Honey Challah Bread With Currants Recipes

CHALLAH CROWNS

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, sugar, and yeast together in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
• Whisk the water and honey with 1 whole egg, all the yolks, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl and pour into the well. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon to make a soft, shaggy, moist dough. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand, adding up to 3/4 cup more flour as needed, until the dough is soft and supple, about 8 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with oil and turn dough around in bowl to coat lightly. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly to release excess air, re-shape into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Line 2 baking sheet pans with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. Lightly dust hands with flour and roll each portion of dough into a 30-inch-long log. (If dough resists, then cover and let rest for 5 or 10 minutes before shaping). Spiral each length of dough around itself to form a coiled round loaf on the prepared pans. Lightly stretch the end of the coil and moisten it with water; gently press the end into the side of the round to seal the coil into a loaf. Press down on the loaves gently, cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Beat the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and brush loaves evenly with it; sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Put the loaves in the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 400 degrees, and bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the crown registers 190 degrees F, about 30 to 35 minutes.

HONEY WHOLE WHEAT CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix yeast, warm water and 1 cup of bread flour into a thin batter, and let stand until the mixture shows frothy bubbles, about 10 minutes. Stir in vegetable oil, honey, 3 eggs, and salt until well combined. Beat in 2 more cups of bread flour and the whole wheat flour, alternating flours by cupfuls, until the dough is too stiff to stir in more flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour if needed to form a slightly sticky dough. Form the dough into a round shape. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, knead it a few times to remove some of the bubbles, and cut it into 3 equal-sized pieces. Cut the first piece into 3 equal parts. Set the rest of the dough aside under a cloth to prevent drying out while you braid the first loaf.
• Working on a floured surface, roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right, move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left, and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding, alternating sides each time, until the loaf is braided, and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look. Repeat for the other 2 loaves, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl, and brush the egg mixture over the braided challah loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are a deep golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.

MY CHALLAH

Steps:

• Mixing the yeast slurry
• In a large bowl, whisk together the yeast and 1/4 cup (30 grams/1.1 ounces) of the flour, then whisk in the warm water until smooth. Let the yeast slurry stand uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes, or until it begins to ferment and puff up slightly.
• Mixing the dough
• Whisk the 3 eggs, salt, oil, and honey (measure the oil first, then use the same cup for measuring the honey - the oil will coat the cup and let the honey just slip right out) or sugar into the puffed yeast slurry until the eggs are well incorporated and the salt has dissolved. With your hands or a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining 3 1/4 cups (445 grams/15.7 ounces) flour all at once. When the mixture is a shaggy ball, scrape it out onto your work surface and knead it until smooth, no more than 5 minutes. (Soak the mixing bowl in hot water now to clean and warm it for fermenting the dough.) This dough is very firm and should feel almost like modeling clay. If the dough is too firm to knead easily, add a tablespoon or two of water to it; if it seems too wet, add a few tablespoons flour.
• The dough should feel smooth and very firm but be easy to knead.
• Fermenting the dough
• Place the dough in the warm cleaned bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. (Or, the dough can be refrigerated right after kneading, them removed from the refrigerator to finish fermenting up to 24 hours later.) Let the dough ferment until it has at least doubled in bulk, about 2 hours, depending on the temperature in your kitchen. (If the dough has been refrigerated, it may take an extra 30 to 60 minutes to ferment.)
• Shaping and proofing the dough
• Line one or two large baking sheets, depending on how many breads you are making, with parchment paper or oil them. Divide the dough into two 15-ounce(430-gram) portions for loaves, one 1 1/2 pound (680-gram) portion for a large loaf and three small pieces for rolls (the easiest way to do this without a scale is to divide the dough into quarters and use one quarter for the rolls and the rest for the large loaf), or fourteen 2-ounce (60-gram) portions for rolls. To make a New Year's spiral*, roll each portion into a long, even strand, preferably sheeting it out first.
• For each portion:
• For a flat spiral, make a very loose spiral of dough on the prepared sheet, starting at the center and winding the dough around, leaving space between the loops, and tuck the end of the strand under.
• For a high-rising spiral, wind the dough tightly around on the prepared sheet, without leaving any space between the loops, and be sure that the last loop is bound with a bit of tension. This will force the dough to rise in the center as it is proofing and especially during the oven rise.
• If you would like to make the bird's head, before making a long strand, pull off and shape a small round from the dough. Set the round on the spiral, using a little water to help it stick. When the dough is fully proofed, pinch out a beak shape and use your finger to push in dimples for eyes, or use raisins or currants for the eyes.
• Cover the loaves well with plastic wrap. (At this point, they can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Let them proof until tripled in size, about 2 hours (or up to 3 hours if the loaves were refrigerated).
• Meanwhile, 30 minutes before baking, arrange the oven racks in the lower and upper third portions if using two baking sheets, or arrange one rack in the upper third position if using one sheet, and remove any racks above them. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C/gas mark 3). If desired, you can preheat one or two baking sheets to double with the baking sheet(s) the loaves are in. Beat the remaining egg with a pinch of salt for glazing the breads.
• Baking the loaves
• When the loaves have tripled and do not push back when gently pressed with your finger but remain indented, brush them with the egg glaze. Bake rolls for about 15 to 20 minutes, the 15-ounce (430-gram) loaves for 25 to 35 minutes, or the 1 1/2-pound (680-gram) loaf for 35 to 45 minutes, until very well browned. After the first 20 minutes of baking, switch the loaves from front to back so that they brown evenly; if the large loaf is browning too quickly, tent it with foil. When the loaves are done, remove them from the oven and let cool on a rack.
• *According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, the New Year's spiral is a shape with a Ukranian origin, originally a bird shape with the center of the spiral culminating in a bird's head: "The bird's head symbolizes the phrase in Isaiah 31:5 'As birds hovering, so will the Lord of Hosts protect Jerusalem'" - which helps to explain why this spiral shape would be called a faigele, "little bird" in Yiddish.

