But actually, the rainbow holds significance for Jews because of the story of Noah. Some families have even adopted the custom of baking a rainbow challah for Shabbat the week that parsha Noah is read. So there you have it – Jews were most certainly the catalyst for the rainbow food trends.

Watch below to learn how to make your own rainbow challah and check out this classic challah recipe from Claudia Roden if you don’t have a beloved recipe that you regularly use. Want to get those super vibrant colors? I like using Wilton gel colors which you can get at a baking supply store, a craft store or online.

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Braiding challah can seem complicated, and it definitely takes practice to create a beautiful final product. But that’s precisely why we have created this how-to video, to help you conquer the art of braiding challah for any occasion.

In the video above you will see how to braid a simple three strand challah, a knotted roll (great for Shabbat lunch sandwiches, or things like pulled brisket sandwiches for football-viewing), a six strand challah (perhaps one of the most coveted and complicated braiding techniques to master) and a unique six strand “basket weave” round challah that will be the centerpiece of any holiday celebration.

You can use any challah recipe you like with these techniques. Here are a few of our favorites:

Basic challah

Za’atar and garlic challah

Honey whole wheat challah

Bread machine challah

Pumpkin challah

The post How to Braid Challah for Shabbat, Holidays or Anytime appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Challahs these days are a changin’: they are topped with sprinkles, stuffed with pastrami or flavored with gourmet seasonal ingredients like ramps. They are unique. And while they all hold firm to their traditional braided bread roots, they are definitely a new breed of bread, not braided cake. So to make bread that is cake but still challah, I had to do my research. I looked at countless recipes…everything was red food coloring, cocoa powder, buttermilk, vanilla…all things that go great in a CAKE but, in challah dough? Not gonna work. So what do you do when you are a mommy on a mission but can’t figure out how to get your project to the finish line? You cheat.

Turns out Amazon sells bakery emulsions, which are concentrated flavor for baking that add depth without requiring excess liquid. They come in every flavor under the sun, including Red Velvet Cake. One click and two days later I had the bottle in my hands. I carefully opened it, and holy mother of cake balls, it smelled fantastic. Like cake in a bottle. Aside from adding the emulsion, I made two changes to my basic challah recipe: I removed the eggs, figuring all those yolks might affect the good red color, then replaced them with an additional tablespoon of oil and water; I also added 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar to keep the dough’s consistency in check but add a hint of vanilla.

I didn’t want to make the challah too cakey, though I did want to kick it up a notch in terms of its red velvet cake flavor.

It turns out Duncan Hines makes red velvet cake mix. A little margarine, a little vanilla, a little cake mix and voila! An actual red velvet cake crumb topping.  Add a simple glaze to the top because glaze is awesome and, believe it or not, you have a red velvet cake that is a challah.

It looked and tasted amazing, but most amazing of all was my little girl’s face when she saw her special birthday challah.  All the work and planning was totally worth it…until my son requested a Jello Challah for his birthday.

Red Velvet Cake Challah

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This past autumn, Liz Alpern of The Gefilteria said she would like to come over and bake challah with me. Oh, twist my arm. I was very excited and told her we could create a new flavor, anything she wanted. She said she would love to do something “super Ashkenazy,” and so I mentioned I had always wanted to try a marbled rye challah. And so that is just what we did.

I did some research, in fact, a lot of research, and I was shocked and somewhat confused by all the methods and recipes for rye bread. I came across this recipe which included a starter, a method I really wanted to try. Starters, also known as “mother dough,” are probably most well known in sourdough breads. The fermentation of the flour and yeast for an extended amount of time is what gives it a distinct, sour taste.Some mother doughs can even be hundreds of years old.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to wait years or even weeks for the starter in this recipe to develop. The starter for this challah sits just overnight, and while it may seem weird or even gross, it adds a great depth of flavor and slight tang to this challah.

Can you skip this step? Yes absolutely. If you forget to make it the night before, or if it just seems too daunting, don’t worry about it. I tried it both ways, and they were both delicious. Nevertheless, if you are up for the extra step, the starter does add a special depth of flavor.

I’ve always loved deli sandwiches on challah bread, and so this hybrid challah is truly the ideal vessel for some pastrami and mustard.

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But I guess it should come as no shock: challah wrapped around some brie is delicious, decadent and a great party appetizer, whether it’s for New Year’s Eve, an evening with friends and a case of wine or Shavuot.

