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We developed this bread for those who miss their Friday night Challah braids. This recipe has the distinction of being one of the few bread recipes that one actually can shape. For those who don’t know, Challah is an egg bread, very similar to brioche bread, but a bit denser. It stays very moist, for days, and is great for dunking in soups or using in bread puddings and other applications where a sturdy structure is called for. Challah is also very sweet. This makes a very large braid or two regular sized ones.
2 packets active dry yeast
3 c warm water or milk (90- 100 degrees)
Pinch of sugar for proofing yeast
2 T plus 1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 Stick butter or margarine, at room temp
4 large eggs and 1 egg yolk
5-6 cups Better Batter Gluten Free Flour
2 T milk
Egg wash:
* 2 tablespoons water or milk
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 yolk
Prepare a large cookie or baking sheet with a silicone liner (Silpat) or parchment paper. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl stir together the yeast, water, and pinch of sugar. Let stand five minutes to allow yeast to swell and dissolve. Briskly stir in sugar and salt. Then add margarine or butter, eggs, yolk and about five cups of the flour. Beat on high speed of electric stand mixer for 4 minutes. At this stage, the dough will be like sticky chocolate chip cookie dough. Divide into three or six balls, depending on desired size of finished challah.
Roll the balls on a surface dusted with JUST enough extra leftover flour, up to a cup, to make the surface of each dough ball less sticky – do not knead any flour into the ball! The interior should still be sticky. Alternately, you may use melted margarine or oil on a surface. This will give you a slightly shinier finished product, but is a little stickier to work with. Working quickly on the floured/oiled surface, “roll” each part into rope approximately 1 1/2 inches thick and 13 inches long. If you are making two smaller challah, the size of the roll will reach approximately 6 1/2 inches in length. Transfer the rolls to the prepared cookie or baking sheet.
Take three strands at a time and braid them together, starting at the middle and working toward each end, on the cookie sheet or parchment paper. The important thing to know is that you will NOT pick this up when you are done with it. Pinch and tuck the ends under and let rise about 30-50 minutes. This braid should be no thicker than 2-3 inches in height and 4 inches in width to begin. Do not allow it to fully double – look for a slightly ‘puffy’ look on the surface of the dough and very small blisters under the surface.
In a small dish prepare the egg wash. Beat the water, sugar, egg, and egg yolk until smooth and brush on the loaf. This will create a shiny and dark brown surface. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack (We like to keep it on the parchment paper or silpat when cooling it, too).
Allow to cool before slicing or tearing. This may be served slightly warm.
Can be frozen baked. If freezing let bread thaw slowly, overnight in the fridge and microwave or bake in a low oven briefly to freshen it.
Naomi – I can’t wait to try this! I had two people email this week about Challah. Thanks for sharing! Jen
I’m glad you found it! I have other variations, too, if you find this one isn’t to your liking. I do a mean sourdough challah most weeks which uses only starter instead of yeast, and of course ours is always Dairy Free (so I could suggest variations for that), and I also do a few variations on the sweetness and egg-ness using the Super Versatile Bread dough recipe and some extra eggs. Anywhoodles. Glad you found it!!!
Hi Naomi,
First I want to thank you for all of the recipes you’ve provided here. Every single one has turned out fantastic… except this one!
My batter after first rising was more like cake batter and I knew I was in trouble right away. 2 extra cups of flour didn’t even make a dent – not even close to the photo here. I probably used another 2 – 3 cups to even get it into a sticky dough that could be braided. Btw, it was still very, very wet at that point. I’m talking about getting it to a point where it would hold together enough to be rolled into strands for the braid.
Is there any advice you could give me? I’m wondering for instance if the 3 cups of water is too much. Is that perhaps a typo?
Thanks in advance. I really want to get this recipe to work.
I would love to try this bread but cant see the ingredient list or cooking directions
We’re working on figuring out what is not translating in our web code. In the meantime, accept our apology and use this copied and pasted recipe….
2 packets active dry yeast
3 c warm water (bath water warm)
2 T plus 1/2
tsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 Stick butter or margarine, at room temp
5 cups Better Batter Gluten Free Flour
4 large eggs and 1 egg yolk.
2 T milk
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper or a Silicone baking sheet (We like SIL-PAT brand.)
Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside. About 5-10 minutes, or until bubbly.
In the bowl of your mixer, combine the sugar, salt, butter, and one cup of the flour. Beat until a paste forms. Add the yeast water, then another 2 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well with each addition.
Turn mixer to high and beat for 3 minutes. Cover and set in a warm place to rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Stir down and “pour”/scrape onto a floured work surface — this dough will be like a batter at this point (a very thick, sticky one). Add JUST enough extra
flour to make a soft dough — it will feel like a very soft, sticky playdough. [WARNING: IF YOU ADD TOO MUCH FLOUR THIS WILL BE A BRICK AND DRY!!! (there is no kneading here)] and split into three parts. Working quickly, “roll” each part into rope and braid it together (I like to do this on my SIL PAT baking sheet. You can do it on your baking stone/parchment paper too. The important thing to know is that you will NOT pick this up when you are done with it.) Tuck the ends under, cover with a greased plastic wrap and let rise again (about 45 minutes).
In a small dish beat the egg yolk with the milk and if desired 1/4 tsp sugar and brush on the loaf.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack (We like to keep it on the parchment paper or silpat when cooling it, too).