8 Challah Baking Secrets

Whether you are new to baking challah or a seasoned vet, these 8 baking secrets will surely help you achieve the best challah possible!

1. Moist but malleable dough

A short rest during kneading plus a long fermentation builds a sturdy but easy-to-handle dough. A cooked flour-water (1/2 C water to 2T flour) or using only egg yolks binds up the water in the dough so that it’s moist but not sticky.

2. Rich, tender crumb

In addition to plenty of water, oil, and eggs yolks make the baked bread plush.

3. Whole wheat substitution

To make whole wheat challahs perfect, just substitute whole wheat for the white flour in any recipe you like plus another 1/4 – 1/2 cup water to the dough. Whole wheat absorbs more water than white flour does, especially during the first rise of the dough.

4. Spelt substitution

Spelt flour rises and bakes differently than wheat. Because spelt doughs are quite soft and wet, to begin with, try decreasing the water. Start by decreasing the water by 1/2 cup. Spelt doughs also require less yeast. For one kilo of wheat flour (about 2.2 lbs.), use 1 Tbsp yeast. For spelt dough, use only 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast.

*Keeping this in mind, the first rising of the dough should be the full hour or ‘until doubled in bulk’. This is what activates the gluten. After you shape it into rolls, preheat the oven to 400 F. and let the rolls rise only about 15 minutes if it’s warm inside or 20 minutes if not. Bake immediately. This should keep them from over-rising, spreading, and becoming flat.

5. Big bowl for a smooth rise

For a smooth and steady rise, make sure you place the dough in a large enough bowl with enough room for doubling. Cover dough completely, and set it in a warm spot. While it’s rising, notice the subtle changes in appearance and texture as it puffs up reaching toward the top of the bowl.

On a warm day, it will rise more quickly. On a cool day, it may feel like it’s taking forever. On particularly chilly days, turn the oven on for a couple of minutes (to get it just slightly warm), turn it off, and then place your covered bowl of dough on the door or inside to rise.

6. Yeast Magic

Every tablespoon of dry yeast (best kept in the freezer) is approximately equivalent to 1 ounce of fresh yeast. Fresh yeast needs to be activated before being used by placing it in a small bowl with extra warm but not boiling water and a bit of sugar.

To proof, cover the bowl loosely and wait about 10 minutes. It should foam and bubble. Then you add this mixture to the challah dough and knead it all together. Dry yeast can be added to the dough mixture as you are preparing it without bubbling up.

7. Easy, impressive braid

Pointing the four strands in different directions, rather than lining them up parallel to one another, makes them easier to keep track of during braiding.

8. Glossy, evenly browned mahogany exterior

Brushing an egg wash—lightly salted to make the eggs more fluid—over the braided dough encourages rich browning as the loaf bakes.

Now, as a bonus, we've included a recipe for delicious challah! Make sure to tell us how it turns out in the comment section below!

The Perfect Challah (Parve)

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes Resting time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Servings 2 large challahs or 4 "mini-sized" loaves

Equipment Stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (see notes at the very bottom for hand kneading)

Ingredients

5 cups all-purpose flour - 800g - plus more as needed
1 ¼ cup warm water - 300ml - plus more as needed
¼ cup granulated sugar or honey - 50g sugar / 60ml honey
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast* - 70g (1 packet)
3 eggs
⅓ cup neutral-flavored oil - 80ml
1 ½ Tbsp kosher salt - 25g

Instructions

Activate the yeast:

To the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), add the sugar or honey. Add 1¼ cup warm water to the measuring cup - warm, meaning it's comfortable to touch with your finger. (You can use either hot tap water, or mix ½ cup boiled water with ¾ cup cold tap water.)
Stir to combine the sugar and water (the sugar won't dissolve entirely). Add the yeast to the bowl and stir again.
Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to get foamy.

Mix the dough:

Directly on top of the foamy yeast, add the 5 cups of flour. Fit the bowl onto the stand mixer with the dough hook and set it on "stir" (the lowest setting).
With the mixer running on low, tip in the eggs, oil, and salt. Continue mixing until the ingredients are well combined.
Once the dough has started coming together, turn up the speed to 2 and let the machine knead the dough for 10 minutes. Check every few minutes to see if the dough is too wet (like a cake batter) or too dry (crumbly or thumping loudly around the bowl). The consistency of the dough will change significantly as the machine kneads it.
If the dough is too wet, add more flour to the mixer bowl, ¼ cup at a time. If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time (it doesn't need to be warm).

Leave the dough to rise:

When the dough is supple but not sticky and holds the indentation of your finger when you poke it, it is ready to proof (rise). Cover tightly with cling/beeswax wrap or a bowl lid and leave in a warm part of your kitchen, such as the inside of your (turned-off) oven.
The dough will rise slowly but should be puffed and noticeably bigger after about 2 hours rise time, up to about 5 hours.

Shape and proof:

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line one light-colored baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Turn out the proofed dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, divide the dough in half (for two loaves; for kiddush-sized, see note below).
Set aside the half you're not working on, then further subdivide the portion in front of you. For a three-strand loaf, cut it into three roughly equal pieces using the bench scraper or knife.
Roll each of the three lumps of dough into a rope about 1" / 2.5cm thick and 12" / 30cm long, thicker in the middle, and tapered at the ends.
Lay the three ropes side by side, then bring the tapered ends together and press firmly to join.
Braid (plait) the rope by bringing the right-hand strand over the middle - the rightmost strand has now become the new middle strand. Next, bring the left-hand strand over this new middle strand. Repeat until you get to the end of the braid.
Join the ends of the strands together at the bottom and tuck firmly under. Transfer loaves onto the prepared baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave to proof (rise into its final shape) for half an hour or so.

Bake the challahs:

In a small bowl, lightly beat an egg with a teaspoon of water with a fork. Carefully brush the egg wash all over the challah. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.
Bake the challah for about 35 minutes, until deep golden and well risen.

Notes * You can also use instant yeast in this recipe (but not rapid rise or fast-acting).

Taking challah: This recipe does not make enough dough to do hafrashat challah (the mitzvah of separating a piece of dough and burning it). Opinions vary about the required amount, so consult your local authority; if you double the recipe, you will have used enough flour to take challah but may or may not have used enough to require a bracha.

To make mini loaves: Divide the risen dough into four parts rather than two, then further subdivide each portion into three. Braid and bake for 25 minutes or so, until golden and puffed. This will make four small challahs: two whole ones for Shabbat dinner and two for Shabbat lunch. If you want two for each meal (six total), you'll need to double the recipe.

Making challah without a stand mixer: It's absolutely doable to knead challah dough without a stand mixer (I did for the first few years!). Mix the dough with a wooden spoon or spatula until it begins to hold together. Then, in a large bowl or a floured work surface, turn and knead the dough by hand until it is supple and smooth. It takes about 7 to 10 minutes and it won't be as smooth as machine-kneaded dough, but it will be plenty festive and delicious. (adapted from www.24six.net)