Jacks Challah Recipes

JACK'S SWEET CHALLAH BREAD

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine water and dry dairy cream and mix until completely dissolved.
• In 4qt to 6qt glass mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Whisk until well incorporated.
• Add egg, egg yolks, canola oil, and vanilla to water mixture. Whisk until well incorporated.
• Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Add one cup of flour and mix.
• Add 1/2 cup flour onto top of mixture and 1/2 cup flour onto work surface.
• Dump mixture onto counter and knead the flour into the dough mixture.
• Knead for 10 minutes adding a teaspoon of flour at a time to work surface until dough is soft but not sticking to hands. Resist temptation to add too much flour. The dough should be slightly sticky and soft when finished.
• Place saucepan of water on stove to boil.
• Meanwhile, remove the dough from mixing bowl. Wash bowl and dry with the towel that you will use to cover the rising dough. Pour 1 tsp of oil in bowl. Place dough in bowl and turn dough to coat it with oil.
• Cover bowl with the damp towel. Place the bowl of dough on the middle rack of oven. Place saucepan of boiling water below the rack where your dough sits. Close the oven, but do not turn it on. The pan of hot water will create a warm, moist environment for your dough to rise. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
• Remove the bowl and gently punch down dough to remove air pockets. Place it back inside the oven and let it rise for 1 hour longer.
• After one hour has passed, prepare egg wash by beating the egg whites, salt and water until smooth.
• Remove dough from oven. Flour work surface. Punch dough down and turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead for a few minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from feeling sticky. Now your dough is ready to braid.
• Divide your dough in half. Place one half in rising bowl and cover.
• Divide second half into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a strand approximately 14" long, tapered at each end. Place strands on work surface parallel to each other. Pinch the far end of strands together.
• Separate strands at the end closest to you for room to weave the braid. Take the right-most strand and weave it over, under, and over the adjacent three strands. Repeat process until braiding is finished. Pinch ends closest to you together and fold under the loaf.
• Place the braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Brush a thin layer of the egg mixture onto the visible surface of the loaf.
• Repeat process for second half of dough.
• Let the challot rise 45 minutes or so. You know that the dough is ready to bake when you press your finger into the dough and the indentation remains rather than bouncing back.
• Heat oven to 350°F Sprinkle a pinch or so of granulated sugar over each loaf and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove each loaf from oven and coat the center of the braid with a thin layer of egg wash. This area tends to expand during baking, exposing areas that will turn white unless they are coated with egg wash.
• Place the loaves back into the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove loaves from oven and test for doneness by turning it over and tapping on the bottom of the loaf-if it makes a hollow sound, it's done. Let loaves cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then a wire cooling rack before serving.
• Substitutions/Variations/Notes:.
• The 1-1/2 cups liquid may be water, soy milk, dairy milk, or the mixture that I recommended. Warm this liquid to approximately 125°F to activate the instant yeast nestled in the dry mixture.
• The vanilla is optional. Do not use imitation vanilla.
• Feel free to add 1/2 cup to 1 cup regular or golden raisins or similar dried fruit.
• Melted or room temperature butter or margarine may be substituted for the oil, using the same quantity.
• You may add one additional egg yolk. I find that using the white of the egg dries out the bread. However, you could use three whole eggs, one egg plus two or three egg yolks.
• You may substitute 1/2 cup honey for the sugar.
• You can proof the instant yeast for this recipe: In measuring cup: 1/2 cup 110° water, dissolve 1 tsp sugar, dissolve 1 Tbsp yeast. Should double in measuring cup in 10 to 15 minutes. Apply to recipe. Reduce hot water (liquid) by 1/2 cup.

