Wednesday, March 31, 2010

So This is Challah . . .

When I first decided to make challah, I thought of it simply as a beautifully braided, golden loaf of bread. To me, it was a baking challenge that I wanted to conquer--just one among many other such baking challenges. Of course, not being Jewish (yeah, I confess--I'm Presbyterian), and knowing almost nothing about the mystery and symbolism of this very special bread, I approached it as I tend to approach all recipes. That is, like a little research project. First, I hunt for and examine quite a variety of formulas. Then I narrow it down to what I feel are the best choices, based on certain general criteria and, finally, I select the recipe that I'll actually use. From there I pick the day I'll do the baking, and make sure I have all the needed supplies.

What I don't typically do, however, is give a great deal of thought to the history and cultural weight that may accompany whatever it is I'm planning to prepare. Challah, though, gave me food for thought--no pun intended. You see, my older son, Charlie, happened to comment to a close friend of his, who happens to be Jewish, that I might try making challah. Interestingly, according to Charlie, this fellow--who probably knows that I bake all the time--responded with mystification and essentially remarked, "Why would she want to do that?" That's pretty much all I know about his response, but it set me thinking--thinking and wondering.

So I did a bit of extra research, because I wanted to know just what I was dealing with, and I'm glad I did. I think I understand, now, the origin of and the sentiment behind the question posed by my son's friend. I understand that this bread's history is deep, rich, and laden with symbolism. For an awful lot of people, it's not just something to eat. Not just another egg-bread recipe. It's an important part of a complete way of life. I understand that.

This is special bread, and I loved making it.

About the recipe . . .

In scouting out a recipe, there were zillions of possibilities to choose from, but in the end I figured I'd better pick something rock-solid reliable, so I opted for the challah in the 2009 book, Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day. I don't believe that this is the kind of cookbook that lets people down; I recommend it.

I chose to use honey in these loaves, versus sugar or agave nectar, and I slightly reduced the amount of vanilla in the recipe. (I think this was, in fact, the only challah recipe I saw that includes so much vanilla, let alone any vanilla at all.) The recipe also calls for no fewer than 8 to 10 egg yolks. That's a lot of eggs, but they're a big part of what characterizes this bread to begin with so they're well worth it, and they lend a lovely color to both the exterior and interior.

This challah smells glorious while it's baking, and I loved how shiny and burnished the crust looked when it came out of the oven. I kept going back into the kitchen to gaze at it as it cooled on the counter. For a first-timer with challah, I think these loaves turned out pretty well.

I reworded the instructions here and there for brevity, and within them I focused on making this with a mixer. Also, I adjusted the ingredient list to reflect the specific preferences that I chose, in cases where Reinhart offered ingredient choices. Please note, this is a recipe that requires the dough be made one day, and chilled at least overnight. The slow rise during the long chilling period brings out the best flavor.

This stuff makes fantastic toast. Fantastic.

Challah

This makes 2 large loaves.

(For a printable version of this recipe, click here!)

2 and 1/4 cups of lukewarm water (about 95 degrees)
1 and 1/2 Tbsp. instant yeast
8 to 10 egg yolks (6 oz. total)
5 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used canola)
4 and 1/2 Tbsp. honey (I used clover honey)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
7 and 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour (I used King Arthur)
4 tsp. coarse kosher salt
1 whole egg, mixed with 2 Tbsp. water, for egg wash

Combine the water and yeast in a mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to dissolve. Into this, add the yolks, oil, honey, and vanilla. Whisk lightly to break up the yolks, then add in the flour and salt. Using your mixer, with the paddle attachment, mix on the lowest speed for 2 minutes. The dough will be coarse and, per Reinhart, "shaggy" (Mine didn't look shaggy exactly, but it did look sort of rough.) Rest the dough for 5 minutes in the bowl.

Remove the paddle attachment and put the dough hook on your mixer. Mix on medium-low speed (my mixer will only do bread dough on low speed!) for 4 minutes.

Using a bowl scraper, plop the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, then dust the top of the dough with flour.

Lightly knead the dough with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking. The dough should be soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky (mine felt exactly like this, lo and behold!).


Form the dough into a ball, put it into a clean lightly-oiled bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Immediately refrigerate the dough, overnight, or for up to 4 days. (I just did the overnight thing.) It will double in size in the fridge. (Mine doubled alright, and was pressing against the top of the plastic when I went to take it out the next day.)

On the day you're ready to bake the bread:

Take the dough out of the fridge about 2 hours before you plan to bake.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Gently dump the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and, using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut it into however many pieces you will need. If you're making two simple 3-strand braided loaves, cut the dough into 2 big chunks, then cut each of those big chunks into 3 small equal-sized chunks.

