Sourdough or Regular Challah?

amother

Scarlet

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 10:57 am

I totally don't understand the sourdough challah mishegoss. I'm not impressed with this kind of bread. It's rather coarse and crude, fine for tuna sandwiches at a picnic but not elegant or "shulchan hamelech" quality. It is, literally, bread that was eaten in mining camps in the 1800s. Sorry to burst your bubble, sourdough ladies.

mha3484

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 11:05 am

You could ask why putting cups of sugar, eggs, oil in bread is more shabbosdik. To me its basically starting my meal with cake. We all have different taste buds and like different flavors so calling it mishagas is kind of rude.

amother

Freesia

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 11:06 am

sorry but you just sound like you never had good authentic sourdough.
Mine has only flour starter water and salt and is extremely fluffy and airy and delicous.
It is a bit sour if you don't like that I understand otherwise it is heavenly with butter

amother

Starflower

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 11:34 am

Wow, some of you have never been taught not to yuck on someone else’s yum. If you don’t like something you say “it’s not my taste”.
We like sourdough and challah, but I feel like having both at each meal is a little too much. We’re a small family. When we have guest we serve both, but when it’s just us we have either challah or sourdough at each meal.

For the person who said it’s a fad, spelt sourdough is the only bread my gluten intolerant child can handle, so I’m not planning on stopping any time soon. When he gets a little older I’m planning to teach him how to make it, so his wife doesn’t have to if she doesn’t want to.

Comptroller

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 11:38 am

amother Starflower wrote:

That's strange, since spelt contains more gluten than wheat.

Rye contains less guten than spelt or wheat, it's around 3%, while spelt is around 11%.

Are you sure the intolerance is against gluten, and not something else, like yeast?

Comptroller

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 11:41 am

amother Scarlet wrote:

I agree that sourdough challah is a meshigaas, since sourdough is not really the kind of dough you wuold braid, and yes, the challah for shabbat is supposed to be "richer" (with white four, eggs, maybe sugar, maybe oil) than the regular weakday bread.

However, for weekdays sourdough rye bread, preferable whole grain, is excellent.
I think whole grain is easier to handle with sourdough, and the sourdough bread is really satisfying, for a few hours.

Furthermore, sourdough bread keeps humidity better and won't harden as quickly as white bread.

amother

Mint

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 11:45 am

Comptroller wrote:

I think it’s easier to digest. I can’t handle rye anymore but spelt seems to be easier. Challah also backs everything iykyk

amother

Coral

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 11:45 am

Comptroller wrote:

I have celiac, and spelt is easier on my stomach as well.

OMG!

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 4:38 pm

amother Hyssop wrote:

I like sourdough challah a lot! We splurge and buy it sometimes instead of regular challah.

I want to learn how to make it but don’t really know where to start.

Check out spice and zest. She’s amazing! She can can give you a crash course and you’ll be baking in no time like a pro!! I even sell my loaves that’s how good they are!

amother

Starflower

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 4:42 pm

Comptroller wrote:

Yes, I am sure. My child has a medical condition which makes him intolerant to gluten (not celiac).
Spelt is an ancient grain which is easier on some people’s digestive system, and if you make sourdough correctly it breaks the gluten down to almost nothing.

koalamum

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 5:47 pm

applepie wrote:

Can you please share your recipe. Sounds amazing

This is what I do:
The night before I bake, I activate 1 cup of sourdough starter with 2 cups high gluten flour and 1 and 1/2 cups warm water.
In the morning:
I take off two or three cups of white spelt flour from the bag and put it away for spelt chocolate chip cookies.
I have 2 measuring cups for warm water mixed with seltzer :
1 cup water/seltzer to activate 3 pkg dry yeast
2 and 1/2 to 3 cups warm water and seltzer
Directions:
Mix 3 eggs
3/4 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 tblsp salt
Add most of the white spelt flour alternating with warm water/seltzer. Add activated starter. Add more flour (I add high gluten) and water. Add water with yeast.
If mixture is too sticky add more flour.
Let rise an hour. Punch down and let rise 1/2 hour.
Braid. Put in pans.
Egg. (I only use yolks for brushing)
Sesame seeds and poppy seeds.
Let rise a bit in the pan.

Put challah in cold oven. Put on 400F. After 20 minutes lower to 350F.
After 35 minutes take out of pan and bake 10 more minutes.

Voila! Challah with a twist of sourdough…!
I wish I can give you some to taste! Since Covid, I started baking for my brother’s family. Just because I love to bake challah and I didn’t have guests. I haven’t stopped!

Cheiny

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 6:59 pm

amother Daphne wrote:

Sour dough is a fad which I am waiting to pass.
I make challah every week, regular traditional Ashkenazi braided challah.

I don’t think it’s a fad which will pass… it’s healthier and supposedly easier on the stomach than regular challah.

Cheiny

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 7:02 pm

amother Scarlet wrote:

It’s more healthy and it’s a lot more expensive than regular challah so I think it definitely does qualify as appropriate for the holy Shabbos.

amother

Honeydew

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 8:10 pm

Comptroller wrote:

The gluten in spelt is different than the gluten in wheat which is why some people may tolerate it more easily than wheat.

allthingsblue

Mon, Jun 24 2024, 8:16 pm

amother Freesia wrote:

Right so it tastes good with butter but my Shabbos meals are fleishig. Which is why I like regular (spelt-white mix, not too sweet) challah for Shabbos