Sourdough challahs

[cooker613]

Sourdough challahs ready for shabbas. One with “everything” seeds and the other worth zaatar.

 

[JC in GB]

Just love the flavor of Za'Atar Looks great.

JC

 

[sandyut]

WOW, beautiful! One day I will have an oven again - cant wait to make breads. I will be lucky to have them turn out this nice.

 

[pushok2018]

Looks very nice, cooker! Never tried to bake a challah but just was thinking of this yesterday... Any chance you can share your recipe and techniques on how to bake challah?

 

[oldsmokerdude]

Awesome! Those are some nice looking braids. Enjoy.

 

[gary s]

Wow great Job

Gary

 

[xray]

Wow that looks great!

 

[cooker613]

Looks very nice, cooker! Never tried to bake a challah but just was thinking of this yesterday... Any chance you can share your recipe and techniques on how to bake challah?

Thanks. Like most recipes it is based on a lot of other people’s work. A major influence was Maggie glazer’s book, A Blessing of Bread.
I am assuming you have sourdough starter. So...
The night before you want to bake take
2-4 T. Of active sourdough starter
1/3 C. warm water
1C. flour
Mix well, let sit for 12 hours until tripled in volume.

The next day
The final dough
1/4 - 1/2 C. Warm water
3eggs + 1 for glazing
1 1/2 T. salt
1/4 oil
3T. honey (sugar)
~3 C. bread flour
The fermented starter from the night befor.

1 mix water, eggs, salt, oil, and honey until shaggy
2 mix in the starter and knead until smooth
3 let rest for 10 - 15 min
4 place in oiled bowl and let rest for two hours. (It won’t appear to have risen much)
5 divide into two. Divide each half into six equal pieces (I do a six- braid)
6 braid into desired loaves
7 place on prepared sheet pan(s) and cover with oiled plastic wrap and a towel and let proof until tripled in size, about 5 hours
8 about 30 min. before heat oven (350)
9. Mix last egg with pinch of salt. And paint loaves
10. Sprinkle with topping of choice (if using)
11 bake for 25 - 35 min until dark brown and tests done
12 allow to completely cool.
Note: it is traditional to put two loaves on the shabbas table to represent the double portion of manna that fell in the wilderness for shabbas. Also seeds are traditional to remind us of the manna itself. And finally six strand braids are used to represent the 12 tribes (6x2). Enjoy.

 

[edward36]

Shabbos Shalom from the land down under!

Those challas look great! I prefer not to use sourdough for challa, but whatever works really! You gave me an inspiration to post mine too :)

 

[cooker613]

Shabbos Shalom from the land down under!

Those challas look great! I prefer not to use sourdough for challa, but whatever works really! You gave me an inspiration to post mine too :)

Usually I don’t either, but for a good long while yeast simply was no available. So I had to make it with something, so...sourdough.
And Shabbat shalom you you too.

 

[SmokinAl]

Looks fantastic!
We like it for French toast!
Al

 

[pushok2018]

I am assuming you have sourdough starter.

Thank you for the recipe, cooker! In fact I don't have sourdough starter.... By some reason, the starter I used to have got spoiled so... I have to make new one.

 

[cooker613]

Looks fantastic!
We like it for French toast!
5

 

[cooker613]

Thank you for the recipe, cooker! In fact I don't have sourdough starter.... By some reason, the starter I used to have got spoiled so... I have to make new one.

I found using some rye flour at the start gives a nice jump to the starter.

 

[pushok2018]

found using some rye flour at the start gives a nice jump to the starter.

Hmmm... Never hear of that... I used whole wheat flour at the start. Thank you for the tip! I'll try that.