Here are a few tips for executing this recipe.

• Leave the brie in the fridge until the very last moment before ready to bake.
• Don’t worry that the brie will get too gooey – some will likely leak out, and that’s just part of the messy delicious fun.
• Experiment with different jams or chutneys for fun flavor combinations. Because it was fall and I had leftover cranberry sauce, that’s what I used. But you could also use a spicy pepper jelly, a mango chutney, raspberry jam, apple butter or fig jam.
• You can really use any plain challah recipe you like for this. My recipe should be split into two and can be made into two baked bries for a large party, or you can make one baked brie and one regular challah.

Challah Baked Brie

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You can use this method to make cinnamon rolls using any flavor or recipe of challah you like. Just roll out your dough, schmear it with softened butter (or margarine), cinnamon sugar and roll it up to bake.

It’s gooey, spicy and the pumpkin flavor is delightful but not overwhelming. If you are looking for a brighter orange color, you could actually replace the pumpkin puree with sweet potato puree. The taste and consistency will be almost identical.

I recommend serving these sweet rolls with a nice cup of tea or coffee, a big comfy chair and relaxing dose of foliage watching.

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My dear friend Danielle recently suggested I should try my hand at mashing up my classic challah with a coffee cake. I nodded my head in enthusiastic agreement and got to work right away.

When my dad tasted the new flavor he said, “hmmm – tasted just like Entenmann’s!” I can’t think of a better compliment. Yes, even my daughter enjoyed the new flavor, but first she needed to snap a few shots.

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I came home on a Thursday night with these beautiful ramps but no plan. As I was putting my dough in the bread maker (I have a love affair with making challah in the bread machine) I realized the ramps would create a chimichurri perfect for a spring-inspired stuffed challah.

It is rare that I get to have my parents come for Shabbat so it was an extra pleasure to share this with them. They typically prefer plain challah but both commented on what a great addition this challah was to the spring table. Not only was this challah beautiful with streaks of green throughout, but it was incredibly soft and flavorful. And the smell was just outrageous.

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While I enjoyed many delicious eats over my travels to the city, the first time I tasted a King Cake was three years ago, just a few months before our daughter was born. I was seven and a half months pregnant, waddling around Mardi Gras with an enormous protruding stomach, enjoying every moment, especially all the food. To welcome us to the Mardi Gras festivities, our dear friend Melanie arrived with a beautiful, colorful King Cake from Cake Cafe. This was no ordinary King Cake – it was stuffed with goat cheese and apples, and it was one of the best treats I have ever enjoyed. So much so that each year since, my husband longs to have another one, but there is just nothing comparable in the New York area.

For those not familiar with a King Cake, it is a Christian tradition that marks Kings Day (when the three kings brought gifts to baby Jesus) and so a small baby Jesus is traditionally baked inside a King Cake. It also marks the coming of Mardi Gras season in New Orleans, when it’s commnon to encounter many varieties of King Cake throughout the city between early January and Mardi Gras itself.

A King Cake should also not be confused with The King’s Cake, or a galette des rois, a beautiful French pastry that, to me, tastes like an enormous, buttery almond croissant. You may see it in your local bakery topped literally with a crown. It is absolutely delicious as well, but different from a King Cake. A King Cake in its modern form tastes most closely to a cheese danish or Entenmann’s coffee cake.

So what is a challah queen like me supposed to do with a love of King Cake, but no quality one available? Make a king cake challah of course.

I flavored the dough with some traditional king cake flavors, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. But the most fun parts of this challah creation are the icing and the colorful sprinkles. Gold, purple and green are the colors of Mardi Gras, and are the distinguishing factor between merely a round cheese danish, and a King Cake for Mardi Gras.

I didn’t bake a baby Jesus in the challah of course, but it would be perfect with a cup of coffee in the late afternoon. Or for breakfast, who am I to judge how you start your day? And while it won’t ever be the same as the amazing version from our time in New Orleans, at least it brought back some fond memories of New Orleans and our dear friends who welcome us back time and time again.

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Bread puddings are often sweet and served for dessert; while stuffing is usually savory and served as a side dish. But I wanted to sort of combine both these concepts and do something a bit different – a savory, dairy bread pudding perfect to serve for breakfast or brunch! And thus, my Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding with Goat Cheese and Mushrooms was born!

