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Authentic Challah Recipe Israel, Asia
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Typically a special occasion only bread, served for Shabbat and other holidays, challah is made with leavened egg dough which is usually shaped like a braid, but other shapes such as a round, a key, a ladder, a hand, a triangle, or an oblong are also traditional. Challah can also be classified depending on what ingredients are used. The challah of Ashkenazi Jews, considered to be the original version of the bread, will include eggs, oil, either poppy or sesame seeds, honey, and, if made specifically for Rosh Hashanah, raisins. Because sugar and eggs were scarce in North Africa and the Middle East, Sephardi Jews, season their challah with spices such as anise, caraway, cardamom, coriander, and za’atar. The bread is also enriched with either olive oil or nut oils, and orange blossom and rose water are also often added, as well as saffron and raisins. Mizrahi Jews, on the other hand, prepare a very plain challah with just a speck of sugar and with no fat. This version, which can ... Read more
Cooking tips
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dough
The typical challah dough is made with eggs, oil, and sugar, while water challah has no eggs or oil (some recipes add it though) and has only a small amount of sugar. Whatever kind of challah bread you decide to make, the dough should be twice risen, although some recipes recommend a third rise. During a second rise, when the bread is already shaped, it should be covered either with a damp cloth or ... Read more -
yeast
If using regular dry yeast, you need to activate it before use. Do that by dissolving it together with sugar in lukewarm water, then let it sit for 5-15 minutes until frothy. However, if using active dry yeast, you can skip this step and mix it immediately with other ingredients. -
braiding
First, you need to shape the strands, which you can do by simply rolling the dough between your hands. However, if you want to achieve a more uniform and clean look, press gently on each portion of dough with a rolling pin, so you get a rectangle, then using your both hands, roll the dough towards you to get a strand shape. Once you've pre-shaped the strands, cover them and let them rest, then roll ... Read more -
egg wash
When brushing challah bread with a glaze, avoid parts where the strands of dough meet, as the glaze will inhibit the rise of the loaf. The braided challah will expand during baking, revealing the parts of dough not coated with egg wash. These parts of dough will remain white if not glazed, so after 20 minutes of baking, take the challah out and apply a thin layer of egg wash down the center of the ... Read more -
baking
Because of the high sugar content, challah is baked at lower oven temperatures, up to 350°F, so the crust does not burn. Water challah, on the other hand, has no sugar and it is okay to bake it at high temperatures. -
turban challah
You can shape the so-called turban challah one of two ways. Raisins can be added to the dough, which is then rolled and shaped into a spiral loaf. Alternatively, the dough can first be rolled out into a rectangle. Raisins are then sprinkled over it, and the dough is rolled into a strand which is then shaped into a spiral. -
other shapes
Challah bread can also be shaped like a key, like an oval, a triangle, or a ladder. But you do not need to stop there, let your imagination run wild and shape your challah bread whichever way you like it. -
serving
On Shabbat, challah bread is traditionally eaten either dipped into or sprinkled with salt, while for Rosh Hashana it is dipped in honey and eaten with apples. Although Jews usually eat it with savory appetizers, you can pair the bread with anything you like. -
leftovers
If you have any leftover challah bread, don't throw it away. Use it to make a chicken salad sandwich, French toast, stuffing, or bread pudding.
Recipe variations
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Water Challah
Ready in 1h 35minProper water challah is made with no oil or eggs and with just a touch of sugar. Because the amount of sugar is low, the baking temperature is high as there is no danger of burning the outsides and ruining the crust. The following is the traditional water challah recipe, adapted from The Covenant Kitchen: Food and Wine for the New Jewish Table by Jeff and Jodie Morgan.
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Challah
Ready in 2hThe following recipe gives instructions on how to prepare authentic braided challah bread. It is made with flour, eggs, sugar, oil, water, yeast, and salt. Optionally, the bread can be sprinkled with sesame and poppy seeds. It is adapted from The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden, a food writer and cookbook author that is considered an authority on Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Jewish food.
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Water Challah with Olive Oil
Ready in 2h 10minWater challah is characterized by the dough having no oil or eggs and only a touch of sugar. However, the following recipe has a generous amount of olive oil in the dough. The recipe is courtesy of Jamie Geller, best-selling cookbook author, celebrity chef, television producer, and businesswoman also nicknamed "The Kosher Rachael Ray" and "The Queen of Kosher".
