Description
This traditional Challah recipe produces a beautifully soft, slightly sweet braided bread with a golden crust topped with optional poppy or sesame seeds. Perfect for holidays, special occasions, or as an everyday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 70g caster sugar
- 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 70ml sunflower oil, plus extra for the bowl
- 3 tsp fine salt
- 200ml lukewarm water, plus a couple tablespoons for yeast activation
Topping (optional)
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds or sesame seeds
Instructions
- Activate yeast: In a small bowl, combine the yeast, a pinch of caster sugar, and a couple tablespoons of lukewarm water. Stir to dissolve the yeast and leave it to sit for 10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, remaining caster sugar, and fine salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mix to prepare for the wet ingredients.
- Combine dough ingredients: Into the well, add half of the beaten egg, the activated yeast mixture, sunflower oil, and 200ml lukewarm water. Stir with a spoon, then mix by hand, bringing the dough together. Gradually add a little water if the dough is too dry but avoid making it sticky; the dough should be moist but not soggy.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and slightly springy. Add a small amount of flour as needed to prevent sticking. Form the dough into a ball.
- First rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl and roll the dough ball around it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave the dough in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape the loaf: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the risen dough onto a clean surface and divide it into three equal pieces, weighing if preferred. Roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 25cm long, tapering the ends slightly. Arrange the sausages parallel with small gaps, then braid by bringing the top ends together and plaiting down the length. Tuck in the ends to seal the loaf.
- Second rise: Transfer the plaited dough to the prepared baking sheet. Loosely cover with a clean tea towel and leave it to rise for about 40 minutes until puffy and billowy.
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. Brush the loaf gently but thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg, ensuring coverage in all crevices. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if using.
- Bake: Bake the challah on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown underneath and sounds hollow when tapped. Check around 15 minutes and cover with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
- Cool and serve: Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing. Serve fresh or store for later enjoyment.
Notes
- Use strong bread flour for best texture.
- Ensure water is lukewarm but not hot to activate yeast properly without killing it.
- Check the bread during baking to prevent over-browning.
- Additional toppings like seeds add texture and flavor but are optional.
- Store leftover challah in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25-30 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Jewish
Keywords: Challah, braided bread, Jewish bread, homemade bread, yeast bread, soft bread, festive bread
