Challah (Braided Jewish Egg Bread)
Challah (חַלָּה, pronounced HA-lah) is the braided, egg-enriched bread of Jewish tradition, placed on the Shabbat table every Friday at sundown and baked for the major Jewish holidays. The word originally referred to the portion of dough consecrated as a priestly offering — a ritual still observed by many Jewish bakers before baking. As a bread, challah is remarkable: egg yolks give the crumb a warm golden hue; oil makes it tender and keeps it pareve (neutral — neither meat nor dairy, so it can be served at any Shabbat meal regardless of what is being eaten); honey provides a gentle sweetness. The defining ritual is the braiding — three strands at minimum, six at maximum — which is said to represent love, peace, and truth. For Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) challah is baked as a round spiral to symbolise the continuity of the annual cycle. The crust, glazed twice with egg wash, bakes to a deep, shining mahogany.
Ingredients
- 550 gbread flour or plain flour
- 7 ginstant yeast
- 2 tbspcaster sugar
- 1.5 tspfine salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 80 mlneutral oil
- 3 tbsphoney
- 200 mlwarm water
- 1 tbspwater
- 2 tbspsesame seeds or poppy seeds
Method
- Make the dough. Whisk flour, yeast, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, the egg yolk, oil, honey, and warm water until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. It should spring back slowly when pressed with a finger.
- First rise. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with cling film and leave at room temperature until doubled in size — 1.5 to 2 hours. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight (8 to 16 hours) for more complex flavor. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.
- Divide and braid. Punch down the risen dough. Divide into 3 equal portions for a three-strand braid (or 6 for a six-strand, which requires practice but creates a more dramatic loaf). Roll each portion into a long rope about 50 to 55 cm, slightly thicker in the center and tapered at the ends. Lay the three ropes side by side and pinch firmly at the top. Braid in the classic over-under pattern — right strand over center, left strand over new center, repeat — to the end. Pinch the bottom ends firmly and tuck both ends neatly under the loaf to prevent unravelling. For round Rosh Hashanah challah: coil the entire braided rope in a tight spiral and tuck the end underneath.
- Second rise and egg wash. Transfer the braided loaf to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with cling film and leave at room temperature until noticeably puffed and marshmallow-soft — 45 to 60 minutes. About 20 minutes before the rise is complete, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Beat the remaining egg with 1 tbsp water. Brush the risen challah generously with egg wash, making sure to reach into every crevice of the braid. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if using.
- Bake. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is a deep, burnished golden-brown and the internal temperature reaches 88 to 90°C (190°F). Halfway through, rotate the baking sheet and brush any pale areas with a second coat of egg wash — two applications of egg wash produce the characteristic deep, lacquer-like sheen that distinguishes challah. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Challah is best eaten within 2 days; day-old challah makes exceptional French toast and bread pudding.
FAQ
Challah and brioche are both enriched egg breads, but they differ in one fundamental ingredient: fat. Brioche is made with butter — a large quantity of it, typically 40 to 50% of the flour weight — which makes it extraordinarily rich, tender, and distinctly dairy. Challah is made with oil instead of butter (typically neutral oil, though olive oil is also used), making it pareve — neither meat nor dairy in the framework of Jewish dietary law (kashrut). This means challah can be served at the same meal as meat, which butter-based brioche cannot under kosher rules. The result is a bread that is rich and egg-flavoured but slightly less fatty and tender than brioche, with a slightly chewier crumb and a flavor that is more distinctly eggy.
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Comments (1)
The braiding is the part that intimidates everyone but it is much easier than it looks. Six strands gives you the classic high, dramatic loaf that you see in photos. Three strands is the easiest if you have never done it before. The egg wash needs to go on twice — once before the second rise, and again right before baking. That double coat is what creates the deep mahogany shine. Use only egg yolk mixed with a teaspoon of water. Whole egg works but the yolk-only version is glossier.