Roll each piece into a cigar or torpedo shape. After doing this with each piece, go back to the first piece and roll it out further into a long rope that's 10" to 14" long. Do this with all of the pieces, and try to make them even in length.

To braid each loaf :

(There seem to be a few philosophies on how to do this; the method below is just the way I chose to do it--simple as can be, no fuss, no muss. There are countless examples available online that can show you how to do this a variety of ways, if you're interested.)


Lay three strands of dough side by side and pinch the dough strands together at the top. Braid the strands just as you would braid someone's hair, starting at the top and going down. Braid snugly but without stretching the strands too much. Pinch the ends together at the other end of the loaf and tuck the pinched edge under the loaf. Transfer each braided loaf to one of the parchment-lined baking sheets.

The photo just below is a simple 3-strand braid. The one below that, is a simple 3-strand braid that's been topped by a smaller 3-strand braid! Do it however you like!
Brush the entire surface of each loaf with the egg wash.

Let the egg-washed loaves rise at room temperature for about an hour; they will not rise very much. About halfway through the rising time, when the first coat of egg wash has mostly dried, gently brush on a second coat, being careful not to press on the dough. If you like, you can sprinkle on poppy or sesame seeds at this point (I left my plain, as you can see).

About 15 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pans. If the loaves are getting too dark too quickly, lightly lay a sheet of foil over them. Bake for another 15 minutes or so. (Mine were done quickly, since my oven can be unpredictably hot; Reinhart suggests leaving the bread in for up to 30 minutes, but if I'd done that mine would have been quite burned.) When they're done, the loaves will sound hollow when thumped and they will have reached an internal temperature of 190 degrees. (I used the thermometer to make sure mine were done; rich breads like this can look like they're done on the outside way before they're done on the inside.)

Cool the loaves on wire racks for about an hour before slicing.

(If you'd like to comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, just click on the purple COMMENTS below!)

30 comments:

Stacy said...

Beautiful! I'm a Jew and I've seen quite a few challahs in my day...job well done! Challah back!

Two Minute Takes said...

Your Challah is beautiful, I could almost smell it, your photos of it so wonderful. The toast photos made me hungry for some. I used to make bread dough, braid it and form it into a circle. When baked and cooled, I let it dry for a few days on the counter and then varathane it with several coats. Then I'd decorate it with seasonal decorations, i.e. Christmas, Easter wreaths, etc. Also did basically the same with loaves of baked bread, made great table centerpieces. If I ever make Challah I'll eat it up before I can do anything else with it!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Your challah looks perfect! I love that bread...

Cheers,

Rosa

Daydreamer Desserts said...

Just beautiful, I've never made Challah before. This is so inspiring.

Cherine said...

Great job! Your challah looks absolutely stunning!

Helen said...

This looks amazing Jane, beautiful actually! I have a recipe for Challah which is a bit long winded so I think I'll have a go at making this (when I have some spare time!)

Katrina said...

This recipe looks so amazing. You did a great job putting it together!

Susi's Kochen und Backen said...

I can't believe this was your first time. The Challah looks professional to me :o) Awesome job and makes me really want to try it myself someday.

Lisa said...

Your challah is extraordinarily beautiful. I've been making challah since I was a child..from 3braid to 6 braid, all different takes on it, and I have to say, yours is one of the best I've ever seen. I also use only yolks in my most requested challah. I love the dense, chewy texture it lends. Kudos to a fantastic challah baker :)

Taylor said...

I've been wanting to make challah for so long...yours turned out beautifully and I am inspired to try it now!

Mags @ the Other Side of 50 said...

You did an awesome job. I think challah is one of the most beautiful breads in presentation and I also love the flavor.

Hanaâ said...

Beautiful, Jane! The braid looks perfect. And I love golden color on the crust.

faithy said...

i agree, it's beautiful & so perfect!

Stella said...

Why would you want to do that? Challah is just delicious. That's why many people would want to 'do that'. I think!
This is so beautiful as always, Jane. I'm going to copy this recipe for Cauldron Boy. He is of The Tribe (smile)...

El said...

This is an exquisite loaf of bread. Beautiful tutorial. I agree. Peter Reinhart's book is the best!

Kathleen said...

Your Challah is a work of art! Beautiful job!!!

une cuillère pour les délices said...

Ouah ta brioche est magnifique!
Je découvre ton blog et je le trouve superbe!! =) Je continue même ma petite visite!
Bravo!
Bisous & Bonne journée

Alison said...

