Ima's Challah
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Author Notes: I make challah almost every week. After trying about 5 other recipes, I've returned to my mother's tried-and-true version. (Should've known -- mom's always right!) At this point, the recipe is so familiar I practically have it memorized. The original recipe calls for white bread flour, but Ima and I have both transitioned to half white, half King Arthur's White Whole Wheat. Take your pick. Either way, my mother emailed me today to let me know that since she gave me her recipe, she's started adding a pinch of cardamom to her dough. I've included that option below. - Rivka - Rivka
Food52 Review: We've always been entranced by the golden, undulating shape of challah bread, but never felt so confident in the shaping technique as with Rivka's instructions. Her braid-flip-braid trick is ingenious -- and fun too. We let ours rise a second time after braiding for about 30 minutes (we're nervous nellies) and were pleased with the results -- it emerged from the oven grand and poufed with an airy crumb, begging to be buttered up and devoured. The cardamom registers at a bare whisper, so go for a very big pinch if you want yours well-spiced. - A&M - A&M
Serves two large challot
- 1 1/2 cup warm water, divided
- 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons instant (powdered) yeast
- 6 cups flour -- either all white or half white whole wheat
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup mild honey, plus an extra tablespoon for eggwash, if desired
- 2/3 cups flavorless vegetable or canola oil
- 4 eggs, plus one yolk for eggwash, if desired
- 1 pinch ground cardamom, optional
- Put 1 cup warm water in a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar, sprinkle the yeast over top, swirl the bowl just to combine, and leave it to proof for five minutes.
- While yeast is proofing, mix flour, salt, 1/4 cup of sugar and cardamom, if using, in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Stir to incorporate or blend on low speed.
- In a medium bowl, mix remaining water, honey, oil, and eggs.
- When yeast has finished proofing, add it to the flour, immediately followed by wet ingredients. Mix with a large wooden spoon or on medium-low speed in the mixer, just until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Switch to dough hook and begin to knead on low speed, making sure to incorporate what's at the bottom of the bowl if the dough hook misses it. If kneading by hand, stir using spoon until dough becomes to thick to stir. Empty dough onto well-floured surface and knead by hand. Knead dough until smooth and no longer sticky, adding flour with a light hand as needed, 7-10 minutes.
- Split the dough into two equal pieces. Set each in a large oiled bowl, cover both bowls with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size. If using white flour, this should take about 2-2.5 hours. If using white whole wheat, it will take closer to 3.5 or 4. Feel free to let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight instead; if you do this, be sure to set out the dough in plenty of time before shaping, so it can come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 375.
- After the rise, the dough should be soft and pliable. Separate each mound of dough into three equal balls, for a total of six. Roll each ball into a log almost 1-foot long. Braid the logs together to create your loaf. For the nicest-looking braid, do not pinch the top edges of your logs together before braiding; simply place one log over the next and braid until you reach the bottom, then pinch those edges together. Then, flip the unfinished loaf the long way, so that the unfinished edge is now at the bottom and the loaf has been flipped over and upside down. Finish braiding and pinch these edges together. This way, both ends look identical. Tuck the very tips beneath the loaf when braiding is finished. Repeat with second loaf.
- Put each loaf on its own silpat-lined baking sheet. If using eggwash, mix yolk with a 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon honey. Brush over loaves.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes, until challot are golden and baked through.
- This recipe is a Wildcard Contest Winner!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best (Savory) Yeast Bread
Tags: savory, serves a crowd, traditional
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9 days ago Ana Isabel
can i use melted butter instead of the oil?
7 days ago Rivka
I'm guessing I'm too late in answering this, but you definitely can use melted butter instead of oil.
28 days ago miriamsiony
whats the recipe if i am using a five pound bag of flour?
about 1 month ago Musicnimby
Love this recipe! I was wondering how long we can refrigerate the dough before braiding and baking... Thanks! :)
about 1 month ago Rivka
Hi there - you should be okay leaving the dough in the fridge overnight. If you want to leave it longer, you might consider cutting the yeast by 1/3 to prevent overrising.
3 months ago Aidel.K
I was googling around for a new challah recipe and happened upon this one. This is the third week I am making it--we all love it! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and enhancing our Shabbos.
3 months ago Rivka
Thanks, Aidel! Glad you're enjoying it.
3 months ago SydAnderson
First time ever making bread! Came out beautifully and the recipe was so easy to follow! You would think I was a pro.
