Our Baking Club is baking their way through Uri Scheft's Breaking Breads all month long, and so far, three breads are rising (heh) to the top of everyone's to-bake lists: challah , focaccia , and kubaneh . Read on to see photos from our club members and get Scheft's recipes for them, too.
However, if you join our Baking Club, you can get more than just recipes—Uri Scheft himself has joined and is taking questions from the group. Lindsay Sowa asked, "What would you suggest as a good recipe to start with as an introduction to your book, that will help bakers familiarize themselves with your writing style and instruction?" Scheft enthusiastically replied, "Challah!" So you especially won't want to miss his recently shared recipe for Sticky Pull-Apart Challah Braid .
Want to get in on the action and ask Scheft a question yourself? Head here .
Photo by Yukako Asai
Photo by Solveig Malvik
Ingredients
Challah Bread Dough (1/2 recipe—about 1 3/4 pounds—challah dough)
400
grams (1 2/3 cups) cool room-temperature water
40
grams (3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) fresh yeast OR 15 grams (1 tablespoon plus 1 3/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1
kilo (7 cups) all-purpose flour (sifted, 11.7%), plus extra for shaping
2
large eggs
100
grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
15
grams (1 tablespoon) fine salt
75
grams (5 tablespoons) sunflower oil or canola oil or unsalted butter (at room temperature)
400
grams (1 2/3 cups) cool room-temperature water
40
grams (3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) fresh yeast OR 15 grams (1 tablespoon plus 1 3/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1
kilo (7 cups) all-purpose flour (sifted, 11.7%), plus extra for shaping
2
large eggs
100
grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
15
grams (1 tablespoon) fine salt
75
grams (5 tablespoons) sunflower oil or canola oil or unsalted butter (at room temperature)
Cinnamon-Sugar Filling, Egg Wash, & Simple Syrup
CINNAMON-SUGAR FILLING
200
grams (1 stick plus 5 tablespoons) unsalted butter (at cool room temperature)
150
grams (3/4 cup, packed) dark brown sugar
100
grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
5
grams (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
EGG WASH
1
large egg
1
tablespoon water
1
pinch fine salt
SIMPLE SYRUP
160
grams (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
120
grams (1/2 cup) water
CINNAMON-SUGAR FILLING
200
grams (1 stick plus 5 tablespoons) unsalted butter (at cool room temperature)
150
grams (3/4 cup, packed) dark brown sugar
100
grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
5
grams (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
EGG WASH
1
large egg
1
tablespoon water
1
pinch fine salt
SIMPLE SYRUP
160
grams (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
120
grams (1/2 cup) water
Photo by Stanca Lucaciu
Photo by Joy Huang
Ingredients
680
grams (3 cups) cool room-temperature water
10
grams (1 1/4 tablespoons) fresh yeast or or 3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) active dry yeast
850
grams (6 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour (sifted, 11.7%) or “00” pizza flour, plus lots of extra flour for dusting and kneading
10
grams (2 teaspoons) sugar
10
grams (2 teaspoons) fine salt
Extra-virgin olive oil as needed
Fresh oregano, as needed, finely chopped
Sesame seeds, as needed
Coarse salt, as needed
680
grams (3 cups) cool room-temperature water
10
grams (1 1/4 tablespoons) fresh yeast or or 3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) active dry yeast
850
grams (6 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour (sifted, 11.7%) or “00” pizza flour, plus lots of extra flour for dusting and kneading
10
grams (2 teaspoons) sugar
10
grams (2 teaspoons) fine salt
Extra-virgin olive oil as needed
Fresh oregano, as needed, finely chopped
Sesame seeds, as needed
Coarse salt, as needed
Photo by Brooke Baldi
Photo by Oliver Randall III
Photo by Joyce Wah
Ingredients
290
grams (1 1/4 cups) cool room-temperature water
20
grams (2 1/2 tablespoons) fresh yeast or 8 grams (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
500
grams (4 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted, plus extra for shaping
60
grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
20
grams (1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) fine salt
150
grams (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
290
grams (1 1/4 cups) cool room-temperature water
20
grams (2 1/2 tablespoons) fresh yeast or 8 grams (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
500
grams (4 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted, plus extra for shaping
60
grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
20
grams (1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) fine salt
150
grams (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
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