challah recipe

This sourdough challah recipe is a beautiful sourdough recipe. This easy sourdough challah recipe is the perfect use of your sourdough starter! Perfect for sandwiches, french toast, and more!

Sourdough Challah

(60 grams) warm water

eggs,

tsp (8 grams) salt

(55 grams) vegetable oil

TBSP (65 grams) mild honey OR 1/3 cup (60 grams) sugar

bread flour

Optional Toppings: sesame seeds or poppy seeds

very active,

warm water

The levain is like a bigger, specific hydration...

The levain is like a bigger, specific hydration starter. You need to use 1/2 cup of fed and active 100% hydration starter to make this stiff 50% hydration levain.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the active...

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the active 100% hydration starter with the 113 grams warm water and the 226 grams bread flour. Mix until combined. This is a stiff starter, so it will take some work to get all the flour mixed in. Do not add extra water. You might need to do a little kneading to get it to all mix in. If all the flour won’t mix in, its ok, just get as much as you can.

Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic...

Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to sit on the counter overnight 8-12 hours.

In the morning, get out a large mixing...

In the morning, get out a large mixing bowl.

In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the...

In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the 60 grams warm water, eggs, salt, vegetable oil and honey. Whisk until the salt is dissolved.

With your hands or a wooden spoon, mix...

With your hands or a wooden spoon, mix the bread flour in all at once.

When the mixture is a shaggy ball, scrape...

When the mixture is a shaggy ball, scrape it out onto your work surface.

Add the levain from the night before, and...

Add the levain from the night before, and knead until the dough is smooth (it should take about 10 minutes by hand). You might need to lightly sprinkle your counter with a small amount of flour as you knead to keep the dough from sticking. The dough will be firm and should feel almost like modeling clay and should be easy to work with even if a little bit sticky. If the dough is too firm to knead easily, add a tablespoon or two of water to it. If the dough is too wet, add a tablespoon or two of flour.

Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl...

Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Allow the dough to ferment at room temperature...

Allow the dough to ferment at room temperature for 2 hours. It will probably not rise much, if at all.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into four even balls (for...

Divide the dough into four even balls (for a four strand challah. If you want to do a 6 strange, divide the dough into 6 balls).

Roll each ball into a long thin strip...

Roll each ball into a long thin strip the same length as your baking sheet, working from the middle, out. If the dough is too elastic and keeps shrinking on you, cover the strips with a cloth and walk away for 10 minutes while the dough rests.

Place the strips on the baking sheet and...

Place the strips on the baking sheet and bring the top points together. Pinch the four strands together.

Starting with the strand on the right, pass...

Starting with the strand on the right, pass it over the next strand, under the third strand, and over the fourth strand on the left.

Repeat with the strand that is now on...

Repeat with the strand that is now on the right, passing it over, under, and over the other strands.

Continue braiding until you reach the end.

Pinch the ends together and tuck both the...

Pinch the ends together and tuck both the top and bottom under the loaf a little so you don’t see the pinched ends.

Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and...

Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow the loaf to proof until tripled in size, about 5 hours. The time it takes will depend on the temperature and humidity level in your house, if it is cooler it could take longer, and if it is warmer it could take less time. Watch the dough, not the clock. It will be fully proofed when you can gently dent it with your knuckle and the dough springs back.

Arrange the oven racks so you have one...

Arrange the oven racks so you have one in the upper third of your oven, with nothing above it.

Preheat your oven to 350 F and let...

Preheat your oven to 350 F and let it get nice and hot - at least 15-20 minutes before baking.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg...

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with a pinch of salt.

Brush the egg glaze over the loaf.

If desired, you can sprinkle the loaf with...

If desired, you can sprinkle the loaf with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, or you can leave it plain.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until...

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until well browned. After the first 20 minutes of baking, rotate the baking sheet in the oven to promote even browning. If the bread is browning too fast, tent it with foil.

Remove the bread from the baking sheet and...

Remove the bread from the baking sheet and cool completely on a wire rack. Some baking still happens while it is cooling, so make sure you wait until it is completely and totally cool before slicing it.

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.

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.

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Sourdough Challah

Basic Challah Bread Loaf

The Best Soft and Fluffy Challah Br...

Top 3 challah recipe recipes from across the web

The most viewed challah recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Sourdough Challah

Basic Challah Bread Loaf

The Best Soft and Fluffy Challah Br...

The most viewed challah recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine