Why is this happening to my challah??

bigbird ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:37 am

I posted a while back about my challos spreading between the braids. Since then I’ve started putting in less yeast and making the challos smaller and it’s solved the problem. I think. But this is what happens now on the side of the challos. Any ideas??

Last edited by bigbird on Sun, May 05 2024, 8:39 am; edited 1 time in total

Teacher_EW ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:39 am

This looks like it got stuck to the side of the pan and got torn as it was removed. Is that what happened?

↑ bigbird ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:40 am

Teacher_EW wrote:

This looks like it got stuck to the side of the pan and got torn as it was removed. Is that what happened?

No they’re not getting stuck. It happens to all of them. It’s almost like it’s rising too much and the dough cracks when it bakes.

B'Syata D'Shmya ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:41 am

bigbird wrote:

No they’re not getting stuck. It happens to all of them. It’s almost like it’s rising too much and the dough cracks when it bakes.

Try less yeast.

↑ bigbird ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:42 am

B'Syata D'Shmya wrote:

Try less yeast.

I use instant yeast and have gone down to 2 tablespoons. How much would you recommend?

↑ Teacher_EW ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:42 am

When the challah rises in the pan, how long do you let them rise? And do you rise them covered or uncovered?

↑ bigbird ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:43 am

Teacher_EW wrote:

When the challah rises in the pan, how long do you let them rise? And do you rise them covered or uncovered?

Uncovered. About 30-45 minutes

↑ Teacher_EW ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:43 am

And how wet/ dry is your dough?

↑ Teacher_EW ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:46 am

bigbird wrote:

Uncovered. About 30-45 minutes

This can be a cause... when the dough is uncovered it develops a kind of crust/ skin that can Crack when it's rising in the oven. Try covering the challahs with a towel and garbage bag/ plastic tablecloth as they rise. See if that helps...

↑ bigbird ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:52 am

Teacher_EW wrote:

And how wet/ dry is your dough?

Not sure what this means? It’s not sticky but not completely not - if that even makes sense??

↑ bigbird ↓

Sun, May 05 2024, 8:53 am

Teacher_EW wrote:

But this is happening on the side which is not exposed?

↑ Teacher_EW

Sun, May 05 2024, 9:00 am

bigbird wrote:

But this is happening on the side which is not exposed?

I'm not sure... possibly. Because the sides are exposed until they rise and get blocked. But who knows how the texture has changed by then

wanttobehappy

Sun, May 05 2024, 9:01 am

No help but how do u post a picture?

↑ B'Syata D'Shmya

Sun, May 05 2024, 9:22 am

Teacher_EW wrote:

I agree, next time try covering...I use baking paper.t.

lkwdlady

Sun, May 05 2024, 9:35 am

I had this. I started baking my challahs on a large baking sheets instead of in individual pans. They definitely rise higher in individual pans but surprisingly they were still nice and baked more evenly in the baking sheets.

Last edited by lkwdlady on Sun, May 05 2024, 10:19 am; edited 1 time in total

ShishKabob

Sun, May 05 2024, 9:45 am

Just want to add that your challos look beautiful! So prettily braided.
I don't have any advice on that part that you're asking. I never knew it's an issue, it doesn't really happen to mine though. I cover my challos with a disposable tablecloth when it rises, maybe that's why?

ra_mom

Sun, May 05 2024, 9:48 am

To me it looks like it's the uncovered rise.

Comptroller

Sun, May 05 2024, 10:28 am

Bake without pan?
Probably the pan is too small, so it rises too high, and makes this tear when rising.
Without the pan, the problem would probably not appear.
Or take a bigger pan for a challah this size.

↑ bigbird

Sun, May 05 2024, 6:11 pm

Thank you all. I’m going to try covering it when rising in the pan. I’m not sure about a larger pan, I switched to smaller because the braids were coming apart at the top and I thought maybe they had too much room to spread.

Dolly Welsh

Sun, May 05 2024, 6:14 pm

That is called oven-spring. It is a rising that occurs when the oven heat makes the yeast rise, one last time.

I think it's fine.

But if you don't like the look, maybe let it rest before baking a bit longer. Maybe 15 minutes longer.

Beautiful bread.