challah bread

This recipe is proof-positive that leftover bread can easily be converted to dessert without much work. 

There’s room for customization here: consider adding fresh or dried fruit or a combination of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom. 

It makes a great brunch dish, served with fresh fruit compote. Or add a handful of chocolate chips before baking for a decidedly more decadent outcome.

Simple Bread Pudding

milk

unsalted

vanilla extract

sugar

salt

sweet egg bread

eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla, sugar and salt. Continue cooking just until butter melts; cool. Meanwhile, butter a 4-to-6-cup baking dish and fill it with cubed bread.

Add eggs to cooled milk mixture and whisk; pour mixture over bread. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges of bread have browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This Challah Bread recipe makes two of the best, most gorgeous braided loaves you will ever eat!  Enjoy one loaf warm from the oven and save the other loaf for French toast a few days later!

Best Challah Bread Recipe

water

active dry yeast

sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra for proofing the yeast

vegetable oil

eggs,

all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading/dusting

Sesame seeds,

Proof the yeast by dissolving it the warm...

Proof the yeast by dissolving it the warm water with the tablespoon of sugar In a large bowl until foamy, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the oil and 4 of the eggs (reserve 1 egg for an egg wash after braiding), with the remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time, to make a soft dough.  My standard size KitchenAid mixer can't quite handle this much dough so I pretty much always finish kneading by hand by turning the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneading until smooth.

Clean out and lightly oil the bowl before...

Clean out and lightly oil the bowl before returning the dough to it..  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the challah dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about an hour, until almost doubled in size. Punch the dough down (literally, just stick your fist right into the center of the dough and push it down), then cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise again for another half hour.

To form the 6-strand challah braid, divide the...

To form the 6-strand challah braid, divide the dough in half for two loaves on a clean surface.  Divide each half into 6 equally sized portions and roll the balls of dough into 6 equally sized strands, each about 16 inches long.  Place the strands side by side and pinch the tops together.

Starting with the outside right strand, move it...

Starting with the outside right strand, move it over 2 strands to the left.  Then take the second strand from the left and move it all the way across to the far right.  Next, take the outside left strand and move it over 2 strands to the right.  Then move the second strand from the right over to the far left.  Repeat the pattern by starting again with the outside right strand being moved over 2 strands to the left, and so on until you have a long, braided loaf.

Tuck the end of the braid underneath the...

Tuck the end of the braid underneath the loaf to secure it.  Your braid is likely to be fairly long and skinny at this point, and that's completely normal.  To finish shaping the loaf, you need to plump it a bit into more of a loaf shape by sort of lifting and smooshing the braid in on itself a bit and wiggling it a bit to make the loaf a bit shorter, wider, and even from top to bottom.  The braid shouldn't come undone - you are just evening out the shape here to make your loaf look nice.  This step can be done as you are transferring the braid from the surface where you formed it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Repeat steps 4 & 5 with the remaining...

Repeat steps 4 & 5 with the remaining half of the dough for the second loaf.  Place the braided loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet lined with at least 2 inches in between them so they don't touch as they rise.  Beat the remaining egg and brush half of it on loaves using a pastry brush.  Be sure to get in the crevices of the braid and down the sides of the loaves.  Allow the loaves to rise another hour in a warm place, then brush again with the remainder of the egg wash.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using (I almost always skip them, but it would make the loaf even more traditional).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees then bake...

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees then bake the challah for 30-35 minutes until golden brown (or when the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).  Eat one loaf warm with butter for dinner and save the other loaf for the most delicious french toast ever!

Thick slices of soft challah bread make for superior French toast, with a plush, custardy center and golden, crisp edges. This version has extra egg yolks for added richness, and a dash of cardamom for spice. Cinnamon-sugar is sprinkled on top of the challah slices as they cook, caramelizing and glazing them (though you can skip this step, if you want). If you want to work ahead, soak the challah slices in the custard mixture the night before, storing everything in the fridge, then add a few extra minutes onto the cooking time to make sure the centers are cooked through.

Challah French Toast With Cinnamon-Sugar Glaze

heavy cream

eggs egg

lemon

cardamom

challah bread (about 1 pound), cut into 1 1/4-inch slices

unsalted butter, plus more as needed

cinnamon

Maple syrup

Cherry or other jam

Whipped mascarpone or crème fraîche

Berries

bananas

pineapple chunks

Mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs and egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest (if using), 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and salt.

