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Jamie Geller’s Challah Recipe
 

July 11th 2011

Contributed by: Jamie Geller

 

 

33 comments | Leave Comment

 
 
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Recipe

Jamie Geller’s Challah Recipe

Jamie shares her new and improved Challah Recipe

Times

  • Prep Time : 60 min
  • Cook Time : 45 - 55 min
  • Ready Time : 1 hour, 45 min

Servings

4 challahs

Ingredients

  • 2 ounce active dry yeast + 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 cups warm water, divided
  • 4 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 (6-pound) bag high-gluten flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 1/4 cups canola oil, divided
  • 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup poppy seeds

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and 3 tablespoons of sugar in 2 cups of warm water, cover loosely with a towel and set aside.

2. Place salt in a huge plastic bowl.

3. Add flour to bowl.

4. Add sugar and egg yolks.

5. Yeast should now have bubbled/foamed and doubled in size, if yeast has not bubbled or does not seem active repeat the process again.

6. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and slowly pour yeast and sugar water mixture into the well. Then add the remaining 4 cups of warm water into the well. Make sure the water is not too hot. It should be no warmer than you would use for a baby’s bath.

7. Start kneading ingredients together and add a ½ cup of oil.

8. For the next 10 minutes, knead, adding another ½ cup of oil slowly during that time as needed to create a workable dough. Dough shouldn’t be too sticky and also should not be dry. It should become one cohesive mass.

9. Loosley cover dough with a large kitchen towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen for 15 minutes.

10. After 15 minutes, lightly oil your hand and knead again for another 5 minutes adding a touch more oil to the dough if necessary. The dough should now be easier to work with and will become smooth and satiny.

11. Rub a little oil over the top and around the dough. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel. Place covered bowl in a medium plastic garbage bag and place open ends of the bag loosely underneath the bowl, trapping in air.

12. Place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

13. Punch dough down and knead (lightly oil your hands if necessary), flipping it and releasing any air bubbles. Cover again, using the towel and the bag, and let rise 1 more hour.

14. Lightly oil your hands, and punch down again. With a sharp knife divide dough into 4 equal parts.

11. Liberally spray 4 (9-inch) round baking pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

12. Preheat oven to 375 F.

For Round Challah

13. With lightly oiled hands, place 1 piece of dough on a smooth work surface. Play with the dough a bit, squeezing out any air bubbles. Then roll the dough into a long, thick rope, adding oil as needed to keep it from being too sticky. Don’t use too much oil; a little sticky is fine.

14. Place one end of the rope up against the edge of the prepared pan and coil it, ending in the middle. Set aside

For Pull-Apart Challah

15. With lightly oiled hands, place 1 piece of dough on a smooth work surface. Play with the dough a bit, squeezing out any air bubbles. Separate into 8 equal parts. Roll each part into a round ball, adding oil as needed to keep it from being too sticky. Don’t use too much oil; a little sticky is fine.

16. Place one ball in the middle of the prepared pan and surround with remaining balls. Don’t worry if they don’t touch. They will rise into each other while baking. Set aside.

17. Repeat either method with remaining dough so that you have 4 challahs.

18. Brush challahs with beaten egg and sprinkle with a combination of poppy and sesame seeds.

19. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes and then lower your oven temperature to 350 F and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, until challah tops are dark golden brown.

20. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve while still warm. Once the challah has been sliced, you can store the slices in sealable plastic bags for about 4 to 5 days.

avatar

Jamie Geller is the only cookbook author who wants to get you out of the kitchen – not because she doesn’t love food – but because she has tons to do. As “The Bride Who Knew Nothing” Jamie found her niche as everybody’s favorite cook next-door. Specializing in scrumptious meals that are a snap to prepare, she authored the Quick & Kosher Cookbook series and is co- founder of the Kosher Media Network, which recently launched the Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller magazine and companion website JoyofKosher.com, a social network for foodies. Jamie hosts the popular Quick & Kosher cooking show online at youtube.com/joyofkosher and on-air on JLTV. Jamie and her “hubby” live in Monsey, NY. Their five children give her plenty of reasons to get out of the kitchen — fast.

 

comments

 

33 Responses to Jamie Geller’s Challah Recipe

  1. avatar Chaya Seidman says:

    2 ounces of yeast would equal to how much if using a measuring cup?

  2. avatar Susan Berger says:

    Two cups sugar, Jaime? I’d be interested in a healthier version.

  3. avatar Jamie Geller says:

    Hi Chaya 1/4 cup!

    • avatar sreltap says:

      I’m confused! My yeast converts 2 oz. into 6 Tbs not 4. Help, which is it?

  4. avatar Tamar Genger MA, RD says:

    I made this challah this weekend with half whole wheat flour and it came out amazing.
    I also used some of the dough to make these blueberry buns for dessert – http://joyof.kosher.com/recipe/toronto-blueberry-buns/ – the BEST.

  5. avatar Sarah says:

    Do you mean a 6 lb bag or 5 lb bag of flour? I have never seen a 6lb bag and do not have a food scale although I know that I should. If you do mean a 6lb bag, could you let me know what brand packages flour in that size? Thanks so much. Also, in your Irish Car Bomb Cake, you mentioned that you could not provide us with your buttercream recipe. I was wondering why since I really enjoy your recipes so much.

  6. avatar Evelyn Krieger says:

    How about a bread machine recipe?