CHALLAH

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt, yeast, vegetable oil, and honey in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Using an instant-read thermometer, adjust the temperature of the water so that the combined temperatures of the flour and the liquid give a base temperature of 130 degrees if using a Cuisinart or KitchenAid or 150 degrees if using a Braun. Beat 2 of the eggs and add them to the liquid. With the machine running, pour all but 2 tablespoons of the liquid through the feed tube. Process for 30 seconds. If the dough seems too dry and is not forming a smooth ball, add the reserved liquid and process for 15 seconds more, for a total of 45 seconds. Stop the machine, and take the temperature of the dough with an instant-read thermometer, which should read between 75 degrees and 80 degrees. If the temperature is lower than 75 degrees, process the dough for an additional 5 seconds, up to twice more, until the dough reaches the desired temperature. If the temperature is higher than 80 degrees, remove the thermometer, scrape the dough from the food processor into an un-greased bowl, and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Check the temperature of the dough after 5 minutes; it should be 80 degrees or cooler by that time.;
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it in a large ungreased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and ferment for 1 1/ 2 to 2 hours at room temperature, 70 to 72 degrees. The dough will have noticeably increased in volume and will be light and soft. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently flatten it with the palms of your hands, but do not punch out all of the air bubbles that have formed as the dough has fermented. Form the dough into a loose ball; lift up one edge and fold it into the center. Do this about 4 or 5 times until the dough is formed into a ball. Return it to the bowl, cover, and let proof at room temperature until it doubles in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/ 2 hours. One hour before baking, put the oven rack on the second shelf from the bottom of the oven and place the baking stone on the rack. Place a pan on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a dough scraper or kitchen knife, divide it into 2 pieces. Form each piece into a log shape to be rolled like a baguette. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. To form the dough into round turban shapes, roll one piece into a strip about 14 inches long. Taper the dough so that it is noticeable thicker at one end; use both hands to roll the dough into a point on the other end. Starting with the thicker end, coil the dough so that it forms a tight spiral. Wrap it around, then tuck the thin end under the loaf to keep it from unraveling. With the palms of your hands, press the top of the loaf lightly to flatten it slightly, then transfer it to one corner of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Place it diagonally across from the first loaf spaced about 2 inches so the loaves do not stick together as they bake. Cover with a towel and let proof for about 45 minutes at room temperature. The loaves will be visibly puffed and will increase in volume by at least half. Just before baking, beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush each loaf with the egg wash, then sprinkle the loaves with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Carefully pour about 1 cup of warm water into the pan in the oven. Immediately slide the baking sheet of dough onto the baking stone in the oven and turn the heat down to 400 degrees. Bake for 2 minutes, then quickly open the oven door and add another 1-cup warm water to the pan in the oven. Continue baking the bread for another 30 minutes. Check to see if it is browning too quickly. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees if necessary, then continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes. The bread is done when golden brown. Insert an instant-read thermometer into it, and if the internal temperature is 205 degrees to 210 degrees, the bread is done. Remove the bread from the oven and place the loaves on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting and storing.;

JACK'S CHALLAH RECIPE

Steps:

• Whisk the sugar, yeast and 1 cup of the warm water in a medium bowl. Set aside to bloom.
• Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Make a well in the center of the flour and bury the salt in the well. Add the canola oil, whole egg, remaining 1 1/3 cups warm water and the bloomed yeast, making sure no sediment is left behind. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, increase to medium speed for 30 seconds and then increase to high speed for 3 minutes, mixing until the dough appears smooth.
• Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm area to proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Split the dough into 3 loaves. Divide each loaf into the desired number of braid strands (3, 4 or 6) and roll each strand to elongate. Braid the strands to a long loaf or a round shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the egg yolk with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Brush this egg wash over the shaped loaves and top with 1 tablespoon zaatar per loaf, if using. Let the loaves rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake until lightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• To freeze, cool completely before transferring to a ziptop bag.

CHALLAH(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Whisk together 3 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Mix together 2 eggs, egg yolk, melted butter, and 1/2 cup of water in bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Add flour mixture to wet mixture; knead at low speed until dough ball forms, about 5 minutes, adding remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to prevent dough from sticking. Whisk reserved egg white with remaining 1 tablespoon water in small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• 2. Transfer dough to very lightly oiled large bowl, turning dough over to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Gently press dough to deflate, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size again, 40 to 60 minutes.
• 3. Lightly grease large baking sheet and set aside. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 2 pieces, one roughly half size of other. (Small piece will weigh about 9 ounces, larger piece about 18 ounces.) Divide large piece into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 16-inch-long rope, about 1 inch in diameter. Line up ropes of dough side by side and pinch ends together. Take dough rope on bottom and lay it over center rope. Take dough rope on top and lay it over center rope. Repeat until ropes of dough are entirely braided, then pinch ends together. Place braid on baking sheet. Divide smaller piece of dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 16-inch-long rope, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Braid together, pinching ends to seal. Brush some of egg wash on top of large loaf and place small braid on larger braid. Loosely drape loaf with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until loaf becomes puffy and increases in size by a third, 30 to 45 minutes.
• 4. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush loaf with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds, if using. Bake until loaf is golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into side of loaf reads 190 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack. Cool loaf completely before slicing.

CHEESY EGG BAKE-CHALLAH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cook vegetables in medium nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 4 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Whisk eggs and milk in large bowl until blended. Stir in vegetables and cheese.
• Spread bread onto bottom of 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with egg mixture.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

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.