Arrange challah slices in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour custard on top, and let sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes, so the bread can absorb the custard, carefully flipping bread slices halfway through.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cardamom. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium, then add 2 tablespoons butter and let it melt. Place 2 to 3 pieces soaked challah in skillet, making sure to not crowd the pan. Cook until golden on bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.

Sprinkle a little of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of each slice, then flip and cook until bottom is glazed and browned, another 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates, glazed-side up. Repeat with remaining butter, challah and cinnamon sugar. Serve warm, with your choice of toppings.

Challah Bread is a rich and fluffy loaf full of flavor. A Jewish traditional loaf, this incredible bread is going to be a favorite in your family baking!

Challah Bread

all purpose flour

brown sugar

dry active yeast

eggs

Vegetable oil

egg egg wash)

Poppy Seeds (optional)

Sesame Seeds (optional)

Mix 4 cups of flour with the other dry ingredients together in bowl of stand mixer.

Add the wet ingredients (make sure the water is just barely warm—don’t kill the yeast!) and mix at medium low speed with dough hook until combined. If the dough is still sticky, add the additional ¼ cup of flour. Scrape the bowl to make sure all the flour is incorporated.

Mix at low speed until smooth, about five minutes.

Once smooth, dump dough on a lightly floured counter and gently form into a ball. Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise.

Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Making the dough

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.

Using a sharp knife or pizza roller, cut the dough into two equal sections and using your hands, very gently roll into a large log about 12 inches long. From here you can cut each log into either 6 strands or 3, depending on your preference, but keep them attached at one end (see photo for example).

Being careful to handle the dough gently and not stretch out the strands of dough, braid the strands together in a traditional 3 strand braid or a 6 strand braid (see photo for step-by-step example). Once the strands are too short to continue braiding, pinch together and tuck under to form the end of the loaf. The top of the loaf can be pinched and tucked to match.

Place the loaf on a greased baking sheet or parchment lined baking sheet.

Mix a little water (about a teaspoon) with the egg yolk and use a pastry brush to coat the dough evenly. Sprinkle on optional sesame seeds or poppy seeds.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Forming the braid

Basic Challah Bread Loaf

Cups AP Flour ((500 g / 18 oz))

TBS Dry yeast ((10 g / 0.3 oz))

TBS Vegetable oil

Salt

Large Egg

Cup Lukewarm water

Egg, well beaten for egg wash

In a large bowl or a bowl of a standing mixer sift the flour then add yeast, sugar, salt, oil, and egg.

Drizzle in 1 cup of water and using a wooding spoon (or your hands) mix the ingredients into a shaggy mass.

Remove any access dough from the wooden spoon and keep kneading the dough with your hands until soft and smooth. About 5-7 minutes.

Place the dough back in the dough, spray with oil spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plastic bag.

Allow the dough to rest and rise for about 3-4 hours.

Remove dough from the bowl and release air. Divide dough into 6 or 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 12&quot; log.

Braid 2 challahs and place each challah in a greased 8&quot; loaf pan.

Brush loaves with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds and let rest and rise for about 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400F and bake loaves for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and keep baking for an additional 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and remove loaves from the pan. Place on a cooling rack.

With a crackling, caramelized brown sugar topping, these custardy slices of French toast resemble crème brûlée. Start them soaking the night before, then pop them in the oven in the morning for one of the most decadent brunches imaginable. Even better, you can <a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016900-glazed-bacon">bake a pan of bacon</a> at the same time. Just keep your eye on it; depending upon its thickness, the bacon might be done a few minutes sooner than the French toast. Then serve the French toast with more of the pan syrup spooned on top. But skip the maple syrup, which would be overkill.

Crème Brûlée French Toast

large eggs plus 2 yolks (or 6 whole eggs)

heavy cream (or use more milk)

dark rum or orange juice

nutmeg

unsalted butter, melted

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, rum, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Spread bread out in 1 layer on a large rimmed baking sheet (about 11 by 17 inches). Pour custard over bread, cover with plastic wrap, and let soak in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Flip bread slices over once while they soak. This can be halfway through the soaking, or about an hour before baking, whichever is more convenient.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and butter. Pour mixture onto another large rimmed baking sheet, using a spatula if necessary to spread into an even layer.

Transfer soaked bread to sugared baking sheet, placing slices on top of the brown sugar mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and sugar is bubbling.

Serve immediately while still hot, with the crunchy brown sugar side up, spooning more of pan syrup over the top.

Melissa Clark soaks challah bread in heavy cream, rum and spices to make French toast.

