Challah
Challah is a special Jewish bread, usually braided and baked for holidays. The word "challah" comes from the Hebrew word for "loaf," and it is said that the braided shape of the bread represents the intertwined coils of a woman's hair.
Challah recipes date back to the Middle Ages, when Jews living in Germany and France first began baking the bread. At that time, the dough was usually made with eggs, honey, and water, and it was often flavored with spices like cinnamon and cloves. Over the centuries, as Jews migrated to other parts of the world, the recipes for challah bread began to change. In Eastern Europe, for example, bakers began using oil instead of butter, and in America, some bakers started adding raisins or nuts to their challahs.
Today, there are countless variations on the traditional challah recipe. Whether you like your challah plain or filled with fruit, nuts, or chocolate, there's a recipe out there for you. So why not try your hand at baking this delicious bread the next time you celebrate a special occasion?
Advice
Making challah can seem intimidating at first, but it's actually quite simple! First, gather all of your ingredients and have them in one place before you start. This will make the process much smoother and faster. Next, make sure to knead your dough for at least 10 minutes, as this helps to develop the gluten and create a nice texture. Finally, allow your dough to rise for the recommended amount of time before baking. This will give the challah a soft, fluffy texture. With these tips, you'll be ready to make a delicious loaf of challah!
Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights
Recipes
Sephardic Challah With Whole Spices
- cornmeal
- anise
- caraway
- salt
- envelope active yeast
- raisin
- egg
- egg yolk
- 0milliliters olive oil
- honey
- sesame seed
- bread flour
Fennel and Orange-Scented Challah
- oranges juice zest
- fennel seed
- salt
- sugar
- active yeast
- vegetable
- poppy seed
- sesame seed
- egg
- all purpose flour
Maple-Glazed Vegan Water Challah (Pareve)
- soy milk
- water
- oil
- salt
- yeast
- all purpose flour
- sugar
Famous Challah
- poppy seed
- salt
- egg
- sugar
- vegetable oil
- water
- yeast
- all purpose flour
- all purpose flour
Jewish Bread Machine Challah
- water
- egg
- egg yolk
- salt
- yeast
- honey
- vegetable oil
- bread flour
- poppy seed
Challah
- sesame seed
- shortening
- sugar
- envelopes active yeast
- egg
- egg yolk
- salt
- all purpose flour
Chocolate Chip Challah Bread
- semi sweet chocolate chip
- salt
- sugar
- vegetable oil
- egg
- active yeast
- all purpose flour
Challah Bread
- envelope yeast
- salt
- sugar
- egg yolk
- milk
- egg
- all purpose flour
- water
- butter
Homemade Challah Bread with a 6 Stranded Braid
- salt
- yeast
- egg water
- honey
- egg
- water
- vegetable oil
- all purpose flour
Challah
- poppy seed
- water
- honey
- yeast
- salt
- vegetable oil
- egg
- all purpose flour
Challah Bread Recipe
- poppy seed
- salt
- egg
- sugar
- vegetable oil
- water
- yeast
- egg
- all purpose flour
Braided Round Challah
- milk
- water
- egg
- active yeast
- salt
- butter
- honey
- egg
- all purpose flour
- egg wash
Freezable French Toast Using Challah Bread
- all purpose flour
- salt
- vanilla extract
- challah loaf
- milk
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
- egg
Cranberry Challah Recipe
- active yeast
- salt
- cranberry
- sugar
- vegetable oil
- egg
- all purpose flour
Ingredient Breakdown
Insights
Staple Ingredients
- salt 67%
Rarey Ingredients
- egg 56%