Don’t like mushrooms? Use spinach or peppers instead.Serve with scrambled eggs and some fruit for a perfect, rounded breakfast.

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Savory Challahs

Homemade Challah Pretzel Buns

Challah rolls just got a whole lot better.

Summer Pesto and Gruyere Stuffed Challah

This challah is a delicious meal all on its own!

Pastrami Sandwich Challah

Yes, you can bake meat into your challah to create this Jewish deli-inspired loaf.

Dill Pickle Challah

Why should pastrami be the only deli ingredient in your challah? The fresh dill on top makes this loaf especially beautiful.

Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Challah

What’s not to love?

Butternut Squash and Sage Challah

A lovely, autumnal loaf.

Scallion Pancake Challah

Challah with a Chinese twist, from celebrity chef Molly Yeh.

Savory Za’atar Challah

The classic Middle Eastern spice pairs beautifully with challah.

Ramp Chimichurri Challah

A show-stopper challah perfect for spring.

Sweet Challahs

Chocolate Babka Challah

Your favorite dessert meets your favorite bread.

Unicorn Challah

Sweet, whimsical, and pastel colored — with frosting and sprinkles, of course!

Gingersnap and Apple Challah

Germanic-inspired winter flavors combine for a warm, richly-spiced loaf.

Chocolate Cranberry Challah Rolls with Citrus Sugar

Fall flavors and chocolate chips together!

Fruit Cake Challah

Pistachios, golden raisins, and cranberries stud this sweet, colorful challah.

Coffee Cake Challah

Tastes just like Entenmann’s.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Challah

For lovers of this classic flavor combination.

Tumeric Tahini Challah

This recipe makes a beautiful golden loaf with a Middle Eastern flavor profile.

Pull-Apart Challah Stuffed with Cheese and Guava

Challah with Cuban flair!

Double Chocolate Chip Challah

This one, with chocolate dough and chocolate chips, is for the chocoholics.

Cranberry Sauce Stuffed Challah

Perfect for the Shabbat after Thanksgiving!

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Challah

Complete with gooey marshmallows melted on top.

Challahs for Special Diets

Vegan Challah

No need for honey or eggs, just a maple syrup glaze!

Gluten-Free Challah

Gluten-free bread dough is similar in texture to cake batter, so it cannot be braided. This challah is baked in a pan shaped like a braided loaf to give it that classic look.

Honey Whole Wheat Challah

A little healthier, still totally delicious.

Fun Seasonal Challahs

12 Sweet Challahs for the Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah is known for challah — specifically, round-shaped challah. Here are 12 amazing ideas to start your year of challah-eating off right, from balsamic apple date challah to chocolate walnut challah.

Turkey-Shaped Challah for Thanksgiving

You and your guests will enjoy gobbling this!

Crown-Shaped Poppyseed-Stuffed Challah for Purim

Honor both Queen Esther and the classic hamantaschen filling with this beautiful challah.

Sweet Russian Purim Challah

The Russian take on Purim challah includes dried fruit, citrus peel, and a powdered sugar frosting.

Shlissel Challah for the Shabbat after Passover

Did you know there’s a Jewish tradition of baking a key into your challah, or baking your challah into the shape of a key for the Shabbat following Passover?

Rainbow Challah

Perfect for Parashat Noach or pride month.

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The post 30 Amazing Challah Recipes appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

My mom really got into holidays – all holidays – whether it was Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas, she was ready with some tacky earrings, decorative salt shakers and surely an ugly sweater or two as well. She loved Christmas music, and from early December through New Year’s we would be subjected to a rotation of possibly the two worst Christmas albums ever made: Johnny Matthis and Amy Grant. I cringe just thinking about those CDs of hers.

Nevertheless, the season is bittersweet as I balance my desire to connect to these memories of my mother, participate in some kind of festive activities while maintaining the strong Jewish identity of my family. I admittedly tread a fine line: baking holiday cookies every year for my husband’s office, (though not in red or green or Santa shapes) listening to The Nutcracker with my daughter and combining the flavors of chocolate and peppermint in various forms to pay homage to the season. After all, should Christians really get to drink all the skinny peppermint mochas at Starbucks!?

Two years ago I started making a chocolate peppermint bundt cake that my husband and I absolutely adored. And while I have been whipping up lots of batches of peppermint hot cocoa for my little one, I wanted to take these flavors to the next level by adding them to, what else: challah.