This Challah Bread recipe is the absolute BEST. The bread bakes up the way it's supposed to with that airy, soft interior and golden brown crust.

The Best Soft and Fluffy Challah Bread

(118 ml) water

(24 grams) bread flour

(59 ml) water

(30 ml) vegetable oil

(344 grams) bread flour

yeast yeast

(50 grams) granulated sugar

(5 grams) kosher salt

Vegetable oil spray

kosher salt

(6 grams) sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)

Whisk water and flour in bowl until no lumps remain.

Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms a mound when dropped from the end of a whisk into the bowl, about 40 to 80 seconds.

Make the Flour Paste:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour paste from Step 1, egg and yolks, water, and oil until well combined.

Add flour and yeast. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 3 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Add the sugar and salt to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 9 minutes (dough will be quite firm and dry).

Transfer dough to counter and lightly spray now-empty mixer bowl with vegetable oil spray. Knead the dough briefly to form a ball and return it to the oiled bowl. Lightly spray the dough with vegetable oil spray and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until about doubled in volume, about 1 ½ hours.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and nest in a second rimmed baking sheet to prevent the bottom of the bread from getting too browned or burnt.

Transfer the dough to a clean counter and press into an 8-inch square, expelling as much air as possible.

Cut the dough in half lengthwise to form 2 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise to form 4 equal strips of dough. Roll 1 strip of dough into a 16-inch rope. Continue rolling, tapering ends, until rope is 18 inches long. Repeat with remaining dough strips. Arrange ropes in plus-sign shape, with the end ends overlapping in the center by ½ inch. Firmly press the center of the plus sign in the center to seal the ropes to each other and to the counter.

Make the Dough:

Lift the rope at 12 o’clock, bring over the center, and place in the 5 o’clock position. Lift the rope at 6 o’clock, bring over the center, and place in the 12 o’clock position. Lift the rope at 9 o’clock, bring over the center, and place in the 4 o’clock position. Life the rope at 3 o’clock and, working toward yourself, bring over the braid and place in the 8 o’clock position. Adjust ropes so they are at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions.

Repeat these steps, working toward yourself, until you can no longer braid. The loaf will naturally list to one side. Pinch the ends of the rope together and tuck both ends under the braid. Carefully transfer the braid to the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough does not spring back fully when gently pressed with your knuckle, about 3 hours.

Braid Dough:

Thirty Minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together egg and salt. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if using.

Make the Egg Wash:

Bake until the loaf is deep golden brown and registers at least 195 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 20 minutes. Transfer baked loaf to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours.

Bake:

Learn how to braid a 4-strand challah dough recipe from America&#039;s Test Kitchen.

How to Braid a 4-Strand Challah

Soft and cakelike challah makes for a deluxe bread pudding. This one is shot through with cubes of apples caramelized in honey, then topped with sliced almonds for crunch. You can assemble the pudding up to two days ahead of time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Then pop it into the oven an hour or two before you want to serve it, adding a few minutes onto the baking time. It’s best served warm, when the apples are at their most jamlike. But leftovers served cold from the fridge make a terrific breakfast.

Honey-Apple Bread Pudding

unsalted butter,

challah loaf,

honey

apples

vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped

half-and-half cream

almonds

Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or large gratin dish.

On a rimmed baking sheet, spread bread in an even layer. Toast, tossing once or twice, until dried out and light golden, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat honey in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and cook until it caramelizes, about 5 minutes — you’ll be able to tell when it begins to brown and smells nutty.

Remove from heat and stir in butter until it melts, then stir in apples, vanilla seeds and pod, and a pinch of salt. Return to medium-high heat, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until apples are soft and liquid has mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer apples and any liquid to a large bowl.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together half-and-half, milk, eggs and yolks, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gently toss in bread and half the cooked apples (reserve the other half for later). Scrape into prepared baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove foil, and spoon remaining apples on top in an even layer. Drizzle or scrape any reserved apple liquid all over the top, then top with almonds. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, until almonds are toasted and pudding is set but not dry, another 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool for at least 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve, preferably warm.

<p>This is my new favorite breakfast casserole. Easy to mix up the night before with challah bread, sausage, and loads of cheese. It bakes up golden brown and beautiful. YUM.</p>


Challah Breakfast Casserole

sweet Italian sausage

olive oil

shallot,

challah bread, toasted

gouda (or Gruyere) cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

scallions, garnish

This is THE BEST gluten free challah bread you’ll ever try, and it’s super easy to make! It’s pillowy-soft and fluffy, with a deliciously rich, slightly sweet flavour. And the gluten free dough handles beautifully: you can easily braid your challah without having to worry about it tearing or cracking. 

