Challah a traditional Jewish braided bread

This challah recipe is very ideal for bread newbies because there are several checks and tests that would be indicative of exactly when you should move on to the next step, thus not risking it going wrong. Under proofing, especially when kept in a cool environment, would be your biggest risk factor here.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
  • ½ cup warm water
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs + 1 for egg wash
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup warm water (extra for kneading)
Ingredients:

Instructions:

  • Activate the yeast: In a small bowl dissolve the yeast and 1 tsp sugar in ½ cup of warm water. Leave it for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy.
  • Preparation of dough: Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the mixture and add oil, eggs, and the yeast mixture. Gradually mix everything adding more water to create soft dough. Finally add the remaining ¼ cup of warm water to form soft dough.
  • Knead: Take the dough out of the bowl, onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for almost 10 minutes till the dough becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough gets too sticky then add a little more flour as needed.
    First Rise: Add your dough to an oiled bowl, and cover it with a damp cloth or some plastic wrap, letting it rise in a warm place for almost 1.5 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
  • Shape the dough: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into three or six equal pieces, depending on how many braids you want. Roll each of these out into long ropes to be braided together for the loaf; tuck the ends under to hold the shape in place.
  • Second rise: Put braided dough on parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, let rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Instructions:
Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, 175 degrees Celsius.
  • Egg wash: Beat the remaining egg and brush over the top of dough. That gives it a lovely golden-brown glow over the bread.
  • Bake: Challah bakes 25-30 minutes until golden, hollow sounding when tapped bottom. If it gets too brown on the top, cover loosely with foil.
  • Cooling and Serving: Let cool on rack to be sliced and served.
  • Serve warm fresh baked Challah with butter or honey or use as base for wonderful French toast!

Nutritional benefits:

Challah bread, as a purely religious and cultural food, can also give several nutritional benefits depending on its ingredients. Here is a breakdown of the possible nutritional benefits:

  1. Carbohydrates for energy
    Prime benefit: Because this is a bread made from flour, Challah can be a great source of carbohydrates that can serve to be the body’s primary source of energy. For that, it is employed as mainly fuel for daily activities.
    Quantity: One slice measuring 2 oz has around 20-25 grams of carbs per serving in the count.
    Protein from Eggs
    The major benefit for Challah is that it can have eggs and, therefore, add more proteins. Protein helps the body to repair tissues, build immune mechanisms, and maintain the muscles.
    Quantity: A slice can yield 4-6 grams of protein depending on the recipe and serving size.
    Fats for Nutrient Absorption
    Primary Benefit: Challah provides vegetable oil, healthy fats that allow the body to absorb essential fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, and remain functional.
  2. Quantity: Typically, there are 2-4 grams of fat per slice in challah, mainly from eggs and vegetable oil.
  3. Vitamins and Minerals
    Iron and B Vitamins: Flour used in bread, whether enriched or not, can contain iron, an oxygen delivery factor in the blood, and B vitamins (including thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin) – essential to the metabolism of food into energy.
    Eggs: Eggs provide the bread with vitamins A, D, E, and B12, critical factors in eye health, immune function, and nerve health.
  4. Fiber (if using whole wheat)
    Primary Benefit: If made with whole wheat flour, challah may contain dietary fiber that could aid in digestive health, assist with blood sugar regulation, and support heart health. There is less fiber in white flour challah.
  5. Serving or Quantity: Whole wheat challah can yield as much as 2-3 grams of fiber from one slice, while regular challah yields only about 1 gram.

Conclusion:

The challah bread is a rich source of energy, proteins, and healthy fats provided it is produced from whole wheat flour or healthier oils. Nonetheless, as with every bread, you should enjoy it in amounts appropriate to your requirements, especially if you are checking your carb count or cholesterol intake. You can also modify the challah recipes to make more nutritional by substituting with whole grains, adding seeds, or less sugar.

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