You have done a beautiful job of the Challah! I am inspired, and thank you so much!

Unknown said...

My dough did not rise? any thoughts?

www.mediterraniachef.com said...

Tried and true! I love this recipe. I didn't know if I needed 8 or 10 eggs, so to be safe, I used 9. Worked great. I actually got 2 large loaves out of it and 1 small. I made some 1 for my friend celebrating passover and 2 loves for us at Easter. This definitely doubles, if not triples in size, too. You can punch it down and let it sit again to rise one more time. Anyway, check-out the pics! I've added cranberries and a little cinnamon to the top. https://twitter.com/mediterraniacat

Brenda said...

There are a few reasons bread won't rise. I've made bread for years and the first time mine didn't work..It was the yeast..that just happens. . so I always bloom my yeast in the heated liquid with the sugar. . it will double. . if it doesn't. . start over! So for this recipe I would take 1/2 cup warmed water.(very hot to the back of the hand)and the honey and yeast. . place in a 2 cup measuring cup or larger, stir well. . let sit 10-15 minutes,it will bubble up to near a cup and 1/2, then just add with the rest of the water as directed! Or it could be your getting your water too hot, over 110-120-F it kills the yeast.

Jane said...

Hi Xia,

Jane of Jane's Sweets here! My sincere apologies on that omission from the recipe. Thanks very much for bringing it to my attention! (I will make a point to fix it in this old post). The salt should be mixed in right at the start when the yeast and flour are mixed together.

Warmly,
Jane

Unknown said...

You didn't mention where the kosher salt was needed?

Marissa said...

I got a heck of a lot of blowout or tearing. Do you know if that’s a case of overproofing? I wish I could send a picture

Jane said...

Hi Marissa,
Jane here! I think your guess is a good one. The "blowout or tearing" you mention could, in my own experience, definitely have been from letting the loaf proof too much. This richer dough doesn't rise much, as I recall, and it's tempting to give it more time and let it rise more than it actually needs to before you put it in the oven. I'm sorry your bread probably wasn't as pretty as you'd liked, but I hope it still tasted good!
Thanks so much for letting me know what your experience with this recipe was like. I truly appreciate it!
Warmly,
Jane

Kate said...

Is there a way to let rise in the fridge for a few hours if I want to bake it in the same day?

Vicki Drake said...

I made this bread this week for our Hanukkah celebration tonight. It was wonderful. I really enjoyed that the recipe was over 2 days. It made it easier to manage with the other things I needed to make. This was my first attempt at Challah and it was a success. My family has no issue telling me if things are not something I should make again and they told me to make this one again. Thanks for the recipe and I highly recommend it.

m³shelly said...

I mixed the dough up today, in an attempt to bake for a small dinner we're having tomorrow for my mother. I'm wondering if it's unusual that the dough-hook didn't do much. I followed the recipe as directed, and for the 4-minutes of using the dough-hook at low/medium speed, it seemed like it just moved around the top surface of the dough. I kept stopping the mixer, and pulling the dough ball from the bottom and sides, to attempt to get more interaction between the hook and the dough. Tomorrow will be the test I guess.
.
The dough seemed to knead just fine, and formed a relatively (not fully) smooth ball before chilling, and it seems to be starting to rise in the fridge, even though it's only been a couple hours. I will note that it made quite a sticky mess in my kitchen between steps, LOL, but I'm more of a chef than a baker.
.
I see that most comments are pretty old, so I'm not looking for a reply. I will update my comment after attempting to bake the challah tomorrow. I plan on braiding and attempting to make it look at beautiful as the author's challah. Thank you for sharing this recipe, and your experience(s) with baking.

m³shelly said...

Update: My Challah bread turned out perfect, and tasted fantastic! Thank you for sharing. It was the hit at our small family dinner.
.
I ended up sending half-loaves home with family members, who wanted more, but couldn't eat any more after our large dinner.
.
The braiding and baking wasn't an issue. I also warmed my bread up slightly before serving, but simply putting it back onto a sheet pan, from the cooling rack, and placing in an oven at 350°F for just a few minutes (≈10 min). The butter melted on the soft bread, and the crust was light and crunchy - just how I'd expect on a great, homemade bread.

Thanks again!!
m³shelly

Jane said...

Dear M3Shelly,
Thanks so, so much for your comments on this challah! I'm thrilled to hear yours turned out so beautifully. That made my day. Take care and, as they say, "Keep calm and bake!"
Warmest regards,
Jane of Jane's Sweets