Challah is made usually as a braided bread reserved to be eaten on the Sabbath, at festivals and on special occasions such as weddings. The challah as we know it today has its origins in Eastern Europe but its roots are in the Bible where the Jews are commanded by God to show gratitude by setting aside a portion (challah) of all the bread they make after entering the Holy Land.
The braiding itself can get quite complex with challah ‘experts’ braiding up to eight strands of dough. Three braids is your basic, four gives you an impressive full and high challah, and eight is for show-offs.
The braiding is relatively simple, best learnt from a video online if you don’t happen to have mum or granny on hand to assist.
Challah (makes one large loaf)
Ingredients:
- 500 g regular flour
- 8 g dry yeast
- 35 g sugar
- 10 g salt
- 25 g canola oil
- 1 egg
- 185 ml water
- 25 g butter
- Egg for brushing
- Sesame or poppy seeds for sprinkling, if desired
Method:
Put all dry ingredients into an electric mixer bowl, use the hook attachment and mix the dry ingredients for a minute on low speed. Put the oil, water and egg into a jug, whisk with a fork, then add to the dry ingredients a little bit at a time. Once all of the fluid is in, add the butter in small bits. Once the dough has absorbed the butter, put the mixer on medium-low speed and mix for a minimum of seven minutes, the time needed to effect a gluten net under the surface of the dough. This gluten net is what captures the CO2 and enables the loaf to rise. If mixture is too dry, add a little water; if too wet, add a little flour.
Once the dough is mixed, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and using cupped flour-dusted hands create a tightish ball by turning the dough in a circular motion. Place it back in the flour-dusted bowl and cover with a tea towel to rest and rise for 30 minutes.
Remove from bowl, and using a scale divide the dough into four equal amounts. Using a cupped hand, turn in a circular motion until tight. Set aside on a lightly dusted surface, cover with towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Gently roll each ball into a sausage shape, about 25-30 cm long, with tapered ends. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Dust the surface lightly and lightly roll each braid in turn, placing in a fan-like arrangement with one end pushed together. It’s too difficult to explain the plaiting, so best to YouTube ‘4 braid challah’ and you will find a good and clear video explanation.
Once braided, brush with egg wash, sprinkle sesame seeds on top if you desire and pop the assembly into a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes. Once baked remove to rack to cool.
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