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Round Challah

Recipe

Foods associated with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, symbolize wishes for the coming year, most notably apples and honey, representing a sweet new year. Other traditions include eating round challah to symbolize the cycle of time and a fish head for prosperity. Pomegranates, dates, carrots, leeks, and squash are also eaten for their symbolic meanings, such as the hope for many merits or the removal of enemies

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon active dry or instant yeast
  • 1 ½ cups warm water between 105°F and 115°F
  • ⅓ - ½ cup sugar
  • 6 cups flour 
  • 1-2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 - 4 eggs 
  • ⅓ cup oil vegetable or canola

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon water

Method

  1. Prepare dough
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar to the warm water, then add the yeast. The yeast will bubble up in a minute or so, (if it doesn't then the yeast is no good)
  3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, salt, eggs, oil and balance of the sugar. Then add the water/yeast proofing mixture.
  4. If kneading by hand, you can start with a wooden spoon or just dig your hands in and combine. When it starts coming together in the bowl, transfer it to the counter to continue the kneading.
  5. Knead until smooth and shiny and springy.
  6. If using the stand mixer, start on medium low to combine the ingredients, then turn it up to about medium. At about 5 minutes, scrape down the sides and let it continue to knead for another 3 minutes or so. Check with your finger to see if it's tacky or downright sticky or too dry. Tacky but not wet is perfect
  7. First rise and shape
  8. Place the dough back in the large bowl, cover and let rise until double in size. The time varies by the weather. You can also do this the night before and let rise in the fridge overnight.
  9. Once doubled in size, turn the dough out onto the counter and divide in half. Braid, or shape as you wish.
  10. At this point you can add cinnamon and sugar to the middle of the dough strands.
  11. To make a strand of any length for braiding or coiling, form a piece of dough into a cylinder then roll it out with the palms of your hands to the length you want. If it’s uneven, just squish it with your hands to even it out a bit. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
  12. To make a round challah
  13. Coil Method: Take any length strand (for a fairly large round loaf try 24") and loosely coil it up and connect the end underneath’
  14. Round challah with ramekin: Braid half the dough into a 3- or 4-strand challah. Grease the outside of an ovenproof ramekin.
  15. Place the ramekin on your parchment-lined baking sheet and encircle the ramekin with the braided dough.
  16. Connect the ends of the dough together. Not to worry if the connected part isn’t as perfect as the rest of the braid. It will all look beautiful after it rises and bakes.
  17. Final rise
  18. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  19. Place prepared loaves on a lightly oiled baking sheet, silicone mat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Let rise approximately 1 hour in a warm place. Check periodically - you are looking for about a 30% increase in size and the dough should spring back slowly when you poke it.
  20. Egg wash and bake
  21. Whisk the egg and teaspoon of water and brush the loaves with the egg wash.
  22. Turn oven down to 350 and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and the loaf sounds hollow when thumped. If you have an instant-read thermometer, they should register between 190° and 200° F when done.
  23. Remove immediately to a wire rack so the loaves don't get soggy on the bottom. Resist cutting them until they cool down.