The Perfect Challah
Prep. Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Servings
2 loafs
Difficulty
Expert
To me, when this beautiful sweet soft bread is on the table it means that Shabbat (Saturday) is here. Challah is a beautifully braided, soft, and slightly sweet bread. Its golden-brown crust is achieved with high-protein plant-based milk wash, applied right before baking, and the inside is tender and fluffy, with a subtle sweetness that complements its rich flavor. My kids absolutely ADORE this bread, and it’s usually halfway gone by the time dinner rolls around. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to make it perfectly every time. It's so versatile too! You can shape it with 3 or 6 strands, as personal rolls or a rounded loaf, with fancy nutty decoration or simply topped with sesame seeds. As with any yeast dough, the key is getting the proportions right and creating the best conditions for the yeast to do its work—warmth and a cover while it rises. Below, you’ll find a step-by-step visual tutorial for the the different shaping options. Enjoy!!!
Ingredients
26oz (750g) all-purpose flour
4oz (120mL) sunflower oil
13.5 fl.oz (400ml) warm water
2 tbsps dry yeast
1 tsp salt
6 tbsps granulated sugar
For the Top Crust
Protein-rich plant-based milk
Sesame seeds -or- various nuts/seeds: silvered almond slices, poppy seeds, white/black sesame seeds, crushed raw pistachios, pecan pieces and others.
Step by Step
To a stand mixer bowl, add the flour, yeast and sugar, and manually whisk a little, until all ingredients are consistently blended. Turn on the mixer on the lowest speed.
Gradually add the oil & water to the bowl (over a course of 30 seconds or so).
Add the salt, and let the mixer knead the dough for 10 minutes.
Pick up the dough and shape it as much as possible as a smooth pillow, and place it back in the bowl, covered with a clean table cloth, for 1 hour (if you must stop at this point, place the bowl in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours).
Remove the dough from the bowl, and place it on a clean surface. Cut the dough to 6 even pieces.
By rubbing each piece between the palms of your hands, make cylindric strands that are about 15-18 inches long.
If you know how to braid, this is exactly what you are supposed to do at this point - place each 3 strands adjacent to one another, and hold the ends of all 3 tight together so that they stick. Then, begin braiding. If you never braided before, use the illustrated steps below.
When the braided Challah is ready, let it rise again, this time for 30 minutes under a clean table cloth.
Preheat the oven to 360F/180C.
Pour protein-rich milk to a cup, and using a pastry brush, brush the challah with milk so that it is consistently moist. No need to brush the bottom.
You can 'decorate' the challah as you please (see 'Notes').
Place the challah in the pre-heated oven, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until completely golden on top.
Remove from the oven and let it cool in the open air for 30 minutes. Serve warm, or freeze it in a Ziploc gallon bag (or if it doesn't fit, wrap it with aluminum foil) to retain maximum freshness. Simply warm it back up in the oven when you want to serve it!
Notes
A popular decoration option would be to spread sesame seeds (raw) that will stick to the challah thanks to the moist you applied earlier. When I am hosting a fancy dinner, I will pull a couple of fancier toppings (see ingredients). Then, I apply a little of everything and spread it over the challah. Another decorative variation would be to shape the challah to a circle, once its braided.
Did you know? Gluten is the protein in wheat flour, and when flour is mixed with water, this protein forms long, elastic strands. During kneading, the physical motion stretches and aligns these gluten strands, allowing them to trap air bubbles and create a structure that gives the dough its elasticity and chewy texture. The more you knead, the stronger and more interconnected these gluten strands become, which results in a dough that is easier to shape and holds its structure better while rising and baking. In addition, prolonged kneading helps evenly distribute the moisture throughout the dough, ensuring that all the ingredients are well incorporated. This process also helps the dough retain gas from the active yeast, allowing it to rise properly and create a soft, light texture in the final bread.