Lately, I’ve been captivated by the idea of becoming more than myself, a better version of myself. I want to move with the force of the ocean, shine bright like the sun and effectuate good changes in the world around me. Leave my mark. This time of year, during the Jewish holidays, it’s fairly normal to look inward and reflect. Even the challahs on the table change shape during these holidays. They are round instead of braided–symbolizing the circle of life. For me, the best way to become more than I am is to learn and create as much as I can and to do my best to change with the seasons. Welcoming and letting go are part of same concept, cloaked in different vestures. Seasons, people, ideas, thoughts, judgments. We welcome and let go of them all and in doing so we expand and shrink, in a necessary way, like lungs providing air to the body or an accordion making sweet and sorrowful music. Creating a challah seems like the perfect start to a new year and to help me to become what I want to be. It’s a great metaphor. The dough rises no matter how much you punch it down. The more you knead it the more it expands–nearly doubling in size when you let it rest–because the yeast, like the human spirit, just keeps persisting. I also fell in love with the idea of joining the ranks of bread bakers from history, grandmothers, grandfathers, kneading with their rough hands, creating something from nothing and nailing that perfect brown crust.
This is my first experience with yeast and bread and I’m thrilled. It turned out well, garnering the approval of even the harshest of critics. As with anything I don’t know about, I did tons of research (likely too much) to make sure I did it right. There’s so much science behind making a challah, though it’s relatively easy.
Lookoutnow, we about to geek out! Before starting I read tons of recipes from the likes of Molly, Ngan, some random bubbes on youtube, the “helpful comments” section from allrecipes, my grandma’s go-to cookbook that she won in a raffle and the all-knowing Ruhlman –who basically taught me that with the right ratios in hand, you can play around and still pull off your task. You can adjust the amounts you make and you can start experimenting with different flours, fats, sweeteners, and liquids. Once you have the numbers, you can make the bread any way you like. Oh, and tinker I did. I changed up the flour, the egg yolk content, added honey and agave nectar for sweetness, oil for ease of handling, fed the yeast some sugar (in room temperature-ish water) to proof it and made a total mess of my kitchen counter as I learned the science behind kneading.
When flour and water are combined and kneaded, the gliadin and glutenin proteins in the flour expand and form strands of gluten, which gives bread its texture. (To aid gluten production, many recipes use bread flour, which is higher in protein than all-purpose flour.) The kneading process warms and stretches these gluten strands, eventually creating a springy and elastic dough. If bread dough is not kneaded enough, it will not be able to hold the tiny pockets of gas (CO2) created by the yeast, and will collapse, leaving a heavy and dense loaf. Baking science. Oh yes, I also learned that the yolks are the key to the attractive color of a challah and also make a major contribution to the soft texture because they add fat and lecithin, which tenderize the bread. Whites add protein; while that’s a good thing, they also dry out the bread. I hope you’re totally psyched out now. Class dismissed.
With all this in my mind, I felt like I was taking my school exams again. I couldn’t sleep and got out of my bed just to knead the bread more before its first rise in case I had been too timid the first time. I made these loaves over the course of two days, letting them rise overnight and through the next day so when I came home from work I could punch them down and let them rise again, expand, then bake for 27 mins or until they pass the “thump test.” I really surprised myself with this challah and can’t wait to make a challah french toast with the leftovers. I think this is the beginning of something for me. Possibly an expansion of self, of knowledge, or just a way to make the neighbors wonder who bakes bread at midnight. This is a process that is totally worth the trouble.
Whole Wheat Challah adapted partly from Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day: Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads via Michael Ruhlman with guidance from all linked above.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups lukewarm water about 95 degrees
- 1 packet dry active yeast
- 8–10 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used canola)
- 1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 5 ½ cups unbleached flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt or 4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 egg white for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons water for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons sesame or poppyseeds for garnish, or raisins for the dough
Directions:
Proof the yeast: Combine the water and the yeast in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a 5-quart mixer and whisk together to dissolve. Add 1 tablespoon sugar. It should start to bubble after 10 minutes or so. Add the egg yolks, oil, sugar, and vanilla, if using, and whisk together to break up. Add the salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Add the optional raisins now. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed.
Use floured hands to transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the top lightly with flour and knead by hand for a couple of minutes until the dough is soft and supple. It should be tacky but not sticky.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, or divide the dough in half or in as many portions as you plan to bake, and place in oiled bowls. Cover and immediately place in the refrigerator. The dough should rest at least overnight and can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days. Some recipes say it will double in size after 2 hrs. If this happens, go on with it. I waited overnight.
On Baking Day:
Remove the dough from the fridge approximately 2 hours before you plan to bake. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and cut it into the desired number of braids you want to use or shape into loaves, or dinner rolls.
For a circle, flatten each piece with your hand, then roll into cigar shaped lengths. Roll each piece once, then return to the first piece to roll it into a rope approximately 10 to 14 inches/25-36 centimeters long. Circle it around itself and tuck into the bottom. Place the loaves on sheet pans lined with parchment paper.
