I set out to make my own challah recipe and it turns out they are almost all the same. So I used Joy of Kosher’s recipe for challah and I adapted it to be more to my liking. I slightly reduced the sugar, and use a glaze that is SURE to get you a golden brown that is nothing short of perfection. And my favorite time of year calls for this beautiful round challah. See below for braiding directions & time lapse video.
If you happen to have leftovers…make some French toast!
Challah
Ingredients
- 14 g active dry yeast + 1 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoons kosher salt
- 680 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup less 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds / poppy seeds
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar in 1/3 cup of lukewarm water. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside.
- In a large bowl add the salt, flour, sugar, and 1 egg yolk.
- Check to make sure the yeast has bubbled. If not, the yeast is likely dead and you need to repeat the process with new yeast. If it has bubbled, add it to the large bowl with the flour mixture. Mix well. Add the rest of the lukewarm water (~1+ cup).
- Mix together and then add half the canola oil.
- Knead for ~10 minutes, adding the other half of the oil as you need it to make a workable dough. It should eventually become one mass.
- Loosely cover dough with the kitchen towel and let rest in the sun for 15 minutes.
- Lightly oil your hand and knead for 5 more minutes adding oil to the dough if necessary. The dough will become smooth and form a strong ball.
- Rub a little oil over the top and around the dough. Cover bowl again with the kitchen towel. If your bowl has a lid, you can seal it. If not, seal the bowl (and kitchen towel) in a garbage bag to trap in the air.
- Place in the sun until doubled in size (~1 hour).
- Lightly oil your hand. Punch dough down and knead making sure to release any air bubbles. Cover again, with the towel and bag. Let rise 1 more hour.
- 2nd round: Lightly oil your hand. Punch dough down and knead making sure to release any air bubbles.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
- Heat oven to 375F.
- Oil a 9-inch round baking pan.
- Braid the dough. (See photos below.)
- Transfer dough to baking pan.
- Mix the remaining egg yolk with the honey in a bowl. Brush over the challah. Sprinkle with the sesame/poppy seeds.
- Bake 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350F.
- Bake ~20 more minutes and check the internal temperature. You want to keep baking until internal temperature reads 190F.
- LET IT REST! 30 minutes minimum. This is the hardest part but it is well worth it.
Click here to shop my favorite thermometer!
Want to know how I braided it into a perfectly round loaf? Check out these step by step braiding instructions.
Cross each pair of parallel lines…
Now in the other direction…
Tuck the extra under the loaf…
Now for the egg wash (with honey) and sesame seeds!
Bake until internal temperature reads 190F.
To watch me braid the challah…
And add the egg wash & sesame seeds…
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