Shana Tova from our Bayit to Yours | A New Round Challah Shape

Well hello there, little blog. Hellooooo out there in Feedly land. Anyone still following? I'm still baking, but my focus is elsewhere. Mainly it's on this little one.

...who's not really so little anymore. We've been cooking and baking up a storm. Earlier this week, I made a batch of challah using my trusty half-batch recipe and tried out a new round shape. This shape is from Maggie Glezer's A Blessing of Bread, one of my favorite challah cookbooks. Here's how it came together for me.

First, I rolled out my dough (about half of my batch), wide and round like a pizza. Once it was pretty round (not as round as the picture in the book, but oh well), I cut it using my pasta cuter.

Since I wanted to fill it, I melted a bit of margarine and brushed it over the top of each side. Then I added a 3-to-1 sugar-cinnamon/spice mixture. I ran out of cinnamon, so it was part pumpkin pie spice and part cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 gala apple, peeled and cut into small chunks, and roll up from the small side.

The next part was the fun part. Take those loooooong noodles and, one at a time, fold them up on themselves and twist them a la those old camp friendship bracelets. Magic, right?

Arrange them together circling each other, and ta-da! Another fun challah shape for a sweet new year (More shapes here, here, here, and here).

So, little blog, I miss you, and I'm glad you're still here, and I'm glad any of you readers are still out there. Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and peaceful new year, filled with lots of joy.

Rosh HaShanah 5774 | Favorite Recipes

This year, we'll be doing some of our favorite recipes for Rosh HaShanah!  How will YOU be celebrating with food?

iChallah (Apple Challah)

Stuffed Apple Challah

Pumpkin Challah

Pomegranate Challah

Sliced Apple Challah

This year, I made a quick experiment for a new apple challah method.

I peeled a medium-sized Gala Apple and then sliced it thin with a mandoline.  Then I prepared a sugar-cinnamon mixture (2 parts sugar, 1 part cinnamon) and dipped each slice in the mixture.

 

I did two methods to place the apple slices in between the coil of the challah.  The best result was to try to keep the coil loose, otherwise, it will pop the slices up and out as the challah rises in the oven.

The result was tasty, sweet, and slightly crispy at the top of the slices!  Yum!

Shana Tova from our bayit to yours!

Happy Purim from The Challah Blog!

On the Shabbat before Purim, we always get into the spirit a little early and make fun challot.  Here are some of our ideas from past years.

Hamantaschen Challot are an easy and fun way to surprise your guests. Baked upside down, they look like slightly triangular-shaped rolls. But flipped over -- a great surprise!

Okay, so we sometimes make Sprinkle Challah even when it's not Purim, because it's a lot of fun, and kids love it.

By now, you've probably realized how much I love mix-in challot. M&M Challah is just fun, colorful, and easy!

Shabbat Shalom and Purim Same'ah from our bayit to yours!  What's YOUR Purim costume this year?  We're having a Star Wars theme at our synagogue.

Rosh Hashanah 5773 | Article Link: This New Year, give new life to your challah

I am thrilled and excited to have had the opportunity to share my challah journey with my local community in our city's Jewish newspaper, The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle.  Click here to read the article.

Please note: I did not receive anything for writing the article or for you making that click over.

Chaverim Challah

Here are two lovely challot shots from friends of mine. The first is from my friend Lea, my Episcopalian twin, who was inspired by all the talk of challah on facebook. Lovely, no?


The second is a pair of Citrus, Honey, Apple, Raisin Challah from my professor, Gillian. She wrote out the recipe on facebook, so I'll share it with you as soon as I have permission.


Did YOU make any special challot for Rosh HaShanah?

Rosh HaShanah Test Kitchen: iChallah - Apple through and through

So, I think this might be my new favorite, master recipe for Rosh Hashanah. In contrast to Stuffed Apple, this challah has apple mixed right into the dough. Use any type of challah you like (though I would recommend white over whole wheat flour). I used my Half Batch. Just before braiding mix together...

