First time Challah attempt- any recipe suggestions?

slushiemom ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 11:57 am

So I've never made challah before, and I'm ready to try it. White flour, no bread machine. Any simple but yummy recipes to suggest for a beginner?

TIA!

MrsDash

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 12:07 pm

The best recipe I've ever had is in the older Lubavitch cookbook (the blue one). I don't know where my copy of the book is now, but if you have it, or can find it online, you will have some tasty challah.

Good Luck!

↑ slushiemom ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 12:14 pm

hmm thanks but I dont have that cookbook... I'll see if I can find it online tho

fiddle

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 12:32 pm

hey slushie, ill send u one Smile

↑ slushiemom

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 12:37 pm

got it, thanks!

elmos

Thu, Feb 04 2010, 8:59 am

I have used the one from kosher by design for 5lbs f flour with alot of succses as long as you follow directions if you need the rcipe let me know and I will try to post it later

Mirabelle ↓

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 9:25 am

Can someone please either post or send me an easy recipe???

TIA! Very Happy

BeershevaBubby ↓

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 9:44 am

Mirabelle wrote:

Can someone please either post or send me an easy recipe???

TIA! :D

Define 'easy'.

Bread is a tricky science because of the yeast. Which is why I tend to use the kind that doesn't need 'proofing' (pouring it into a bowl of lukewarm water with sugar and salt and letting it bubble). I use dry active yeast which I add straight to the flour (1 tablespoon per pound of flour... about 3 1/2 to 4 cups).

My favorite sweet challah recipe is from the book The Secret of Challah (which I highly recommend).

Sweet SHabbat Challah

14 cups white flour (2 kilo)
4 tablespoons dry yeast
1 1/2 - 2 cups sugar
4 cups warm water
2 eggs
2/3 cup oil

Topping:
1 egg, beaten
sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)

Glaze (I don't do this part)
3/4 cup boiling water
5 tablespoons sugar

Yeilds: 6 Challot

Place flour in a large bowl and combine with salt.

Add yeast, sugar wand water and then the eggs and oil. Knead the mixture well for about 5 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add a bit more flour and knead with greased hands. The dough should be smooth and very soft, but workable.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hours, or until the dough doubles in volume.

Do Hafrashat Challah.

Knead the dough for a few minutes on a floured surface and form the Challot. It's best to work with greased hands since the dough is very soft.

Place the Challot in a pan. Cover and let them rise again in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the dough doubles in volume. IN the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with seeds and bake until the Challah turns a dark brown.

When the Challot appear to be almost done, prepare the glaze: Dissolve the sugar in boiling water. Remove the Challot from the oven and immediately spoon the boiling glaze over them. Remove the Challot from the pan so that the bottom of the Challot doesn't get soggy.

Cool on a wire rack.

Barbara

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 10:12 am

Easy as can be, delicious every time challah (from recipezaar, recipe 69874):

Makes 3 Medium size loaves

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup warm water
* 2 tablespoons vacuum packed dry yeast
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 1/2 cup oil
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 5 cups flour

Directions

1 Use a large metal/glass bowl (not plastic) and put in 1/2 cup warm water.
2. Sprinkle the yeast over the water then add 1 tbsp sugar.
3.The yeast should start foaming.
4.Warm up another half cup water and add, followed by the oil, salt, eggs and sugar.
5. Mix thoroughly wooden spoon.
6.Add flour and mix.
7.Knead the dough thoroughly for a couple of minutes (my note -- until no longer sticky) then remove from bowl.
8. Wipe bowl clean and oil it.
9.Return dough to bowl and flip over so is lightly coated.
10.Cover bowl with a towel and leave a couple of hours until dough has at least doubled in volume and then punch it down.
11Braid the dough and put on baking paper, covered.
12. Leave to rise again.
13.Brush egg and sprinkle popppy seeds or sesame seeds over the top if desired.
14.Bake at 325F for 25 minutes.

↑ Mirabelle

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 5:33 pm

Thank you thank you!!! Very Happy

Yesha, you are right, my "proofing" must be the issue.

chmom ↓

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 6:15 pm

This is very easy and always turns out great (in spite of it being a water challah)
61/2 to 7 cups flour
2 tablesp quickrise dry yeast
8 tablesp sugar
1 tablesp salt
2 1/2 cups very warm water
1/2 cup oil

mix all dry ingredients, pour water and oil in and mix until elastic dough forms. Let rest 10 mins and shape challos. put into cold oven and let rise for 1 hour. turn on oven to 350 degrees F with challos in and bake for 35-40 mins
Makes 3 medium size challos

ra_mom

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 6:19 pm

I thought Challah was supposed to have 7 ingredients, for the 7 days of the week?

kitov

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 6:23 pm

And if you're baking already, wouldn't you rather bake with 5 pounds so you can do the mitzvah of hefresh challah?

↑ chmom

Thu, Apr 08 2010, 6:31 pm

My mixer can't take more than 7 cups and my freezer is small..
I have neve heard about the 7 ingredients, where does it come from?

↑ BeershevaBubby

Fri, Apr 09 2010, 1:15 am

chmom wrote:

My mixer can't take more than 7 cups and my freezer is small..
I have neve heard about the 7 ingredients, where does it come from?

What's wrong with making it all by hand?

Tamiri

Fri, Apr 09 2010, 8:24 am

Here is the New York Times recipe that I have been using for years and years and years, after trying many others. http://www.recipelink.com/mf/2/20563. It calls for 8-8.5 cups of flour which is a kilo on a good day, slightly more on a cold/wet day. If made correctly, the dough is like silk in your hands.