Challah: BBA Challenge

Day 6 of the BBA Challenge is complete! We made Challah.

Challah originally referred to a sacred bread offering that was given to the priests, however, it has come to be known as an enriched bread that is special enough to be served on the Sabboth. It originated in Eastern Europe, but is now a staple in many Jewish-American homes.

Peter Reinhart gives a brief account of Challah in his book. "The braids traditionally separate the loaf into twelve distinct sections representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The use of eggs in the bread was probably a way to use up excess eggs before the strict Judaic Sabbath day of rest made it impossible to harvest the new eggs, as harvesting is one of the many activities considered work in Orthodox Jewish communities."

 

I've made challah and other braided breads before and I really enjoy it. Check out the following blogs for instructions on making similar breads.

• Transitional Whole Wheat Challah - almost whole wheat bread.
  
• Cranberry Walnut Celebration Bread - tasty as well as beautiful!

 

Traditional Challah

From Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

Makes: 1 large braided loaf, 2 smaller loaves, or 1 large double-braided celebration loaf

Ingredients:

• 18 oz (4 cups) unbleached bread flour
• 1 oz (2 T) granulated sugar
• .25 oz (1 tsp) salt
• .15 oz (1 1/3 tsp) instant yeast
• 1 oz (2 T) vegetable oil
• 3.3 oz (2 large) eggs, slightly beaten
• 1.25 oz (2 large) egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 7 to 9 oz (3/4 cup plus 2 T to 1 1/8 cups) water, at room temperature
• 2 egg whites, whisked until frothy, for egg wash
• Sesame or poppy seeds for garnish

 

Directions:

Mixing the Dough:

Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, and yolks, and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water.

I had to do this part twice because my taste tester/boyfriend was distracting me...

I ended up with 2 eggs, 2 whites and part of a yolk that slipped through the separator instead of 2 eggs and 2 yolks. I had to throw it out and start over again. It was at that point that I threw the taste tester out as well -- just kidding. I just sent him home with some other bread to enjoy. He gets one of these loaves, but he doesn't know it yet so shhhh! don't tell him.






Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture.  Mix with a spoon until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and form a ball. Add the remaining water if necessary. I switched to the Danish dough whisk at this point.





Kneading the Dough:

Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter.  Knead for about 10 minutes, sprinkling more flour if needed to make a soft, supple, but not sticky dough.





First Rise:

Lightly oil a large bowl. Form the dough into a boule and transfer to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil.




Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough ferment for 1 hour at room temperature.




Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for 2 minutes to degas.





Re-form it into a ball and return it to the bowl. Cover it again with plastic wrap and let it ferment for an additional hour. It should be at least 1 1/2 times its original size.





Shaping the Braid

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 3 equal pieces for the large braid or 6 pieces for two smaller braids. Form each of these pieces into a boule.




Cover the pieces with a towel, and let them rest on the counter for 10 minutes.





Roll out the pieces into strands, each the same length, thicker in the middle, and slightly tapered toward the ends.

I started rolling them out, then I let them rest a bit.

Then I rolled them a little bit longer in size and let them rest a bit longer.

Then I finished rolling them out to an equal length.

Braid them using the 3-braid method (refer to page 84).

Braiding the first loaf













Braid the 2nd Loaf in the same manner. Line a sheet pan with parchment and transfer the loaf or loaves to the pan.  Brush the loaves with the egg wash. After I applied the egg wash, I had a little trouble keeping the ends of the braids pinched. I kept having to fiddle with them.  Mist the loaves with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.





Second Rise:

Proof the loaves at room temperature for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the dough has grown to 1 1/2 times its original size.





Baking the Bread

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.


Brush the loaves again with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.




Bake for 20 minutes.  Then rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking for 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf.





The bread should be a rich golden brown.  When done, transfer the bread to a rack, and cool for at least an hour before slicing or serving.





The loaves looks good enough to eat but I'm not going to. These breads are gifts for Father's Day.



Thanks for joining us this week in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge. See you next time...



Stay tuned for Day 7 of the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge:

Next time, we'll be making Ciabatta. I've been wanting to make this bread. I love Italian bread. Actually, I just love bread!




Happy Baking!
Cathy