Tags
baking, braids, bread, challah, Daring Bakers, Jewish, whole wheat, yeast
May’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge was pretty twisted – Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to make challah! Using recipes from all over, and tips from “A Taste of Challah,” by Tamar Ansh, she encouraged us to bake beautifully braided breads.
Yet again, the Daring Kitchen forces me to cross another item off of my list! Making challah was on there because braiding dough seemed like it would be somewhat tricky, but this was totally not the case. Way easier than French-braiding your own hair, that’s for sure.
Ruth provided a few recipes with the challenge, and I went with the first which was for a wheat challah. The dough seemed strange: it was almost cookie dough-like and kept sticking to everything! Since I had never made challah, I didn’t know if this was normal or if it was an issue with the yeast or measurements (used my scale), but persisted. I ended up adding what seemed to be quite a lot of flour, but maybe it wasn’t more than 1 cup. For the first rise, I put the bowl of dough on the front porch in hopes that the almost 90F heat would encourage it to rise. It did!
Shaping was of course the most fun part of making challah. As a lady of 30 years, I can do three strand braids in my sleep, so I wanted to give four and six strand braids a go. These were super easy to accomplish after watching Ruth’s video tutorials! They both came out pretty, but I love the look of the four strand loaf.
My oven seems to run hot, so I checked the loaves at 20 minutes even though the recipe said 30-40. They looked done! I always wonder about how one is to tap the bottoms of loaves without burning their knuckles off. Cutting into them once cool, they were definitely done and so soft! The flavor was both lightly wheat-y and sweet. I think I’ve found my new favorite bread to bake.
I made a savory leek and mushroom bread pudding with some of the leftover challah the other day using this recipe. It was pretty good, but I wish I had used a stronger/sharper cheese maybe instead of or addition to the swiss and parmesan. It was my first time making bread pudding and my first time having a savory version.
Thanks for such a fun challenge along with the braiding videos, Ruth! You can find the recipes in her write-up.
Now, if I were to send a note with some challah, could it be called a challahgram?
Hehe, challahgram:)
Pretty cat in the window, and even prettier braided loaves! I’ve never attempted to braid more than three strands before, so I’m impressed.
I’ve also never successfully French braided hair before. Although I’ve tried it on my own head many many many times. My arms just get sooooo tiiiired……
That is one beautiful looking challah. I love this bread and it makes for some very delicious french toast as well.
Wow – your braids look so beautiful, and the bread looks like it came out beautifully. I love the savory bread pudding you made with it, too – I did one, too, with one of my “extra” loaves!
Your braids are spectacular!
Those braids look amazing! I am so glad that you enjoyed the challenge this month. And that the videos were helpful! The crumb of your challah is perfect. Thank you for baking with me this month!
Those are beautiful challah loaves. Well done!
Wow, this looks so so yummy! Lovely work on this challenge.:)
Emma – Both were easy, but especially the four which came out prettier! “over, under, over, under…” Usually when I French braid my own hair, I get lazy and make the end a pony tail. :)
Paula – I froze the remaining half of one and just might use it for French toast!
Shelley – Thanks! Part of why I didn’t halve the recipe is because I wanted to try two kinds of braids and also wanted to make bread pudding. Yum!
Dawn – Thank you!
Ruth – Such a great challenge! I was nervous about the dough, but am glad it worked out in the end. Now I know what to look for!
Kristyn – Thanks!
zazacook – It was, thanks!
Ah – your loaves look so perfect! Particularly the six strand – so neat!
So pretty! And oh, the puns!
I made an asparagus and goat cheese bread pudding with my leftovers! Such a versatile and easy bread to make. Great job! best, Sandie
Love the photo of the unbraided dough.
What a fantastic post! that dough better not be sticky or else I would fly into a rage trying to braid it….if it worked I wouldn’t let anyone eat it, too pretty! Maybe I will try it on Maddy’s hair first…..
makeycakey – Thanks!
Jill – I just can’t help myself.
Sandie – Sounds good! I think there will be lots of challah in my life.
Wayne – It made me think of an octopus, minus the octo- part.
Ginny – It wasn’t sticky once I added all that flour! My attempt at French braiding my hair with four strands didn’t go so well.
Your challah looks great, I had some trouble with the braiding :)
Holy crap batman, I am WAY jealous of your super-braiding skills! Your loaves look beautiful – congratulations on kicking ass on yet another challenge! :D
Also, WHOA WHOA WHAOAAAA YOU’RE A LAAAAAADEH.
chef_d – Thanks!
Mary – Thank ya! I should make challah again just to make sure my braid skillz weren’t a fluke. Actually, I really want to try the second six strand braid that Ruth showed because that one looked tricky!
Tom Jones. In my head.
These look so good. I’ve been wanting to try challah for a while, but my oven is from 1958 AND it’s just super intimidating. Soon, soon. You give me courage. They look perfectly baked.