With Pesach Over why not bake your own Challa
Challah
When I lived in Manchester about three hours after Pesach went out, there was a line a
mile long outside the kosher baker, where people were anxiously awaiting the first loaves
of bread, for speed and convenience the bakers usually made round challah.
Although I don't eat bread, I love the smell a freshly baked bread and can understand how
the people felt waiting in line.
There is a tradition that the Shabbat after Pesach to bake challah, and put a key
inside, this is meant to bring you and your family health and prosperity.
Making challah is not as difficult as people think, you just need time to allow it to rise
and you will be rewarded with a smell of freshly baked bread and the taste of homemade bread.
Ingredients
1 kilo of strong white bread flour plus a little to dust your board.
120 grams caster sugar
14 grams of fast acting dried yeast
4 eggs beaten.
100 ML sunflower oil
200 ML hand hot water
2 teaspoons salt
One tablespoon of poppy or sesame seeds which are optional.
Method
Combine the yeast a pinch of sugar and a couple of teaspoons of lukewarm water
in a small bowl or a cup mix them well and cover with cling film set them aside
for at least 10 minutes till you see that the mixture has become frothy (almost like
a head on a cappuccino)!
In a large bowl mix (or in your stand mixer bowl) add the flour remaining sugar the
salt & make a well in the middle.
Add half your beaten eggs, the frothy yeast mixture ,the oil, and ¼ of the water.
If you are using a mixer, make sure you're using a dough hook, if you're using your
hands add and stir and repeat adding the egg and water slowly. (Hold back about ¾
an egg put it in the fridge covered as you will need this to brush over your challah
before baking.)
You don't want the mixture to be too sticky, or too dry that is why you add the water
bit by bit your dough should be moist but not soggy or too sticky.
Once the dough has come together you can either continue kneading it using your
dough hook in your mixer for about four to five minutes alternatively if you like to
knead dough by hand turn it in onto a lightly floured surface and using both hands
need it for about 10 minutes.
By this stage your dough should be smooth and springy but if it gets sticky add a
small amount of flour to work it in.
Transfer your dough into a clean lightly oiled bowl that gives you enough room to
rise cover with baking paper and a clean tea towel I live in a warm place for about
an hour until the dough has doubled in size.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment
When the dough has risen, you knock it back which means you punch the air out
of it gently can you turn it onto a clean surface, at this stage if you want to take
challah (For batches of challah using more than 14 cups (3 lbs, 11 oz) for forming
the dough and kneading, the baker “takes challah.”
This means pinching off a piece of dough the size of a large olive. Before forming
the dough into loaves, separate that olive-sized piece and roll it into a ball.
Holding the piece of challah, say the blessing:
בָּרוּך אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֱלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶר קִדְּשֳנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ לְהַפְרִישׁ חַלָּה מִן הָעִסָּה
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu
l’hafreesh challah min ha’eesah. *
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with
commandments, and commanded us to separate challah.
Hold the piece of dough and say “harei zo challah” (This is challah).
Then wrap the olive size portion in silver foil ready to burn. Normally in the bottom of
the oven when you're cooking the bread.
Take the dough and put it on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 6 as you
have enough for two loaves of bread.
Each of the six portions should be made into long sausage shapes not too long and thin
and not too short and fat.
Shaping the Challah
Take 3 of your long strands unlikely pinch the top together to hold them and braid
them like you would doing somebody's hair.
When you get to the bottom lightly pinch the bottom together, slightly roll them, as
this will help them stay together. Transfer your challah unto the lined baking tray,
Take a small key if you wish, washed well and cover it with silver foil, repeat the
process of braiding your challah except this time you will plait it around the key.
Again, slightly roll it and place on the baking tray, cover your challah with a clean
cloth and leave to prove for 40 minutes.
Heat your oven to 200 centigrade 180 fan 395 F or gas mark 6 if you like your
Challas particularly crusty add a baking tray of water to the bottom of the oven
just before you put the bread in.
Gently brush your colours with the rest is the egg getting into all the crevices then
if you like sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds on top.
Put your colours onto the middle shelf of your oven and set a timer for 20 to 25 minutes
so I always cheque after 15. If I think they loaf is getting too brown, I cover it with
silver foil for the rest of the baking.
You know that your bread is ready when the loaf is golden brown, and the underneath
sounds hollow when you tap it.
Leave it to cool on a wire baking rack this is important, so the air circulates or else
you get a soggy bottom! If you want to triple the quantity, you can always bake the
Challa in advance and freeze them.
If you're putting a key in your Challah, remember to remove it before someone breaks
their teeth on it!