Roll-sized. :)

1 apple, peeled, and diced into small pieces (about 1/4 inch) - I used Fuji
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (depending on your preference)
pinch of nutmeg

Now, unlike the stuffed apple challah, you're going to knead this right into the dough, a la chocolate chips. It's sticky, somewhat messy business, so have some extra flour on hand to knead in as necessary. What I love about this method is that the apples get incorporated throughout, so each bite has one. Plus, the whole dough becomes cinnamon scented, which is absolutely wonderful. Egg wash and top with cinnamon sugar if you like. Bake as normal.

Talk about a sweet new year :)

Rosh HaShanah Test Kitchen: Stuffed Apple Challah

We've made Apple Cinnamon Challah before, but the method has never been completely finalized. This past Shabbat, I experimented with two different methods for apples-in-challah. This version uses my stuff-and-roll method which we've also used for Almond Cinnamon Sugar Challah. It's definitely a bit tougher with apples because there's a lot more air to be squished out. I asked The Hazz about this while rolling, and he said he usually tries to get most of the air out as possible. With this method, don't try to be perfect. One thing I love about challah is that it's perfect no matter what so if the apples leak out a bit during baking, who cares? It just means more oozy goodness for you.

Use any type of challah you like (though I would recommend white over whole wheat flour). I used my Half Batch. Just before braiding/coiling (this method works better with coil that braids, so that's why we usually save it for Rosh Hashanah) mix together...

1 apple, peeled, and diced into small pieces (about 1/4 inch) - I used Fuji
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (depending on your preference)
pinch of nutmeg

Using a rolling pin, roll a long flat, somewhat narrow (about 6 inches wide by a good foot and a half long) piece.  Fill with apples as below.


Bonus points to anyone who can name the movie I was watching while doing this... best. movie. ever.

After filling, roll together and seal, adding extra flour if necessary. Coil from one side around. Egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if you like. Bake as normal, keeping in mind you may need a bit of extra time with some foil on top of the loaves to prevent too much browning while the gooey center gets completely baked. I needed about 8 extra minutes, but your oven may vary so check every 3-5. Happy baking.

Rosh Hashanah Test Kitchen

Lots of practice loaves this week means THREE NEW RECIPES coming after Shabbat. Stay tuned and Shabbat Shalom :)

Happy Purim! - Hamantaschen Challah!

Well, I didn't quite get this recipe up on time... but I hope you all enjoy it anyway.  Hamantaschen Challah are inspired by those tasty, delicious treats for Purim - Hamantaschen!!!!  Tradition tells us that a Hamantasch is shaped like the hat of Haman (boooo!), the bad guy in the Book of Esther.

My Hamantaschen Challah were inspired by A Taste of Challah by Tamar Ansh, a funny little cookbook that includes these ridiculous, massively huge recipes for challah that are big enough to fulfill the mitzvah of taking challah.  Tamar makes little Hamantaschen sized rolls but filled with garlic and onion mixture.  I just wasn't crazy about that idea, even though I am a fan of savory breads.  But something about Purim just screams sweetness to me!

METHOD

Use any recipe of challah you like (woo hoo!). I used the halved version of my challah recipe, using 2 eggs instead of just 1.  Chop one apple (I used Gala) in small pieces, about 1/4 inch squares.  Mix with a sprinkle of sugar, sprinkle of nutmeg, and about a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Just imagine apple pie filling.

Pull off small balls of challah.  Flatten with your fingers.  Fill with a heaping teaspoon of the filling and pinch shut like a regular hamantaschen.

Now, here's the important part. FLIP THE HAMANTASCHEN and place on a parchment-papered cookie sheet.  Allow rise for about a half hour.  Top with an egg wash.  Bake at 350 for about a half hour.

I love these rolls so much.  They're so darling.  You think you have a little triangle-shaped roll and then you turn it over, and it's a hamantaschen!

Experiment - Apple Cinnamon Challah

This recipe is not quite ready yet.  It ended up a little doughy in the middle.  We'll update with a final recipe!

This amazing modification of our Basic Challah Recipe #1 with Honey was created by The Hazz. He also made the Basic recipe by hand instead of using the mixer. The verdict: he recommends the mixer because our basic recipe is somewhat tough. We used this for half the dough and made a basic honey with the other half.

The apple filling:
3 small apples
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Method

Separate the dough into three. Roll out each into small rectangles.

Add a small portion of the apples to each and roll up like a cinnamon roll method.

Braid.  Make sure to keep the seams downward.

Shabbat Shalom!