What makes this challah so special is not only the deep dark chocolate dough, or the melty,chocolate chips inside, but also the super gooey marshmallows dotting the top. When my daughter spotted the finished product her eyes lit up and she wanted to break into the chocolaty masterpiece right away. Who am I to say no, especially when it makes for such an adorable picture. And yes, she is wearing her ballet costume because she had been practicing her Nutcracker dance moves.

It may not be overtly Christmas-y, nor is it exactly what I did with my mother. But somehow creating something new, that touches upon the joy and spirit of the holiday season, brings me comfort, connects me to my past and allows me to create new memories for my family.

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But every few weeks or so we like to enjoy a quiet Shabbat just the three of us, and when this happens, there is inevitably part of a challah loaf leftover.

Of course, I make French toast. I make croutons, bread crumbs and even bread pudding. But sometimes a gal just wants to try something new.

I found this recipe from the Inventive Vegetarian and knew I wanted to use up some of my challah to finish off a rich bowl of French Onion Soup. Topped with bubbling, melted munster cheese and you have a Jewish version of this iconic soup. The onions make the soup sweet, and the richness of both the eggy challah and gooey munster cheese make each bite practically sinful

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I often feel like I am the epitome of contradiction where eating and cooking is concerned. I strive to keep a mostly vegetarian diet, but sometimes I can’t help it. I relish making something fatty and delicious using red meat. And my Pastrami Sandwich Challah fits this bill precisely.

Stuffing my challah with meat all began with my famous challah dogs (stay tuned for that recipe!). But recently I had a hankering to stuff my challah with something else. Ground beef? Seemed messy. Chicken? So dry. But then I thought of the North American classic deli roll—a dish I did not grow up with, and which I find both disgusting and delicious. And the idea for this crazy new challah began to take shape.

If you have a local butcher as an option, please please please go get freshly sliced pastrami. Thin is best—a thick-cut pastrami will not result in the same consistency.

Make sure not to spread the Russian dressing on too thick, or you could end up with a leaky challah. I know that sounds delicious, but it might not make for such a pretty-looking challah.

Let us know if you try this. I’d love to hear modifications!

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Hold onto your challah covers, Noshers!

Molly Yeh, a rocking young Chinese-American Jew and world-class baker just came up with an incredible recipe that celebrates her mixed heritage. And we’re so glad she did!

Find her gloriously easy and delicious recipe here. “Inspired by the scallion pancake,” she writes.

We’re in food-love!

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I generally prefer savory challah, since you can use the leftovers for sandwiches. But every now and then a sweet challah with chocolate chips, cinnamon, raisins or chocolate really hits the spot.

Not everyone loves the flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate, and I consider those people crazy. What is better than peanut butter and chocolate!? Well, maybe peanut butter and chocolate in a challah. With crumbs on top. Served with a cup of coffee, and this is what my breakfast dreams are made out of.

There are a couple of other bloggers doing some exciting things with challah which I love to follow, including The Challah Blog and Adventures in Challah so definitely check them out to get inspired!

Tip
: baking challah is not a 1 hour process, so definitely give yourself plenty of lead time. And don’t rush the rising – the longer you let the dough rise, the fluffier it will be.

Happy challah baking!

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Some of my tips?

Feed Your Yeast 

Make sure to add 1 tsp sugar to your yeast and lukewarm water mixture to help move it along, thus “feeding your yeast.” When the yeast-water mixture is foamy and bubbling on top you will know its ready.

Double the Rise

Always let your challah rise twice! Let it rise once for 2-4 hours, punching down as needed. Then braid your challah and let it rise again before baking for a super fluffy result.

Don’t Add Too Much Flour

It may seem counterintuitive, but you want to add the least amount of flour possible into your challah dough in order to achieve the fluffiest result. Once your dough has formed into a ball, knead for a few more minutes — but don’t add too much flour as you finish mixing. The dough may seem not quiet firm enough, but after it bakes you will be delighted by how light and fluffy it turns out.

Invest in Kitchen Tools

My dear friend Danielle, a trained pastry chef, was always telling me I NEEDED a scale. She was right. A  digital scale for baking is essential and I don’t know how I ever survived without it. I am not good at eyeballing dough to ensure there’s the same amount in each strand, each loaf, or each roll when I make individual challah rolls; measuring my dough ensures more even distribution and a better looking loaf!

