Challah (Sabbath Bread)

Following are two Challah recipes, both of which I have made.

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Challah must be one of the world's most revered breads. Rich with eggs and butter (or oil, to keep it kosher with a meat based meal), shaped in various braids and coils and often gilded with a sprinkle of poppy seeds, this bread is a Sabbath staple. Though not quite as rich, it's similar to French brioche, and like brioche, it makes a wonderful toast and French toast.

Challah is usually braided; a three strand braid is common, but beautiful foru or six strand braids are almost as popular. It's prepared for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah; for that occasion, challah is formed into a round coil, symbolizing the continuity of life.

This recipe begins with making a sponge, a quick starter used in recipes that are high in sugar, in order to let the yeast get a head start.

Challah
Yield: 1 loaf, about 16 slices

Sponge:
1 C. all purpose flour
1 C. water
2 tsp. instant yeast (1 envelope from the strip
1/3 C. sugar (I used Splenda)
1/4 C. vegetable oil
2 lg. eggs plus 1 yolk (save 1 egg white for the wash, below)

Dough:
3 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp. salt

Wash:
1 egg white

1 tsp. sugar

1 T. water

poppy seeds, opt. (I used black sesame seeds)

To Make The Sponge: Mix the flour, water, and yeast together in a large bowl and let it sit for about 45 minutes.

To Make The Dough: Add the dough ingredients to the starter and mix and knead together - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - until a smooth, supple dough is formed. This dough is a pleasure to work with - smooth and silky, it almost feels as if you're rubbing your hands with lotion. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it over once to coat it lightly with oil. Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

To Shape The Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over once or twice to gently deflate it. Divide the dough into three or four pieces, dependingon what kind of braid you want to make. Roll each piece into a log; if you've got three pieces, roll each to about 24 inches; four four pieces, roll to about 18 inches each. On a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet, braid a three or four strand braid.

To Make The Wash: In a small bowl, mix together the reserved egg white, sugar, and water. Brush the loaf with this mixture, reserving some for a second wash. Cover the loaf with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it's almost doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. (I bake my breads at 350). Brush the loaf with the remaining egg wash (this will give the finished loaf a beautiful shiny crust, as well as provide "glue" for the seeds), sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the challah is lightly browned. Remove it from the oven and cool completely before slicing.

from: The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion
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Challah

Braided breads are not of Jewish origin, though most challahs for Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, are braided. Braided challahs came into popularity sometime during the fifteenth century in Ashkenazic (Central and Eastern European Jewish) communities. There are many customs and traditions surrounding this wonderful bread.

Customarily the "head" or "rosh" of the dough (a small piece of dough about the size of an olive) is separated from the mass after all the ingredients are mixed. This tradition of "taking challah" or "separating challah" is mentioned in the Bible, Numbers 15, and was originally a portion of dough offered to the temple priests. Today a small piece of dough is thrown into the oven and burnt, and the following blessing recited: "Blessed are You, Lord God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to separate challah." Some people save all of the challah offerings gathered throughout the year and burn them just before Passover when they remove all leavened bread from their homes.

The word challah - pronounced with a soft h as in ha-la-means dough and refers specifically to the bread remaining after the small piece was separated from it. (Dough has to be separated only if the bread is made from wheat, barley, maize, spelt, or oats.) Challah is usually eaten on Shabbat and other Jewish festivals, except the eight days of Passover. The custom of sprinkling challah with poppy or sesame seeds symbolizes God's offering manna in the desert. Manna did not fall on the Sabbath, but a double portion fell the day before so there would be plenty for Shabbat.

In the homes of Orthodox Jewish families, two loaves of challah are placed on an embroidered tablecloth. A cloth is placed over the loaves until after the wine is blessed. Knives on the table are covered; knives are not used to cut the challah on Shabbat. Cutting the challah with a knife-a weapon of war-is considered sacrilege.

A blessing is said over the bread, then the challah is broken and passed to each person at the table. One does not hand bread directly to another person but places a piece of bread on a plate, to symbolize that it is not from man that we receive our bread but from the hand of God. The old custom still prevails that bread should be salted just before eating to symbolize the Temple sacrifices and the sweat of sacrifice.

This traditional braided bread, eaten on Jewish Shabbat and holidays, is made from a sponge. For the sponge a few of the ingredients are mixed together without salt, which would inhibit the growth of the yeast, and allowed to rise. The sponge is the consistency of a batter. After the sponge rises, the remaining ingredients are added and the process is finished like regular dough. By creating a sponge and letting it rise, the flavors have more time to develop, and the texture is changed into a smooth, velvety crumb unlike dough made by the regular methods of just mixing, kneading, and baking. It's amazing what that one small sponge can do!

Makes 2 braids.

For the Sponge:
1 scant T. or 1 (1/4 oz.) pkg. active dry yeast
1 C. warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 T. granulated sugar1
1 C. unbleached all purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast in the water to soften. Add the sugar and flour and beat until the mixture is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 to 12 hours at room temperature. The longer the sponge sits, the more the flavor develops.

For the dough:
3 to 4 C. unbleached all purpose flour
3 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs
1/4 C. vegetable or canola oil

Add 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, eggs, and oil to the sponge. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in half.

Divide each half into thirds. Shape each piece of dough into a 20" rope.

Working with 3 ropes at a time, lay the ropes side by side. Starting in the center of the ropes, place the right rope over the middle rope (note that the right rope has now become the middle rope), then place the left rope over the middle, the right over the middle, and so on. Continue this process until the ropes are too short to braid. Pinch the ends together and tuck them under. Tuck the ends under the top of the rope also. Carefully lift and place the braid on one side of a large parchment lined or well greased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ropes and place on the other side of the baking sheet.

Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the topping:

1 lg. egg, beaten
1 T. cold water
poppy or sesame seeds, optional

Combine the beaten egg with the cold water and brush on the braids. Let sit 5 minutes and brush the braids again. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if using.

Bake for 25 minutes until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees F. Immediately remove the bread from the baking sheet and place on a rack to cool.

Note: This bread freezes nicely for up to 6 months. To serve, first thaw the bread, then reheat on a baking sheet or directly on the oven rack in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 7 to 10 minutes.

from: Celebration Breads by Betsy Oppenneer

My notes: 1) The sugar was replaced with Splenda; using about 1/2 the amount as called for 2) Kneading was done in the bowl 3) Cooking spray was used to coat the dough ball 4) I sprayed my cookie sheet with cooking spray and did my braiding on the sheet itself so I wouldn't have to try and move the dough; possibly messing it up. 5) Instead of mixing an egg with water for the topping I poured a little bit of egg beater into a spouted measuring cup, brushed the bread then poured the remaining egg back into the container. After the egg had dried a bit I then used a spray bottle on fine mist and sprayed the dough lightly then sprinkled on the sesame seeds. 8) I have never taken the internal temperature of bread. Never even heard of doing such a thing actually, so I used my normal thump the loaf with my finger to see if it was done.