Challah is a loaf of yeast-risen egg bread that is traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath and at other holidays. Today, this sweeter bread is enjoyed by the masses and is especially good to use for French toast creating. The recipe yields two loaves. They can be topped with sesame or poppy seeds. I do a double egg wash for a super shiny finished product. This recipe can also be made a day ahead of time.
Ingredients:
2.5 cups warm water
1 tbl active dry yeast
1/4 cup of honey (I use raw organic)
1/4 cup of agave syrup
4 tbl vegetable oil
3 eggs (I use organic)
1 tbl kosher salt
8.5 cup of unbleached, all purpose flour (I use King Arthur’s brand)
1 tbl poppy seeds (optional)
Directions:
In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Beat in honey, agave, oil, 2 eggs, and the kosher salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after adding each cup of flour. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky – I used my dough hook with my mixer for 4 minutes. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1.5 hours.
Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured surface. Divide in half. Working with one half at a time – then divide the dough into 3 equal amounts. Roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Pinch the ends together and tuck under the loaf. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375. Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid two times. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes or until nicely browned. Bread should sound hollow when thumped on. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.
— Knead to Cook
I want to try this. It looks so yummy and pretty. I don’t have agave syrup. Could I replace it with honey?
Thank you
Starla
There is honey and agave in the recipe. I haven’t tried it solely with honey but I’m sure it would work beautifully! Thanks for popping by. Robin 🙂
I don’t have any agave syrup either. I was thinking about substituting maple syrup.
Do you have honey? Just use honey. 🙂 I’m afraid the maple syrup would change the taste.
Thank you for this recipe but, Since researching the downside of agave, I don’t use it ever! I will try with honey only. Lots of articles available…..
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401166/Whats-Wrong-with-Agave-Nectar.html
http://draxe.com/agave-nectar/
I typically use maple syrup or date paste since going vegan. Thanks.
I have just made these and have just taken them out of the oven! Being a Brit, the cups thing could have been a nightmare had I not invested in a set recently. These breads are a) amazing b) GIGANTIC! The loaf on the top shelf grew so much it grabbed hold of the grill and I had to prise it away to liberate it out of the oven. I used agave and honey as suggested. Not had any yet but can tell they’re going to be amazing. not airy fairy but doughy and elastic (I hope) with a bit of a sheened crust. I might write again once I have had some! Also strongly recommend the brown chollah/challah at Barbara Bakes – I made these white ones ‘tho as I fancied a change.
So happy to hear from you Vanessa. Look forward to hearing what you think once you taste test it 🙂 oxo
Well, I wrote my previous comment ‘post-bake but pre-eat’. I can now say I have eaten the chollah and it was AMAZING. I have returned to this page as I am going to make it again tomorrow morning and am getting my ingredients ready. It’s sort of dense and rich, just how I like my bread.
I made this today(Easter Sunday), and it was awesome! It was all we ate for supper. Love it.
Glad to hear it! That bread is so insanely good. My kids always loved it for French toast too. Happy Easter! oxo
Can i use just honey? will it change the taste? Why did you decide to go with two different sweeteners?
Nicole, I would think 1/2 cup of one product would work. Since going vegan/gf I haven’t made this recipe but it was totally delish! oxo
This Challah looks amazing. It’s one of the breads I make all the time and my kids just devour, though I’ve never done it with Agave! I’ll have to give that a go and spice things up a little, sounds like it would brighten up the flavor profile a touch!
Thanks for sharing!