This recipe is courtesy of King Arthur's new book. This Classic Challah Bread is lightly sweet, braided, and beautiful. It's the perfect sweet bread for any holiday celebration.
If you love making homemade bread as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorite recipes like my Honey Butter Dinner Rolls, Lemon Rosemary Sourdough, or my Homemade Sesame Bagels.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I was gifted the new King Arthur All Purpose Baking Companion book this week. It was such a nice surprise in the mail to find a cookbook! Something as simple as book can really make someone's day. I gift my own books frequently, and it makes me so happy to give them! Try giving someone you love one of your favorite cookbooks this month, it's an inexpensive gift that keeps on giving. You can find my books here.
So, of course I dove right into The All Purpose Baking Companion. It really reminds me of the Joy of Cooking – literally the only cookbook my mom had growing up. But, I remember taking that extra large hardcover book off the shelf, opening it, and reading recipes. There were no photos in that book, and I like how King Arthur added a handful of colorful photos in the middle of their book. That really made it feel vintage but also new, while still being packed full of recipes!
The first recipe I looked for was Challah Bread. My grandma made Challah Bread for every single holiday – she literally never missed one! I have a whole story about that, and I have been re-working her recipe for a little while now and it's almost done. But, that is for another day.
It's also why I wanted to test out King Arthur's Challah Bread recipe as I have only ever made or eaten my grandmas! And I will tell you, theirs is not as sweet as hers (or mine) haha! But, it's really good and really easy. I was actually kinda surprised at the simplicity in this recipe, as my grandma's Challah is a little more complex. So, today I am sharing King Arthur's Classic Challah Bread recipe with you, so you can get a sneak peek into their new book.
Ingredients for King Arthur's Classic Challah Bread
Red Star Organic Instant Yeast
Cairnspring Mills Organic All Purpose Flour
Costco Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar
La Tourangelle Organic Canola Oil
Why go organic?
You may be wondering why I push organic ingredients for everything, even savory and healthy dishes. Organic ingredients go beyond just health and wellness, and contribute so much to the taste and flavor of a recipe. So, if you think that you're making something healthy and buying fruits, veggies, or meats so maybe you don't need to spend the extra to go organic here – let me sway your thinking.
Organic ingredients are made in a more pure way, therefore using no additives, no GMOs, and minimal ingredients. This really allows the true ingredients to shine – and because of that their flavor shines through. Therefore, organic ingredients are more flavorful than their non organic counterparts. So, just because it's already a healthy recipe, or you're already buying good for you ingredients – it doesn't mean you can skip organic! Trust me here, and make the switch. Your body and your taste buds will thank you!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
This simple Challah Bread makes the best dinner bread, it also is amazing to make French toast with.
Ingredients
- Dough
1/2 cup (113 g) water, lukewarm
6 tablespoons (74 g) organic vegetable oil
1/4 cup (85 grams) organic honey
2 organic large eggs
4 cups (480 g) organic unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon (10 g) organic instant yeast
- Egg Wash
1 organic large egg beaten with
1 tablespoon (14 g) cold water
Directions
- Combine all the dough ingredients and mix and knead until you have a soft, smooth dough.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover it, and let it rise for about 2 hours, or until it's puffy; it won't necessary double in bulk.
- Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.
- You may braid the challah the traditional way, into a three-strand braid. For a fancier presentation, make a four- or six-strand braid.
- Once you've decided which braid you're doing, divide the dough into the appropriate number of pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 20-inches long. If the dough starts to shrink back as you roll, cover it and let it rest for about 10 minutes, then resume rolling. The short rest gives the gluten a chance to relax. Braid the loaf.
- Gently pick up the braided loaf and place it on a lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Cover the loaf with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until it's very puffy, 90 minutes to 2 hours at cool room temperature. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- To make the egg wash: Whisk together the egg and water. Brush over the risen loaf.
- Place the baking sheet atop another baking sheet; this will insulate the bread's bottom crust, and keep it from browning too much. Put the challah in the lower third of the oven, and bake it for 20 minutes. If it's a deep golden brown, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. If it's not as brown as you like, check it again at 30 minutes.
- Once you've tented the challah, bake it for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the loaf looks and feels set and its interior registers at least 190°F.
- Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a rack to cool.
- While challah does tend to dry out after a day or so, it's always good toasted, or made into grilled sandwiches or French toast.
Notes
- High Altitude – I baked this recipe at 375°F for 30 minutes total. I also did not tent mine.
Did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @mimibakescookies and @mimibakesphotos on Instagram!
Did you like this post?
Make sure to check out my Dill Cream Cheese Spread recipe, which I'm sure you'll love too! And, share it with someone who you think may also like it!
