The Best Challah Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best flour for challah? ›

Myrna's original recipe calls for all-purpose flour, and you can substitute that here. But I find bread flour gives the challah a nice chew without making it tough, and also helps the braided loaf maintain its shape after baking. For some novice challah makers, that braid can seem like the hardest part.

This recipe uses loads of eggs (7 yolks to be exact) and I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil when I make challah for an extra rich and intense flavor.

Challah is almost always pareve (containing neither dairy nor meat—important in the laws of Kashrut), unlike brioche and other enriched European breads, which contain butter or milk as it is typically eaten with a meat meal.

In halachic terms, challah is a mitzvah in the Torah to separate a portion of dough from the baker's batch. Any dough meeting the requirements for hafrashat challah , taking challah, must have this portion removed, or the bread baked from this dough is not considered kosher.

Butter or oil: Some challah recipes call for oil, some for butter. Mine uses butter, which gives a little richer taste. But if you want to use oil, the results are pretty similar. Honey or sugar: Most often, challah has a subtle sweetness to it.

The Second Rise, Known as Proofing

Again, the slower the rise, the more flavor your dough will develop. Be careful not to over proof your loaves; if they proof too much, the air bubbles get too big, causing them to pop and then deflate in the oven.

Once it looks like a smooth and elastic dough, STOP adding flour; too much flour will dry out the dough! Add a bit more OIL instead and your dough will be great!

Knead on medium-low speed until you have a sticky dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes. The dough may seem too wet but have faith—it's supposed to be. Dust your hands generously with flour, then scrape the sticky, elastic dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.

Why? So the challah can be dipped right after the beracha is recited. The Mishnah Berurah (167:27) explains that dipping in salt or condiments makes the first bite tasty and adds honor to the beracha.

The term “challah” is applied more widely to mean any bread used in Jewish rituals. On the eve of Shabbat, two loaves are placed on the table to reference the Jewish teaching that a double portion of manna fell from heaven on Friday to last through the Saturday Shabbat.

What temperature should challah be baked at? ›

The best baking temperature for *most* challahs is about 190°C / 365-375°F.

Challah loaves are often braided. The three strands of the braid may represent truth, peace and justice.

The dough, however, is forbidden to be eaten until the challah is separated. Therefore, challah is separated and burned, to assure that it will not be eaten.

Challah bread has a Biblical history from the time of Moses in Exodus 16, where God instructed Moses to set aside a portion of each loaf and use it as an offering to local Jewish priests. Today this tradition is still upheld where a piece of bread is burnt inside the oven before the other bread is baked.

A mythological explanation behind this practice:

As per the Kabbalah, bread, which represents life, is the symbol of divine kindness. On the other side, salt, which is bitter, is the symbol of sacred harshness. In the Hebrew language, salt is called as 'melach', and the name of bread is 'lechem'.

This is because the higher protein content of bread flour will help you create the high rise and rustic crust of an artisan style loaf. If, however, you're looking to bake a super soft brioche, you'll need to use a bread flour in the lower protein range.

Bread Flour

It's easy to find in any grocery store (again, King Arthur Flour is a favorite brand), is affordable, and adds some extra oomph and crispiness to thin crust and New York-style pizzas. It will make your crust crispy on the outside and chewy and textured on the inside.

Flour: For a tender crust, choose a low-protein flour. Pastry flour, with a protein content of about 8-10%, ranks between all-purpose flour and cake flour. All-purpose flour works just fine for pie crusts, while cake flour might lack enough protein to form a workable, elastic dough.

Strong Bread Flour is Higher in Protein

Strong bread flour is made from “hard” wheat varieties and has more protein, from 12 to 14 percent. This creates more rise and structural support in the dough, allowing the final product to lift and hold shape. It also creates a chewier texture and more browning in the crust.