  7. avatar Jamie Geller says:

    Hi Sarah – I do mean a 6lb bag. I use Dependable Foods, High Gluten Flour – check out the 6lb bag here: http://www.allinkosher.com/p-33681-dependable-high-gluten-flour-6-lb-parve.aspx. It’s about 4 cups of flour to a pound so you can use a 5lb bag plus 4 cups. And I am SOOOO happy you like my recipes — but the Irish Car Bomb Cake is not mine, it’s from our friend Shira — it’s her buttercream recipe — maybe you can leave her a comment under the cake recipe and coax her into sharing it with the world :-)

  8. avatar Jamie Geller says:

    Hi Evelyn — I always make 6 pounds so there is really no non-commercial machine out there that can handle the recipe in one batch. That’s why I always felt it was “easier” to just do it by hand all together. I will look into working on a smaller amount for a bread machine as soon as I have the chance.

  9. avatar Zahava says:

    Hi jamie! I thought I might have asked you this already but I don’t see my question posted , So I’ll ask it again. I was wondering if you have a recipe for sweet crumb topping for challah. Someone gave me challah with crumbs on it for Shalach manos and I didnt wash on it because I thought it was cake, it looked,smelled, and tasted so good! If you have a recipe for that, that would be awesome! Thanks!

    • avatar Jamie Geller says:

      hi Zahava – you did ask and I did answer – lol – we had a little technology glitch, Ok so I am SO in love with the crumb topping. My friend just made me a crumb topping challah after I had my baby. I must get the exact recipe for you but in the meantime this topping would also work well: http://www.joyofkosher.com/recipe/cran-apple-crunch-kugel-2/
      please let us know how it you like it.

    • avatar goldie says:

      Thanks Jamie! I actually started using a babka topping- equal parts powdered sugar and flour and oil added until crumbly(a little water can sub for some of the oil)

  10. avatar Rochel S says:

    Hi Jamie — first of all, yours is my favorite cookbook. I’m just making your challah recipe now for the first time — it’s baking and smells delicious. Just a note — I’m assuming this cookbook was written for Jewish women, you should put somewhere in the instructions that one should “take challah” with a bracha, as soon as the dough is ready to rise. There are websites that can tell people how, if they’re not sure, but it’s important to have there, as it’s a big mitzvah.

  11. avatar fay C says:

    Hi Jamie,
    Thanks for your wondelful magazines, I love them. i could spend hours in the kitchen. I enjoy trying out new recipes. Well three weeks ago I saw the challah video and I decided to try it. Since my last recipe I tryed came out bad I told myself why go through the hassle. Well i tryed your reicpe and boy was it a hit, just like you said. Everyone in my house could not stop eating it. So my aunt bought me a bag of sifted flour not aware that I had made a batch last week, and I decided to make it again. This time all my sister-in-law and neices ate it to the last drop. Thanks again.

    • avatar Jamie Geller says:

      Fay! YAY! I really appreciate that you took the time to write in the comments here. Thank you. And so happy you all are loving it!

  12. avatar hadas says:

    i usually only see 5 lb bags of flour..and i havent seen ” high gluten ” written on it..where can you get that in los angeles….?? thank you

  13. Sa Ne says:

    Thanks you make me feel that baking is
    enjoyable

    Kosher vitamins
    http://thehealthyway.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20141

  14. avatar sherylpit says:

    Jamie, I can’t find high gluten flour =- will bread flour work, or can I add gluten to regular flour? If so, how much gluten would I add?
    Thanks,
    Sheryl
    PS Awesome Website!

  15. avatar Jamie Geller says:

    Thank you Sheryl SO much! So glad you are enjoying JoK.com. Where are you writing from? Bread flour would work but gluten adds stickiness and sponginess to dough so high gluten will give you a better consistency/much lighter and fluffier challah/bread. I haven’t actually experimented with adding gluten to flour so I can’t advise you there but you could try looking for “bread machine flour” which is the same as high-gluten flour. Or if you want to order it online try this link http://www.allinkosher.com/p-33681-dependable-high-gluten-flour-6-lb-parve.aspx. Good luck!

  16. avatar sherylpit says:

    Hi Jamie,
    Thanks for responding so quickly. I’ll look for bread machine flour. Maybe I’ll have better luck with that. I’m in GA and the shipping on the flour that you suggested in that website is over $15.!!

  17. avatar shira says:

    Hi Jamie! first of all, I love your recipes. I followed your video the first time I made deli roll and all my friends wanted the recipe! Your food is always so pretty. I was wondering if it’s possible to cut all the ingredients in half for this challah recipe or if you think that would ruin the overall recipe? Thanks!

    • avatar Jamie Geller says:

      thanks Shira SOOOOOO much. I think you can cut it exactly in half and it should work for you. Also what I do sometimes (if I decide not to make cinnamon buns with the extra dough http://www.joyofkosher.com/recipe/challah-dough-cinnamon-buns-2/) is make all the dough and just before braiding I cut the dough in half, and wrap half in saran wrap and freeze the raw dough. Just make sure you let it defrost at room temperature and that the dough itself is at room temp (and not cold) before you start working with it. Good Luck!

  18. avatar shira says:

    Thats a great idea, thanks so much!

    • avatar vickes says:

      hi i want to know it how much soft?

  19. avatar Joon says:

    Dear Jamie,

    Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe with the world. My first time baking challah was a spiritual experience it came out amazing!!!

    Shabbat Shalom!

    • avatar Jamie Geller says:

      Joon!!! thank you thank thank you for taking the time to write. I really appreciate it!

  20. avatar Leah says:

    Dear Jamie!
    This Challah recipe was DELISH! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I live in Monsey too! Just moved here! Anyways, could you tell me how to braid a challah with six pieces? Thanks again!
    Have a good Shabbos!

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