Best Challah Bread Recipe: How To Braid

What is Challah Bread?

Challah is a traditional Jewish bread. It's made with flour, water, salt, yeast, and eggs, and it's usually braided before baking. This bead is traditionally baked during the springtime harvest season. While some people prefer white flour for their dough, others opt for whole wheat. Either way, the end product is a soft, chewy loaf braided into three strands and served warm with butter and honey.

Challah bread is one of those foods that makes you think about what it represents. A symbol of good fortune, challah is traditionally eaten during the holiday of Passover, a special Jewish holiday. In some communities, it's even used to represent the coming of spring. But beyond the ritualistic aspects of eating it, there are many layers to understanding what it stands for.

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⬇️ Table of Contents

• What is Challah Bread?
• Challah History and Tradition
• How To Make Challah Bread
• Preparation
• 12 Steps of Bread Making
• How to Braid Challah Bread
• 📹 Watch How To Make
• FAQ's
• 📖 Recipe Card

Challah History and Tradition

Challah has been made in Jewish households for centuries. Though the exact origins of the bread are unknown, it's thought to date back to ancient times. In the Bible, challah is mentioned several times as a special offering given to the Priesthood.

Today, challah is often eaten on holidays and special occasions, but it's also a popular everyday Jewish bread. Braiding challah dough is a traditional way of shaping the bread, but there are many other shapes and forms that it can take.

The word challah refers to several different types of bread throughout history. For example, the Hebrew Bible mentions a type of bread called lechem ha'challom ("the unleavened bread") that was eaten during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This bread was made without yeast – hence the name. And while most people today associate challah with the traditional braided loaf, other forms of challah aren't quite as common.

There are variations of challah that use no wheat flour at all. These include the rice-based Kamut challah, the gluten-free Millet challah, and the quinoa challah.

Here are some variations of types of challah bread:

Types of Challah Bread

There are many types of challah bread, some of the most popular include:

• Braided Challah
• Round Challah
• Egg Challah
• Sweet Challah
• Whole Wheat Challah

Some of the less common types of challah bread include:

• Cinnamon Raisin Challah
• Chocolate Chip Challah
• Marble Challah
• Onion Challah
• Potato Challah
• Pumpkin Challah

Name and Origins

The name challah is derived from the verb (kalilah). This verb appears three times in the Bible, twice in reference to the bread baked during Shabbat.

How To Make Challah Bread

How do you describe Challah bread? Perhaps it’s best described as a braided egg bread that is lightly sweetened. Or maybe it’s better described as a soft, chewy loaf that’s great for breakfast toast, snacks, sandwiches, butter and jelly, butter and jam, and even butter and more butter. It’s the perfect accompaniment to Shabbat dinner, too, because although challah is traditionally eaten during the Sabbath meal, it makes a delicious addition to brunch or lunch.

What Does Challah Bread Taste Like?

The texture of the bread is similar to that of regular bread but has a chewier exterior and a softer interior.

It tastes more like a sweet bun than sourdough bread, but also not bland.

Preparation

Traditional Ashkenazic challah comprises six ingredients: flour, olive oil, salt, lukewarm water, yeast, and eggs. Finely ground almonds or walnuts are often added, especially for Sabbath loaves. Other variations include adding sugar, cinnamon, and orange blossom water. In some communities, egg yolks are added to make the dough lighter. Eggs are generally used in challah bread baked for Passover.

There is a tradition of making challah in Israel on Shabbat morning, particularly among Ashkenazic Jews. Traditionally, challah is kneaded overnight, shaped into balls, placed in baskets, and left out overnight.

A similar custom is observed in Yemenite Jewry, where challah is prepared on Thursday nights and eaten on Sunday mornings.

Many Jews prepare Challah for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, Hanukkah, Purim, Pesach, and Chanukah.

So, how does one go about making their very own challah?

Ingredients

• Instant Yeast
• Sugar
• Water
• All-Purpose Flour
• Butter
• Eggs
• Kosher Salt
• Sugar

12 Steps of Bread Making

Once you’ve got everything ready, here’s what you do next:

The Bowel, Hands, and Muscle Method: or skip to the challah recipe card for the electric mixer version.

Step One: Heat water to (110 degrees, and add fresh or instant yeast along with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast is fully activated. If nothing happened, the yeast was dead or not stored properly.

Step Two: Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt in a separate bowl.

Step Three: In another bowl, beat the eggs. Then add the melted butter and mix well.

Step Four: Add the yeast to the eggs and butter once it has bloomed and activated.

Step Five: Stir in the flour a little bit at a time. Once it comes together, the dough will be slightly sticky. You can add a small amount of flour if it is too sticky. A tip would be not to add more flour until what you've added has been absorbed. Test with small additions; follow the recipe card instructions and measurements on the recipe card.

Step Six: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. This process developes the gluten which provides the bread structure. Without this step, the bread will bake and become flat.

Step Seven: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.

Step Eight: Proofing: Let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, one to two hours. The amount of time that it takes will depend on the yeast.

Step Nine: The dough will have doubled in size. Next, punch down the dough releasing the gas and divide it into six equal parts.

Shaping: flatten the dough into a rectangle to remove the air bubbles. Next, roll each rectangle into a long cigar shape. The final step is to roll with the palms of your hands into one foot - 12-inch long ropes.

Step Ten: Second bread proofing. Cover the ropes with a towel and set them aside for 30 minutes. Afterwards roll the braids one last time to one and a half feet long. Then perform the braiding process explained in detail on the recipe card below.

Step Eleven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover the challah bread with egg wash (one egg beaten) right before baking.

Traditional topping of a sprinkle of sesame seeds and poppy seeds is a must for some bakers. The sesame seeds and poppy seeds add to the beautiful presentation. Bake for 25–35 minutes, until 190° internal temperature and golden brown on top.

12. Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely. Slice and serve.

How to Braid Challah Bread

First, roll out six long threads of dough, line them side-by-side, and pinch the tops together. Move the outermost strand to the middle, then fold it over two strands to the opposite side. Continue folding each strand over two strands, alternating sides every few steps until you reach the end. Pinch the ends together and tuck them underneath.

Demonstration explanation within recipe card below. Here's a video demonstrating how to weave braid challah bread.

📹 Watch How To Make

Are Brioche Bread and Challah Bread the Same?

Both challah and brioche bread use eggs, sugar, yeast, butter and flour to make a loaf of bread. They both contain about 3 grams of protein per slice. But there are differences between the two.

Fat Content

Challah uses less eggs than brioche. While it contains just two egg per loaf, brioche bread contains four eggs. This difference in fat content leads to a slight sweetness in challah bread.

The brioche uses lots of butter. The bread gets layers of butter laminated and folded, creating many layers of dough and butter. This causes the brioche to rise in flakey layers. This process requires much more labor.

FAQ's

How To Use Challah Bread

Challah bread can be used in many different ways. It's often eaten plain or used as a toast, but it can also be used for sandwiches, French toast, strata, and more. When made into French toast or strata, challah soaks up eggs and milk like a sponge, making it especially rich and flavorful.

And because it's slightly sweet, challah makes an excellent base for fruit or chocolate spreads. Challah can also be grilled or fried - one common way of eating it is by dipping slices of challah in olive oil or butter and then frying them until golden brown.

How To Store Challah Bread

Storing challah bread can be tricky because it needs to be kept cool and fresh. If you don't want to eat stale challah bread, keep it wrapped in plastic wrap or placed inside a sealed ziplock bag. To make sure it stays moist, you might even consider freezing it.

If you freeze your challah bread, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

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📖 Recipe Card