Make the egg wash and brush each loaf with the wash. Reserve the rest of the wash in the fridge, and let the loaves rise uncovered for about an hour. They will not have risen much at this point. Brush the loaves again with the egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds or a combination of both.
Let the loaves rise for another hour until they increase to about 1 ½ times their size.
15 minutes before baking, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F./177 degrees C. or 300 degrees F./149 degrees C. for convection.
Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes, until the loaves sound hollow when thumped on the bottom and the internal temp is around 190 degrees F./88 degrees C. in the center. If you used a whole egg wash, the crust will get darker than with the egg white wash, so don’t be fooled into thinking the bread is done until it passes the thump and temperature test.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
I never knew that challahs changed shape around the holidays. I love the symbolism. For your first venture into yeast bread making, you’ve done splendidly! Brava!
Thank you! I’m pretty proud of this one. There is so much symbolism in the food of Judaism. It’s almost overwhelming. Jovina has a great post on it.
Your first experience?!? Definitely won’t be your last. This bread looks amazing!
Thanks, Debbie! I know I’ll do this again. It was a great kitchen accomplishment. Very cool to watch happen.
Isn’t it though? I have killed yeast before and it is heart breaking 🙁 I look forward to future bread posts from you. I do love bread! 🙂
Excellent – it sounds like you are turning into a regular Jeffrey Steingarten! You’ll need a copy of “McGee on Food and Cooking”. The Challah looks delicious 😉
Ha thanks Md. I’m armed and ready. I’m so glad I ventured into bread.
Your challah looks gorgeous. I have made challah many times, but not a whole wheat version. I will have to give this version a try. I bet your loaf had lots of flavor. Bread baking is very rewarding.
I hear you completely. It really is so rewarding in a way regular meals just don’t give. Maybe it’s the patience, steps, science. Id love to try your challah! The whole wheat definitely changes the flavor but it’s only a fraction of the flour so it’s not overwhelming.
Hard to believe this is your first round with yeast bread–amazing! Love your pondering, too. Always good to strive to be a better person, though I admit to sometimes just want to get through a day maintaining status quo. Appreciate your inspiration much. Beautiful as always.
I’ll take that admission. Me too. This time of year, I strive for better, but on a day to day basis, I find myself wishing other people would try harder. So glad I made this. Definitely a first round, but not a last round.
Amanda I’m sure you’ll have no problem being a better you as I imagine you are already a fantastic person and would succeed in everything you set your mind to.,,, like this beautiful bread! I have to say I was briefly in New York for a few days only with Mr H, I was going to see if I could contact you but we had the most crazy time of absolutely not being able to stop, just jumped up, had breakfast in this great cafe nearby and then walk walk walk walk until we dropped with no time for anything and not enough time for all we wanted. What an amazing city! xxx
Thank you so much, Sofia. You’re too kind. New York is like that. I’m never offended when people come and don’t see me, including family, because NYC has a way of sucking you in like that. And you have so much fun with the person you’re with you almost don’t want to wait around for someone to join you. It’s a blast. Next time! Or I’m coming to Espana!!! Un beso. xo
Sorry, it was my first time there and it really does suck you in! Believe me my feet were so tired haha! Maybe in Spain we could be a bit more relaxed! un beso
Beautiful metaphor…
I am going through a similar state of being and find that turning to food is a good way to reflect.
This is a challah of which to be proud.
Thanks, Stacey. I do find that there’s something powerful about engaging in the kitchen and at the gym. It’s a sense of creation/self-worth that really is precious.
Is it really your first experiment with yeast and bread baking? You did really well, Amanda! Bravo. I bet it won’t be the last time you do so, especially since it sounds like you enjoyed the whole process. I am no specialist but I definitely enjoy making stuff with yeast and seeing it change, live, evolve.
Your challah looks really delicious, I knew nothing about the symbolism of the shapes so thanks for the story. I’ve never eaten challah in my entire life!
Let’s submit this as a prelude to our life dissertation, shall we? I love this post. The bread turned out beautifully as well, and indeed you are in good hands with Ruhlman and Ngan. I swear there will be fingernail marks on my coffin, as I do not depart, welcome or let go of anything easily! Only when I am physically beaten into submission through a nice run, cooking or kneading session, etc. I love the shape of your challah and isn’t it interesting what a durable dough it is? Nothing like sourdough that is like a finicky cat . . . .I love brioche and challah because they are so forgiving.
It sounds like you’ve got some decent baking experience (and I’ve seen some of it on your blog as you make your way through Huckleberry). Thanks for the compliments. I really seem to be very much like you. It takes time for me to adjust. Working out and cooking are seriously the things that keep me sane these days. It used to be music and still is to an extent, but the physical is really what helps. If this weren’t a forgiving dough, I don’t think it would have come out as well. It was fluffy, not hard and forgiving of my inexpert touch. We’ll just keep at it.
