Challah Recipe
Follow this easy challah recipe to bake a golden, braided bread loaf that tastes as good as it looks!
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup lukewarm water between 98°F and 105°F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk reserve the egg white for the egg-wash
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
For the wash:
- 1 reserved egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the yeast. Place the lukewarm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Stir to combine and cover with a plate or a lid. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the yeast is foamy.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt.
- Add the liquid. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the yeast mixture, and add eggs, egg yolk, and oil.
- Mix and knead. Mix everything with a spatula, then knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes or mix it in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for 6-8 minutes, or until smooth.
- Rise. Lightly coat a large bowl with oil, then place the dough in the bowl. Cover it with a clean towel and let the challah rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Prep the dough. Uncover and punch down the dough to remove air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into three equal portions. I use a kitchen scale to make sure they’re even.
- Shape the dough. Roll each portion into a 15 to 16-inch-long rope. Arrange the ropes vertically, one next to the other, then gather and squeeze them at the top.
- Braid the dough. Braid the ropes together just like you would braid hair. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then transfer the bread onto the baking sheet.
- Second rise. Dust the bread with some flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel or cloth. Let it rise for 45 minutes.
- Prepare to bake. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Make the egg wash. Whisk the reserved egg white with water until combined.
- Bake. Brush the dough with the egg wash, then transfer the bread to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Cool and serve. Remove the challah bread from the oven and cool it on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
- The yeast needs to be fresh for a perfect challah bread. If the yeast is not foamy, discard it and try with a new packet.
- For the perfect kosher bread, make sure to check the egg yolks. They mustn't have any blood spots.
- Do not substitute water with milk.
- The dough should be smooth. If the dough is sticky halfway through kneading, add some extra flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 713mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 3mg