Gluten Free Challah Bread

345 g (1¼ cups + 3 tbsp) lukewarm water

215 g (1¾ cups + 2 tbsp) tapioca starch

135 g (1 cup) millet flour,

flour

g (¼ cup) caster/superfine sugar

g (2 tsp) baking powder

g (2½ tsp) xanthan gum

g (1¼ tsp) salt

US large/UK medium egg, room temperature

US large/UK medium egg yolks, room temperature

g (3 tbsp) sunflower oil,

US large/UK medium egg, whisked, for egg wash

sesame seeds,

I recommend making the dough using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, but you can also make it by hand.

Make the psyllium gel: In a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (if using), whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, oat flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix it together  with a tablespoon of the sugar and 120g (½ cup) of the water listed in the recipe (note that that means you&#39;ll use less water to make the psyllium gel). Set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the wet ingredients.

Add the egg, two egg yolks and oil to the psyllium gel and mix well to combine.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel-egg mixture.

Knead the dough until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 4-5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 6-8 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour.Tip: This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to a beautiful gluten free challah.

The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a lightly floured surface so it shouldn’t be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the final challah too dense and dry.Tip: If you find the dough too sticky to easily handle (even on a floured surface and with floured hands), you can chill it in the fridge for about 1 hour before proceeding to the next step. This will make the dough firmer, less sticky, and therefore easier to handle.

Making the dough:

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball, then divide it into four equal portions, each should weigh about 250g.

Take one portion of the dough and shape it into a ball (keep the others covered with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film or a clean dish towel to prevent them from drying out).Roll it out into a rough rectangle – the exact dimensions don’t really matter, aim for a size of about 8x5 inches (20x12cm).Working along the wider end, fold the dough over itself and press down gently to seal. Continue folding the dough over itself (and pressing down to seal), you’re essentially rolling it up into an approximately 8-inch (20cm) log. Pinch the seam together to seal it.

Use the palms of your hands to roll the dough back and forth until you reach a length of about 15-16 inches (38-40cm). While you’re rolling it, make sure that you also create a slightly tapered shape, with the ends of the rope/strand slightly narrower than the middle.

Repeat with the other three portions of dough, until you get four 15-16-inch (38-40cm) ropes or strands. Transfer them to a large sheet of parchment/baking paper – you’ll braid the challah on the paper, it’ll make it easier to transfer it to the baking sheet.

Braid the four-strand challah loaf. Always start with the strand farthest to the right and and weave it towards the left through the other strands using the pattern: over-under-over. Repeat this pattern, always starting with the strand farthest to the right, until you have a fully braided loaf.Note that gluten free dough is a bit more fragile than regular dough made from wheat flour, so you do have to be a bit more gentle with it. I usually start braiding at the top third of the braid, braid towards the bottom, then rotate the challah by 180 degrees and finish off the other end – this tends to give me the prettiest end result. (See the blog post for detailed step-by-step photos of the braiding process.)Once you’ve finished the braid, tuck the ends underneath the braided loaf for a more polished final look.

Shaping &amp; braiding:

Use the parchment/baking paper underneath to transfer the challah onto a large baking sheet (trim the paper as needed to make it fit the baking sheet).

Lightly cover the challah with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film (to prevent it from drying out) and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Tip: If your kitchen is on the cold side, put a cup of boiling hot water into your (turned-off) oven – that will create the perfect warm, slightly humid proofing environment.

Proofing:

Top 11 challah bread recipes from across the web

The most viewed challah bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Simple Bread Pudding

Best Challah Bread Recipe

Challah French Toast With Cinnamon-...

Challah Bread

Basic Challah Bread Loaf

Crème Brûlée French Toast

The Best Soft and Fluffy Challah Br...

Honey-Apple Bread Pudding

Challah Breakfast Casserole

Gluten Free Challah Bread

French Toast Bread

Top 11 challah bread recipes from across the web

The most viewed challah bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Simple Bread Pudding

Best Challah Bread Recipe

Challah French Toast With Cinnamon-...

Challah Bread

Basic Challah Bread Loaf

Crème Brûlée French Toast

The Best Soft and Fluffy Challah Br...

Honey-Apple Bread Pudding

Challah Breakfast Casserole

Gluten Free Challah Bread

French Toast Bread

The most viewed challah bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine