A Whole Lotta Challah!*
This challah bread was out of CONTROL. Guys, I really wasn’t sure what to expect with it being my first time making challah, but it was definitely a success. I researched many, many recipes before making my final decision. It was not an easy call, and if you know me, I have a very hard time making decisions. Anyway, I highly recommend this recipe! I followed it exactly as written except for the bread forming part/braiding. I did a traditional long loaf with 3 braids, in this recipe she has it in a smaller bread loaf with 4 braids. It also makes 1 super large loaf that I think you would need to make more cinnamon filling for if you really want to taste the flavor, or 2 smaller loaves (which is what I did).
Link of original recipe: https://www.feastandfableblog.com/blog/cinnamon-challah-bread
5 Easy Steps:
Test yeast to make sure that it is active. Fill a measuring cup with 1 cup warm water, add the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir to dissolve and let stand until you see a thin frothy layer form on the top and the active yeast begin to rise to the surface. This should take anywhere from 4 - 10 minutes.
Whisk together the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer (or a large bowl if kneading by hand). Then, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the eggs, egg yolk and oil. Whisk the eggs and oil together and pull in a little bit of flour from the sides of the bowl to create a slurry. Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry and use a wooden spoon to mix the yeast, eggs and flour until a rough, shaggy dough is formed.
If using a standing mixer, use the dough hook attachment to knead the dough on low for about 6 to 7 minutes. If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add a sprinkle of flour. The dough is finished kneading when it’s soft and smooth.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set somewhere warm and let the dough rise for 1.5 hours or until it’s doubled in bulk. (If your house is cold, it will take longer to rise. Find the warmest room in the house or set in the oven.)
While the dough is rising, make the filling. Place the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Then, pour in the melted butter and stir to form a paste, set aside.
Braid your bread, here is a link that helped me with the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7xHwvzlYyM. Note: it’s okay if it gets a little messy with the filling - it’s what makes the outer crust so delicious!
Once you’re challah is braided, you can either place it on a baking sheet or in a parchment lined cake tin. Then, cover and let rise for another 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once the challah looks nice and puffy, brush with the remaining egg white and place in the oven to bake for about 30-35 minutes. The challah bread is ready when it’s golden brown and the internal temperature reads 195 degrees F.
What you will need:
For the dough:
2 teaspoons active yeast
1 cup warm water
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk (keep the remaining egg white for the wash!)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
For the filling:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1.5 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