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Sephardic Challah
Ready in 1h 5minThe following recipe gives step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a Sephardic challah bread, which is eggless and flavored with olive oil, sesame, caraway, and anise seeds. It is courtesy of Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez, Canadian-American social entrepreneur of Jewish descent, founder and previously a CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen, and the author of the namesake cookbook.
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Berches
Ready in 1h 40minThe following recipe is adapted from The German-Jewish Cookbook: Recipes and History of a Cuisine by Gabrielle Rossmer Gropman and Sonya Gropman. As stated in the cookbook, "this cookbook features recipes for German-Jewish cuisine as it existed in Germany prior to World War II and as refugees later adapted it in the United States and elsewhere." Berches, unlike most challah, also has mashed potato in the dough but no eggs or oil.
Water Challah
PREP 1h
COOK 35min
READY IN 1h 35min
Proper water challah is made with no oil or eggs and with just a touch of sugar. Because the amount of sugar is low, the baking temperature is high as there is no danger of burning the outsides and ruining the crust. The following is the traditional water challah recipe, adapted from The Covenant Kitchen: Food and Wine for the New Jewish Table by Jeff and Jodie Morgan.
Ingredients
1 envelope (¼ ounce; 2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 to 2 ½ cups warm water
1 tsp sugar
4½ cups unbleached bread flour, plus more for the work surface
2½ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Step 1/7
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 2 cups of water, then let sit for 15 minutes until frothy. In the meantime, whisk flour and salt to combine. Gradually add the flour and salt mixture to the yeast, about ½ cup at a time, constantly mixing as you add. Once too dense to stir, knead by hand just until gathered into a ball. The dough should be moist and soft, so if it's too hard at this point, add ½ cup of warm water. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured working surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, adding more flour to prevent sticking, until the dough stiffs up a bit, but is still elastic.
Step 2/7
Place the dough in a bowl greased with olive oil, turning it over, so it is oiled all over. Cover with cling film and keep in a warm place for about 1½ hours until doubled in size. Punch the dough with your fist to deflate it, then cover the bowl with cling film again, and place it in a warm place, but this time for 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
Step 3/7
Once 45 minutes have passed, place the dough onto a floured working surface Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three pieces. Form the pieces of dough into 12-15-inch long strands. Braid two three-strand challah loaves.
Step 4/7
Place the loaves on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to rise.
Step 5/7
In the meantime, put the oven rack in the middle position, and set the oven to preheat to 500°F.
Step 6/7
Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400°F and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Step 7/7
Place the baked challah loaves on the wire rack to cool, then serve.
Other Variations
-
Challah
Ready in 2hThe following recipe gives instructions on how to prepare authentic braided challah bread. It is made with flour, eggs, sugar, oil, water, yeast, and salt. Optionally, the bread can be sprinkled with sesame and poppy seeds. It is adapted from The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden, a food writer and cookbook author that is considered an authority on Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Jewish food.
-
Water Challah with Olive Oil
Ready in 2h 10minWater challah is characterized by the dough having no oil or eggs and only a touch of sugar. However, the following recipe has a generous amount of olive oil in the dough. The recipe is courtesy of Jamie Geller, best-selling cookbook author, celebrity chef, television producer, and businesswoman also nicknamed "The Kosher Rachael Ray" and "The Queen of Kosher".
-
Sephardic Challah
Ready in 1h 5minThe following recipe gives step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a Sephardic challah bread, which is eggless and flavored with olive oil, sesame, caraway, and anise seeds. It is courtesy of Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez, Canadian-American social entrepreneur of Jewish descent, founder and previously a CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen, and the author of the namesake cookbook.
-
Berches
Ready in 1h 40minThe following recipe is adapted from The German-Jewish Cookbook: Recipes and History of a Cuisine by Gabrielle Rossmer Gropman and Sonya Gropman. As stated in the cookbook, "this cookbook features recipes for German-Jewish cuisine as it existed in Germany prior to World War II and as refugees later adapted it in the United States and elsewhere." Berches, unlike most challah, also has mashed potato in the dough but no eggs or oil.
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