Amen! I think challah makes fabulous french toast, too.
Your challah looks stunning, Amanda! The photographs are gorgeous and scream deliciousness loud and clear. Exactly like food should look like!
All our closest friends in the US are Jewish. We get invited to celebrate their holidays and we invite them to celebrate ours. Over the years, we learned to understand and appreciate your traditions and symbolism. There is something uniquely poetic about your culture. Next time I see my friends, I’m going to reprimand them: they never get me try challah and I want it, I want it, I want it!!! 😉
That challah looks damn fine, my friend. And great little lesson on baking science!! 🙂
Bravo, Amanda!:) bread looks delicious (and I wish I had it for tomorrow breakfast:D)! And want to mention the photo with window, it’s charming; the window into a big world! 😉
Have a lovely week! ❤️
Thanks so much. I like the idea of the window into the big world. It’s very true. That’s my bedroom actually. So funny. Have a great week too. Thanks for your sweet comment.
I love that: “more than myself, a better version of myself.” I keep meaning to ask the resident bread baker (Steve) to tackle challah again. (Oh, the grilled cheese sandwiches…) You’ve managed to make even raw bread dough look fabulous!
I love bread making and I am so impressed with what you did here – your first venture into bread making? Wonderful!
Thanks, Chica! I’m impressed too, honestly. It is so worth it.
Wonderful post and wonderful Challah, Amanda 🙂 I’m amazed by your first experience with yeast, flour and the rest, a great, great job. The smell of the bread is unique in the house and I hope you will continue to try more recipes 🙂
Thank you. I sure will continue. Your last few posts have been inspiring me to try different types from different places. It is a unique experience and smell and well worth it. Kind of like making your own pasta. Thanks for the encouragement.
Wow, Amanda, I’m in total awe with this challah, all that research you undertook and all the headache you went through. But obviously it was worth the effort!!! Yeast doughs are a total whole world. I did learn a lot from your personal experience and now I’m raving about making some challah bread myself some time…
PS I just loved that vintage hand mixer <3
Thank you! It was a learning expedience and well worth it. So glad you’re inspired since you’re a master at your craft! The hand mixer was my grandma’s. She just gave it to me and I was so excited. I don’t have a kitchenaid, but I do have an egg beater. This is way cooler. It helped a lot when I made mayonnaise!
I really enjoyed this post! I like to make bread too and I appreciated all the information you gave about the process. Your Challah looks delicious!
Thanks so much. It was interesting to learn why we knead and the science behind the rise and temperatures, etc. I’d love to try your bread one day!
That would be fun! I recently wrote an essay about how kneading dough is like therapy for me and how much I appreciate that bread dough is so forgiving. I think you found that to be true too! What a great way to work through issues in life–by making bread.
Totally. 😉
Wait wait wait wait wait. This is your FIRST time making bread? Seriously? But that’s not possible … This looks amazing and like you’ve been doing it for years! But after all your research you deserve to get it perfect so well done 😀 What are you going to bake next?
Aw thanks so much! You’re too sweet. I was thinking next I’d try either a sour dough loaf or a no knead recipe! I’m intrigued. The last thing I need is to start eating tons of bread. But it’s such a wonderful thing! 🙂
Beautiful challah loaf, Amanda! It looks delicious and eggy! Have you made the challah French toast yet? I can almost taste it just thinking about it. I love how you deconstruct the science behind the eggs and the gluten. Fun stuff to know, though I no longer make bread because the hubby doesn’t eat bread anymore. I would make challah for myself, but there’s some element of torture to make him smell it while it’s baking and watch me eat it, isn’t there? Happy New Year (a bit belatedly)!
Ha! Thanks, Ngan. I don’t eat a ton of bread either, though now I may have to start. I did make the French toast with orange zest, cinnamon and cardamom. So good. Gluten coma. Will repeat. ; ) thank you for your encouragement!
Oh, I love this…. and I remember my first time not only baking…but experimenting with bread. It’s such a rewarding experience, isn’t it? I’m bookmarking this recipe…I love challah..and now you have me wanting to make this, so that I can cut it thick, and dip it in eggs to make a lovely French toast. Lovely post. Beautiful photos. <3
This recipe is actually really good. I’m so glad you liked it. Yes my first baking experience was pretty recently and bread is SO rewarding. I made a french toast with it and it was so good. I need to be careful. I can’t be eating bread and challah all the time! I have my girlish good looks to care for!
Such a lovely post, Amanda – it is indeed a time for welcoming and letting go. I really enjoyed every word, and I appreciate all the food science you shared, as well. So cool. You baked some gorgeous challahs! What a wonderful and significant way to begin the New Year. Wishing you a belated Shana Tova and a sweet, delicious year ahead!
Thank you so much, Hannah. So nice to see you here. Lshana tova to you too, though today I’m looking for a sukkah! I really appreciate your kind words. Xo