OAT AND HONEY CHALLAH (BREAD)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup warm water with yeast. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
• Place the yeast mixture in your mixer (if you have one large enough for this recipe), or in a large bowl. Add the additional water, oats, honey, oil and salt. Mix well to combine.
• Gradually add in the flours, mixing/kneading well, until a soft dough is formed. Knead another 5 minutes, adding small quantities of flour, until the dough feels like an ear lobe.
• Place in a large, oiled bowl, turning dough to coat, and cover with a damp towel. Plase in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, about one hour.
• Punch down the dough, divide into 6 pieces (or more ifyou are making rolls) and shape into loaves or braid or do whatever you do with your challah dough.
• Place on greased pans (I prefer using parchment paper, ungreased), and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with seeds or extra oats.
• Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes for loaves, or 20+ minutes for rolls.

CHALLAH I

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
• Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.

CHALLAH BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix yeast, warm water and 1 Tbsp. honey in large bowl until blended; let stand 5 min. or until foamy.
• Separate 1 egg. Reserve egg white for later use. Add egg yolk to yeast mixture along with remaining whole eggs, oil, sour cream, 2 cups flour, salt and remaining honey; beat with mixer until blended. Stir in enough of the remaining flour until mixture forms soft dough.
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface 8 min. or until smooth and elastic, adding more flour, as needed, to keep dough from sticking. Place in oiled bowl; turn once to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel. Let rise in warm place 60 to 75 min. or until doubled in volume.
• Punch down dough; divide into thirds. Roll each third on lightly floured surface to 15-inch rope. Place ropes next to each other on center of parchment-covered baking sheet. Starting in middle, braid ropes to each end; pinch and tuck under ends to secure. Cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel. Let rise in warm place 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Mix remaining water and reserved egg white until blended; brush onto dough. Sprinkle with sesame seed.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until deep golden brown. Remove to wire rack; cool completely.

HONEY CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Separate two eggs; refrigerate two egg whites. Place remaining egg yolks and eggs in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup honey, oil, salt, yeast mixture, 3 cups flour and remaining warm water; beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Pour boiling water over raisins in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Knead in raisins. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Divide one portion into six pieces. Roll each into a 16-in. rope. Place ropes parallel on a greased baking sheet; pinch ropes together at the top. , To braid, take the rope on the right and carry it over the two ropes beside it, then slip it under the middle rope and carry it over the last two ropes. Lay the rope down parallel to the other ropes; it is now on the far left side. Repeat these steps until you reach the end. As the braid moves to the left, you can pick up the loaf and re-center it on your work surface as needed. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. For a fuller loaf, using your hands, push the ends of the loaf closer together. Repeat process with remaining dough. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg whites and honey with water; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to a wire rack to cool.

HONEY CHALLAH ROLLS

Steps:

• Note: You can save a lot of time here if you have a bread machine that has a manual setting that allows the bread machine to stop after the mixing and first rising and not go into a Bake cycle.
• Many of the better machines have that option specifically so you can make rolls instead of a whole bread loaf.
• If so add the above ingredients to your bread machine, remembering to separate one egg and reserve it's egg white for later as explained in step 3.
• Set the bread machine to the manual cycle so it will mix but not bake.
• Then after the bread machine is done follow the recipe from step 5 on.
• In electric mixer, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, yeast, and salt, blending well.
• Separate one egg; set white aside.
• Add yolk and remaining egg, hot water, honey, and oil to flour mixture.
• Mix vigorously, then knead with dough hook for about 6 minutes, adding flour if sticky, until smooth and elastic.
• Or turn out onto floured board and knead about 10 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top.
• Cover with plastic wrap and damp towel.
• Let rise in warm place about 30 minutes.
• Punch down; let rest 5 minutes.
• Divide evenly; shape into 16 balls.
• Arrange in greased 9-inch layer cake pan, working from outside in, placing 10 around perimeter, then 5, and 1 in center.
• Lightly beat reserved egg white and brush over rolls.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Cover and let rise until doubled, about 15 minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees about 22 minutes, until golden brown.
• Serve warm.