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The Secret to Our Braided Challah Bread Recipe

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I Hope You Enjoy The Challah Bread Recipe As Much as We Do!

This Challah bread recipe is as delicious as it looks in the photo, plus it is fun to make, healthy to eat and a traditional part of the Jewish Sabbath and other Jewish holidays. What could be better than fresh hot bread? For me the answer is the fun of braiding the challah. Here you find our challah bread recipe, adapted from the wonderful bread of my childhood - and the recipe handed down from my Aunt Arline.

What is our family secret to success - not really a big secret - our challah bread recipe is handmade, and we use a double braid system described below. Have a quick look at the photo in our oven and you can almost smell the fresh baked bread.

Photo Credit: All photos on this page © Rhonda Albom 2012 (unless otherwise stated)

Contents at a Glance

What You Will Need For This Challah Brea...
What to Do - The Other Half of the Chall...
Watch This Video to See One Method for B...
In a Hurry?
Bread Machine Option
Our Favorite Bread Maker

A traditional Jewish bread eaten on Friday nights

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What You Will Need For This Challah Bread Recipe

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 eggs (save 2nd yolk)
2 teaspoon yeast

Our Challah Baking in the Oven

(Golden brown and ready to come out of the oven)

This particular challah was braided by 12 year old Melissa. Challah is delicious, traditional and a great baking project with kids. And if there is any left over, it makes a wonderful and healthy snack for kids and adults. (Of course, at our house there is never any left over.)

What to Do - The Other Half of the Challah Bread Recipe

Dissolve yeast in warm water for 10 minutes
Add oil, sugar and 1 egg plus 1 egg white (remember to save the extra yoke) and mix with fork
Stir in flour, one cup at a time, with a knife
Hand knead dough for ten minutes
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and make 3 into long "snakes"
Braid three of the "snakes" and divide the fourth into three equal "snakes"and braid these
Place the smaller braid on top of larger braid, pressing down the ends to make one loaf
Place on baking sheet (either oiled or with baking paper)
Brush saved yolk on top
Cook 30 minutes at 350F (180C) keeping watch to prevent burning

Watch This Video to See One Method for Braiding the Challah

קליעת חלות chalot shabbat: by noabena | video info

48 ratings | 67,927 views

curated content from YouTube

In a Hurry?

You can make it in a loaf pan
Same great flavor

A Few Items To Make Our Challah Bread Recipe Even Easier

Bread Machine Option

Let the bread machine mix and knead
Allow machine to go to first rise
Braiding must be done by hand

Our Favorite Bread Maker

For days when we don't feel like kneading by hand

I like this bread maker because it is reliable and produces a consistent product (unlike our previous bread machine). The manufacturer tells us to like this bread machine because it:

Does it all - mixing, kneading, rising, and baking in 3 loaf sizes, up to 2-1/2 pounds
Has settings for six different wheat types
Includes an up to 13-hour delay timer

Panasonic SD-YD250 Automatic Bread Maker

This Poster Displays a Perfectly Baked Challah

Different than ours in that it doesn't add the upper braid

View of Jewish Challah Bread on Plate Photographic Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

A Few Minor Changes to the Ingredients Can Give a Healthier Alternative

Still fun to make and tastes great!

Thanks Aunt Arline for sending in your new revisions.

Revised Ingredients List:

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg whites and a couple drops yellow food color (save one yolk)
2 teaspoon yeast

Revisions to Instructions:
Follow the directions above, adding the applesauce at step 2, with the oil. When you get to step 9, you can either brush the saved yolk on top (as described above) or drizzle a little honey over the top. According to Aunt Arline, It doesn't glow as nicely without the yolk on top, but cuts down on cholesterol.

She also added an option of substituting some of the white flour for whole wheat flour (this will alter the appearance).

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Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

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For those days when you don't want a challah, this book has it all. So much variety with 100 recipes featuring whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and even gluten-free ingredients.

Includes Recipes for:

Whole Grain Pizza with Roasted Red Peppers and Fontina
Turkish-Style Pita Bread with Black Sesame Seeds
Cherry Tomato Baguette
Gluten-Free Rosemary Parmesan Bread Sticks
Spicy Chile Whole Grain Snack Crackers
Quinoa Bread
Pistachio Swirled Brioche

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

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CanadaREVIEW Oct 27, 2011 @ 3:10 pm | delete

Fantastic and looks yummy! My grandfather was an orphan out of Poland, so we never got to learn any traditions or cultural perspectives from his side of the family. Thank you for sharing, I am learning everyday!

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---Chazz May 29, 2011 @ 8:47 pm | delete

Returned with a blessing for this lens as part of the Memorial Day Squid Angel Tour Bus quest. (As soon as we complete the tour, your lens will be featured on "Wing-it on Squidoo," our lensography of some of the best lenses we've found.) Shalom.

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miaponzo May 23, 2011 @ 3:26 pm | delete

I adore Challah... :)

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Rafick May 8, 2011 @ 1:28 am | delete

I adore braided bread. I'm sure I'll love them.

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resabi May 7, 2011 @ 8:16 pm | delete

Beautful to look at and I'm pretty sure it's even better to taste!

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---Chazz Mar 28, 2011 @ 6:34 pm | delete

I love Challah and it makes the best French toast ever!

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TeamSTM Mar 7, 2011 @ 9:00 pm | delete

I have never heard of this bread, but it looks so delicious and now I have to give it a try! Thank You so much for sharing this Tasty Fresh Baked Lens!!!

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whitemoss Mar 7, 2011 @ 8:52 am | delete

Looking for foods in the Kosher category to bless as a regional food squid angel. I'm glad I came back to this great lens of yours again.

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kt_glasses Jan 11, 2011 @ 8:15 pm | delete

i am still not so good with making bread...yours look fantastic.

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MisterJeremy Oct 20, 2010 @ 8:37 am | delete

My son just made challah this week and we ate it for the first time! It was part of his homeschool unit on Jewish feasts. It was delicious, but your recipe looks great too. We'll have to try it next time.
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