole latkes.
- Do not skimp on filling. The dough puffs a lot as it rises and bakes, so pack it in.
- Tent with foil if the top browns before the loaf is cooked through.
Is This Challah Dairy?
Yes. The sour cream and cream cheese filling makes this a dairy challah, so it will not work with a meat Shabbat dinner. Serve it at a dairy meal, a Hanukkah brunch, or alongside soup and salad. To make it pareve, skip the sour cream filling and fill that strand with extra apples, or use a plant-based cream cheese and sour cream.
How to Serve and Store It
Latke stuffed challah is best warm, when the apples are soft and the latkes are tender, but it is good at room temperature too. Wrap leftovers tightly and keep them at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for up to 3 days (the dairy filling means it should not sit out longer than that). Rewarm slices in a 300°F oven. Serve it next to the rest of your Hanukkah menu, and save room for sufganiyot.
Latke Stuffed Challah FAQ
What bread is eaten on Hanukkah?
There is no single traditional Hanukkah bread. Most families eat regular challah on the Shabbat that falls during Hanukkah, and fried doughs like sufganiyot and sfenj are the holiday’s real bread-adjacent stars. A Hanukkah-themed challah like this one is a fun way to bring them together.
Can I use leftover latkes?
Yes, leftover latkes are perfect here. Re-crisp them in a hot oven first so they are not soggy, then let them cool before chopping and filling.
Can I make this challah ahead?
You can let the dough do its first rise overnight in the fridge, then fill, braid and bake the next day. Or bake it the morning you plan to serve it and rewarm it before dinner.
Can I freeze latke stuffed challah?
Yes. Cool it completely, wrap it tightly in plastic and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm it in the oven before serving.
Can I add other fillings?
Go for it. Applesauce in place of the fresh apples, chopped smoked salmon with the sour cream, or cheese with the latkes would all be great. For more stuffed and shaped breads, try my cinnamon apple stuffed challah or cheesy garlic bread menorah.
Latkes Stuffed Challah
Ingredients
- For challah:
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1¼ cup warm water about 110 degrees
- ½ cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
- 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
- For fillings:
- 3-4 latkes I made this whole batch and ate the rest! Half a batch would work great.
- For sour cream filling:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- For apple filling:
- 1 large Granny Smith apple diced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- 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 2 eggs, oil and remaining sugar into yeast mixture until incorporated. Then add the flour a little at a time and salt and mix into a ball. Knead until smooth, about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed (pun intended). You may not need all the flour.
- Place the dough in a warm, cleaned bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough ferment until it has doubled in size, about 2-3 hours.
- While challah is rising, make the latkes. Combine sour cream, cream cheese, flour, sugar and salt to make the sour cream filling. The cinnamon sugar apples I made right before using by tossing the peeled and diced apple in sugar and cinnamon.
- Divide the dough into three pieces and roll out and flatten each. You want the dough as flat as possible. Fill each strand with one filled- latkes, sour cream and apples. Use as much filling as you can so you have lots of filling in the challah!
- Seel up each strand, pinch the three strands at one end and carefully braid, making sure the closures are seeled well.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place challah on the paper.
- Cover and ferment another 45 minutes or so until it's light and fuffy looking (exact proofing timing for challah will depend on environmental conditions.)
- Whisk the last egg yolk with 1/2 tablespoon water and generously brush over challah. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm!
Notes
5 Comments
I looks just wonderful. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thank YOU!
[…] since mastered the technique and developed her own spins on the classic, including matcha challah, latkes-stuffed challah, and a rainbow challah that she served at her own wedding. She throws in a fun tip, too: If your […]
Can this be frozen?
I think that would work!