Honey Raisin Challah

Honey Raisin Challah

Traditional challah to celebrate the Jewish New Year and it’s often sweeter than usual and round in shape.  Actually, it is a spiral mounded into a dome.  The rounded loaves are made plain or with raisins and are popular for Yom Kippur eve.

To make sure the challah has a light texture, you let the dough rise twice in a bowl and once after shaping the loaf.  The challah tastes best on the day it is baked.   

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 1 medium loaf

3 eggs

½ cup raisins

½ cup warm water

1 Tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoon sugar

1 envelop yeast (¼ oz. or 2 ½ teaspoon)

3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup honey

1 ½ teaspoon salt

METHOD OF PREP:

1.            Pour ¼ cup of water into a small bowl.  Sprinkle yeast into water and then sprinkle 1 teaspoon.  Let stand until foamy and bubbly.

2.            Place 2 ¾ cups of flour into mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.  Add yeast mixture, remaining sugar, eggs, remaining water and salt.

3.            Mix on medium speed, pushing flour in often at first and scraping down occasionally from bowl and from hook, until ingredients come together, forming soft sticky dough. 

4.            Add remaining flour and beat until blended in.

5.            Mix dough at medium speed to knead it, scraping down twice, about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and almost cleans sides.  Pinch dough quickly; if it sticks to your fingers, beat in more flour 1 Tablespoon at a time until dough is no longer very sticky.  If you add flour, mix at medium speed about 2 minutes.  Dough should be soft, smooth and elastic.

6.            Put dough into an oiled bowl and turn down dough over to oil all surfaces.  Cover with warm, slightly damp towel. 

7.            Let rise in warm, draft-free area about 1¼-hours or until doubled in size.

8.             Knead dough lightly in bowl to knock out air. 

9.            Cover and let rise again about 1 hour or until doubled.

10.        Soak raisins in enough water to cover.

11.        Roll dough into a 9-inch square onto lightly floured work surface.

12.        Drain and dry raisins on paper towels.

13.        Sprinkle raisins evenly and press them into dough. 

14.        Roll dough up tightly from one end to the other. 

15.        Roll dough back and forth on work surface, pressing with your palms to form a smooth rope about 28-inches long. 

16.        Wind rope around one of its sends in a spiral.  Tuck other end underneath and pinch firmly to attach it to dough. 

17.        Press whole loaf firmly with your hands to give it an even round shape. 

18.        Carefully set loaf on oiled baking sheet.

19.        Cover shaped loaf with a warm, slightly damp towel.  Let rise about 1 hour or until nearly doubled.

20.        Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

21.        Beat remaining egg with a pinch of salt.  Brush risen loaf gently with egg. 

22.        Bake 15 minutes. 

23.        Reduce heat to 350 degrees F.  Bake 30 minutes more or until top and bottom of bread are firm and bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.

24.        Carefully transfer bread to rack and cool. 

25.        Enjoy!

RESULT:

A huge success.  A beautiful proofed dough.  I had never made a

round challah before, only braided.  Although the final product 

was a leaning spiral, it tasted delicious.  Perfectly sweet with a

hint of honey and complemented with raisins. 

The challah tastes best day of, however leftover/stale challah

makes wonderful french toast. GOOD LUCK!