5 months ago Yocheved
best challa!!
5 months ago cosmicbeekeeper
This is a beautiful challah bread. I have made it twice now (in high altitude) and it has turned out great. I have been told by numerous people that it is the best challah ever made. Thank you!
5 months ago Rivka
Yay!
8 months ago copa
How many ounces are equivalent to each cup of flour
Have tried the recipe once and its delicious - just want to make sure am using the correct amount of flour.
Thanks
8 months ago Rivka
Depending on whom you ask, a cup of flour equals anywhere from 3.5-5 oz. I've measured my cups a few times, and they hover around 4 oz.
5 months ago Rivka
My favorite cup measure full of AP flour weighed in at 4.1 oz, so I tend to use 4 oz of all purpose flour for 1 cup in my recipes. That said, I've seen other measurements at 4.5 or even 5 oz.
8 months ago insecureepicure
You do not mention a second rise after the braiding. Is there one or do you really just put it straight into the oven?
8 months ago Rivka
I don't typically do a second rise, but the Food52 testers did a second rise when they tested it for a wild card and it worked great. I've tried it with the second rise since then, and it makes for a slightly airier loaf. Enjoy!
9 months ago mosborn
Rivka, would it be better to use half and half AP flour with whole wheat flour or 100% bread flour? Or half bread flour and half AP? I don't have white whole wheat flour and I'm not sure what to do.
9 months ago Rivka
If you use 100% bread flour, the challah will come out fantastic. I like some whole wheat in my challah, but regular whole wheat can be pretty dense; if that's what you're using, I'd keep it to 1/3 of the total amount.
9 months ago mosborn
I used the regular whole wheat for 1/3 and it came out great. Thank you!
about 1 year ago lisa57312
This is the most delicious bread. The recipe is very forgiving and comes out perfect every time! Of course my Kitchenaid mixer does all the hard work. I love this bread...
thank you. Lisa
over 1 year ago riv
Wow, what an interesting idea! I love cardamom in almost everything, but do you think I can sneak it past the rest of my family? Is the flavor subtle or fairly distinct? They're pretty vanilla when it comes to their challah (no, not in their challah ;)
over 1 year ago midnitechef
Try adding a little, maybe 1/2 tsp, it won't be too overpowering. I've also added dried fruit or berries chopped very small, it give it a Christmastime feel.
over 1 year ago midnitechef
Very similar to my Finnish Pulla bread, it is spiked with cardamom and I like to do an eggwash and sprinkle turbino sugar on top. So delicious as a breakfast toast with butter and preserves :)
over 1 year ago naomisachs
I made a similar recipe for Rosh Hashanah using KA Bread flour and had disastrous results - so sad after all the time and effort...is all purpose flour preferred here?
over 1 year ago Rivka
oh, no - that's strange. Bread flour contains more gluten (usually in the 12-15% range), so if anything, it should produce a more well-developed dough structure. Did the dough not rise? What was the issue?
over 1 year ago TheWimpyVegetarian
This looks so beautiful! I've never made challah and it's been on my list of "to make" items for a long time. Looks like it's time to make it with your wonderful-sounding recipe! Congrats on the Wild Card pick!!!
over 1 year ago Rivka
Thanks, ChezSuzanne! Challah definitely needs to be bumped up on your must-make list. It's pretty delicious. And challah french toast is an absolute must as well.
over 1 year ago mcs3000
Ditto to what A&M wrote in the lede. Can't wait to try w/cardamom.
over 1 year ago Rivka
thanks, mcs3000 - the cardamom is pretty delicious. I'll confess to upping it myself sometimes.
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Congratulations, Rivka! This looks perfectly lovely. And the timing couldn't be better, as I was just commenting on bella s.f.'s Grand Marnier French Toast recipe the other day, saying that I need to make some challah this week, to make that French toast for Mr. T this weekend. I'm so looking forward to trying this! ;o)
over 1 year ago Rivka
I hope you like it!
over 1 year ago student epicure
beautiful -- i can't wait to try this out!
over 1 year ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Congratulations Rivka this is beautiful and I can't wait to make it.
over 1 year ago Rivka
Thanks, sdebrango, and everyone else! Really excited to see Ima's challah featured here. Shana tova to everyone celebrating!
over 1 year ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Congratulations, Rivka! What a gorgeous bread. I love challah and can't wait to try your version (with the cardamom- yum!)