Challah Bread is a Jewish braided bread usually served on Shabbat and special holidays like Rosh Hashanah, which is a Jewish new year and symbolises the circle of life.
This bread is different from other breads as the dough is enriched with eggs and oil which makes it extremely soft and Incredibly tasty.
There are many ways to braid a Challah but here I'm using a four strand method to braid a round Challah.
Here's how to make it.
Ingredients:
3.5 cups ( 500gms) Plain flour or All Purpose Flour
3 Tbsp ( 30gms) Sugar
1 Tbsp (10gms) Instant Yeast
2 Eggs + (1 egg for egg wash)
1/4 Cup (50gms) canola oil.
1Cup ( 200ml) warm water
1/2 Tsp Salt
Method:
In a mixing bowl, add sifted plain flour, yeast, salt , sugar and mix well.
Now add in two eggs, oil and warm water to flour mixture.
With a dough hook attachment knead the dough for two minutes on low speed. Use the spatula to combine the mixture and again knead the dough for 5-6 minutes untill smooth texture forms. You could also use your hands to knead the dough.
Once the dough is ready, cover it with a cling wrap and place it a warm place for an hour. Let the dough rise in double the size.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down for a minute to remove the carbob-di-oxide.
Now divide the dough in four equal parts and roll each of them in long thin strands of 28-30 cms.
To braid the challah, place two of the strands next to each other vertically. Weave the remaining two strands horizontally over and under the vertical strands. The result should look like a plus sign with no spaces between the strands. There should be two strands pointing in each direction.
For each direction, take the strand on the left and cross it over the strand on the right, leaving no space in-between the strands.
Next do the same spiralling going the opposite direction.
Repeat crossing the strands over each other, alternating directions until you run out of dough. Take the ends and pinch them together and tuck it under the loaf.
Carefully transfer the braided loaf to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Now brush the loaf with egg wash and allow it to rise for another 60 minutes untill the dough is double it's size and if you dent the dough, it should bounce back. That's when you know the dough is ready to go into the oven.
Before placing the loaf into the oven, brush again with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake the Challah at 170°c for 35-40 minutes or untill the loaf has turned into nice golden brown in colour.
Remove the Challah from the oven and allow it cool on the wire rack.
Voilla!!! Your four strand Challah is ready to be devoured.
Comments