Challah for Shabbat
6 servings
120 minutes
Challah is a soft, airy bread with a golden crust traditionally made for the Jewish Sabbath—Shabbat. This recipe has ancient roots and symbolizes blessing and abundance in the home. The soft dough enriched with eggs and olive oil gains a special silkiness, while its braided shape makes the bread not only beautiful but also easy to share. The taste of challah is slightly sweet with a rich wheat aroma and tender texture. It is served with honey, butter or used to prepare festive dishes. An essential part of family dinner, challah warms the heart and reminds us of the importance of traditions.
1
Mix vegetable oil with salt and sugar, pour in a glass of boiling water, stir, then add one and a half glasses of cold water, and stir.
- Extra virgin olive oil: 1.2 glass
- Salt: 2 teaspoons
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
2
Yeast needs to be mixed with sugar; take a spoon of yeast and pour it into a glass, then add one spoon of sugar and leave the rest for the dough. Add water to the yeast and sugar mixture, it should reach less than half of the glass. The water should be warm; after preparing the mixture, let it sit for 3-4 minutes.
- Dry yeast: 1 tablespoon
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Dry yeast: 1 tablespoon
3
After your yeast has swollen, we dissolve it in 1/3 cup of warm water, separately beat two eggs, and mix our two mixtures together.
- Dry yeast: 1 tablespoon
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
4
Then we add flour to our mixture, the main thing is that the dough should not be dry, do not overdo it with flour.
- Wheat flour: 4 glasss
5
After kneading the dough, it should be covered and set aside for about 1.20 hours to rise.
6
When our dough doubles in size, we take it out and start kneading again. We divide the ready dough into 3 balls. To avoid dusting flour on the dough and keep it from being dry, grease your hands with olive or vegetable oil.
- Extra virgin olive oil: 1.2 glass
- Wheat flour: 4 glasss
7
Then start making long sausages from each ball, after you have made the sizes that suit you, braid it and place it on the baking sheet, wrapping the braid like a pie, in the shape of your dish.
8
Separate the remaining egg from the white and brush our bread with the yolk.
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
9
Let the dough rest for another 10-15 minutes.
10
After that, we place it in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
11
You can sprinkle poppy seeds on the dough if you wish.