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Braided Challah

Christina
Recipe makes 2 small loaves or one large loaf of Challah, which is a traditional Jewish bread. It is a soft, enriched dough, braided and topped with poppy seeds. Perfect for breakfast or celebrations.
5 from 17 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine Jewish
Servings 2 loaves
Calories 76 kcal

Equipment

  • Digital Scale
  • Whisk
  • Electric Mixer with Dough Hook
  • Bench scraper
  • Large Sheet Pan (18"x13" or 460 mm × 330 mm) lined with parchment paper

Ingredients
  

Bread Dough

  • 235 ml Warm Water (95-105 degrees)
  • 3 T Honey
  • 1.5 tsp Instant Yeast
  • 2 each Eggs
  • 65 g Butter (1/2 stick or 4 T) Melted
  • 500 g AP Flour (extra flour if needed)
  • 3 g Sea Salt (1/2 tsp)

Egg Glaze & Topping

  • 1 each Egg
  • 1 tsp Water
  • 1 T Poppy Seeds

Instructions
 

Scaling Ingredients

  • Measure all ingredients.
    Scaled Ingredients for Chocolate Twist or Challah
  • Mix honey, warm water, and yeast until dissolved. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Mixing

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together eggs and melted butter.
  • Pour yeast mixture into butter and egg mixture, add 1/3 of the flour, whisk until smooth.
  • Put bowl on electric mixer with dough hook attached.
  • Add remaining flour and salt.
  • Mix on Level 1 for 2 minutes until a ragged dough comes together and all ingredients are mixed.
  • Switch mixer to Level 2 and mix for 6 minutes more until a smooth dough is formed that sticks to the bottom of bowl but not the sides.
    Hint 1: Do not use the dough hook on a level higher than 2; it could burn out the motor on an electric mixer.
    Hint 2: You may use the window pane test to check if this dough has developed the right amount of structure, grab a piece of the dough and stretch gently, if the dough stretches without tearing, and you can see light through it, it is ready to move on.

Bulk Fermentation (first rise)

  • Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a work surface. Fold corners to center, pinch, flip over, and pull ball towards you creating friction on the work surface, turn 90 degrees and do it again, until you form a dough ball.
  • Place dough ball into a container sprayed with oil to prevent sticking. Flatten to a disk shape. This dough must rise for 2.5 times its original bulk.
    Hint: Use a clear container and mark the side of the container to where you want the dough to rise.
  • Allow dough to rise to the 2.5 times mark, about 45 - 60 minutes.

Folding (sometimes called punching)

  • Gently dump dough out on to a floured work surface.
  • Roll dough into a log shape, about 12" / 30 cm long.
    Dough rolled into a log

Dividing

  • If making one large loaf of challah, use a bench scraper to cut the dough into six equal pieces. If making two smaller loaves of bread, divide dough in half, then cut each half into six equal pieces and braid two separate loaves.
    Do not saw at the dough, just push through it so it does not tear.
    Hint: If you do not have a bench scraper, a large knife will work.
    Divided Dough

Pre-shaping or Rounding

  • Roll first segment into a long rope. Lay long ways on to sheet pan lined with parchment paper. This step always makes me think of an octopus! See image.
  • Now you are ready to braid. This may look complicated, but after a time or two, it becomes easy, so give it your best try! The good news: It still tastes amazing even if the braid is not perfect. ;-)
  • Take OUTSIDE RIGHT rope and lay it to the FAR LEFT.
  • Take OUTSIDE LEFT rope and lay it to the FAR RIGHT. See image.
  • Spread the two center ropes. Take OUTSIDE RIGHT rope and bring it to the CENTER.
  • Count LEFT two from the rope you just laid in the center, grab that rope and lay it to the FAR RIGHT.
  • Spread the two center ropes. Take OUTSIDE LEFT rope and lay it between the CENTER two ropes.
  • Count RIGHT two from the rope you just laid in the center, grab that rope and lay it to the FAR LEFT.
  • Spread the two center ropes. Take OUTSIDE RIGHT rope and lay it between the CENTER two ropes.
  • REPEAT from Step 6 until braid reaches the end. Tuck the loose ends at the top and bottom under the braided loaf to secure them.

Makeup and Panning

  • Straighten braided loaf on the sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  • Cover with sprayed plastic wrap or a linen kitchen towel.

Proofing (second rise)

  • Allow to proof for 45-60 minutes until doubled in size.
  • Mix egg and water, using pastry brush, brush glaze onto braided loaf.
  • Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Baking

  • Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C degrees, gas mark 5.
  • Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.

Cooling

  • Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting

Storing

  • When completely cool, store in plastic bag. Thanks to the addition of egg and butter, this bread remains fresh for three days.

Notes

Notes:
  1.  This recipe is scaled to make one large loaf of Challah with 30 slices.  You can divide the dough into 12 pieces and make two smaller loaves.  This works especially well if you only have small sheet pans, or if you want to keep one loaf and give one to a neighbor, or if you want to eat one and freeze one for later.
  2. This bread is particularly good for slicing and making French Toast or cutting up leftovers and making Bread Pudding.
  3. My son's favorite method of eating this bread is with Nutella spread, which makes a wonderful dessert or afternoon treat.
  4. This bread is particularly well suited for brunch as it is delicious for sandwiches or all on it's own with butter and jam.
Troubleshooting: 
  1. My yeast did not foam.  Check to ensure you are using water above 90 F degrees and below 110 F degrees; yeast will not activate or be killed outside of these temperature.
  2. My dough did not rise during the Bulk Fermentation stage.  Ensure your dough is kept in a warm location (70 degrees) so it rises to 2-2.5 times it's original mass.  In an oven with the light on is a good option, if it is very cool, add a pan of boiling water and close the oven door.
  3. My braid did not turn out.  No worries, keep practicing!  You can always do two three-strand braids and twist the two together as a shortcut but before you do that, see my video for the how-to on the six strand.
  4. My ropes are sticking together when I try to braid them.  Sprinkle or roll each rope in a bit of flour to prevent them from sticking.
  5. My braided loaf did not rise.  See troubleshooting note 2. 
  6. My bread/braid tore when it baked.  The loaf was not proofed enough before you placed it in the oven causing the oven spring to tear the loaf.
  7. The bottom of my bread burned.  Use the center oven rack.  After 30 minutes place a cold sheet pan under the pan in the oven. 
  8. My loaf browned unevenly.  All ovens bake differently, after 20 minutes turn the pan around so front and back brown evenly.
  9. My bread was dense when I cut it.  Ensure that you are kneading according to the instructions.  Because this is an enriched dough, it needs extra kneading time to develop gluten.  If kneading by hand, double the times recommended in the recipe.
  10. I do not like poppy seeds.  No worries!  Try sliced almonds or your favorite topping.
Keyword bread, breakfast bread, easy bread, enriched dough, instant yeast