A silpat, although perhaps a pricey investment since I recommend buying two, is well worth the upfront cost. You know when the bottom of your bread gets slightly burned but the inside and top is perfect? A silpat will make sure that doesn’t happen. And you can use it for much more than challah — it’s ideal for cookies as well.

My next suggestion has many applications beyond just challah — a dough scraper is a great tool to have for baking in general. I love using the scraper to cut my challah dough into clean pieces as I am dividing it up. And perhaps even more exciting than cutting is how easy a scraper makes clean-up, since you can use it to collect all the bits of dough and flour off your counter or work surface.

Lastly, I recommend a good non-silicone pastry brush in order to apply your egg wash ( I prefer them to the silicone variety. I also use pastry brushes like these when making scones, pies and a variety of cookies.

Hungry for challah? Check out some of our favorite recipes, from savory za’atar challah to churros challah.

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Recipe courtesy of “Orwashers Artisan Bread – 100 Years of Techniques and Recipes” by Keith Cohen.

Fruit Cake Challah

Print Recipe

The ultimate holiday mash-up.

• Total Time: 7 hours 53 minutes
• Yield: 4 loaves

Ingredients

• 1.9 lb/861.8 g bread flour
• 1.2 lb/544.3 g water
• 0.25 lb/113.4 g egg yolks
• 1 lb/45.36 g vegetable oil
• 0.05 lb/22.68 g sugar
• 0.04 lb/18.14 g salt
• 0.03 lb/13.61 g instant yeast
• 0.04 lb/18.14 g cranberries
• 0.5 lb/226.8 g golden raisins
• 0.35 lb/158.8 g pistachios
• 0.18 lb/81.65 g orange zest

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Set up stand mixer with a dough hook. Place flour, water, egg yolks, oil, sugar and salt in mixing bowl.
2. Mix on medium-low for 5 minutes, then mix on medium-high for 2 minutes.
3. Add yeast.
4. Mix on medium for an additional 6 minutes.
5. Add cranberries, golden raisins, pistachios and orange zest. Mix on low until dry ingredients are combined into dough.
6. Dough temperature should be between 76-78°F. Dough should appear shiny and pull away from the mixing bowl.
7. Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and transfer to a lightly oiled airtight container. Let the dough rest on counter top for approx. 3 hours. Dough should double in size.
8. Roll dough out of container onto a lightly floured work surface (marble or butcher block is ideal).
9. Cut dough with a scraper into four even squares/rectangles, approx. 1.25 lb/567 g each. Shape each into a boule.
10. Let dough rest 4 hours after shaping.
11. Score and “X” in the top of the loaf.
12. Preheat oven to 390°F.
13. Bake for 33 minutes until lightly golden brown.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes + 7 hours resting
• Cook Time: 33 minutes
• Category: Bread
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Holidays

The post Make A Fruit Cake Challah For the Ultimate Holiday Mashup appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

The addition of pomegranates or dates to your challah is a way to incorporate symbolic foods, outside of the well-known apples and honey tradition, into your High Holiday festivities. Most of the challahs on this list are round, another symbolic choice for Rosh Hashanah, signifying the eternal cycle of life. 

If you’re not a regular challah baker, the High Holidays are a great time to give challah a try  — it’s easier than it looks, and no scented candle can rival the smell of challah baking in the oven. There’s a wide world of creative sweet challahs out there, and it’s our mission to bring our friends (you guys) the sweetest, most carb-laden Rosh Hashanah celebration we possibly can. Because what says New Year better than a new twist on a classic?

Here are 12 of our favorite sweet challah recipes for you to try!

Balsamic apple date challah

Coffee cake challah

Brown sugar cinnamon swirl challah from The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Chocolate cranberry challah

Chocolate walnut challah from The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Date honey stuffed challah with cardamom from Joy of Kosher

Honey whole wheat challah

Cinnamon sugar challah from Susie Fishbein

Apples and honey challah from May I Have that Recipe

Pull-apart guava and cheese stuffed challah

Pumpkin pie spiced challah from Joy of Kosher

Plum and rosemary challah

The post 12 Sweet Challah Recipes for the Jewish New Year appeared first on My Jewish Learning.

Many people scoff at the idea of leftover challah bread, but really, it happens to the best of us. Of course you can make bread crumbs, French toast and even Thanksgiving stuffing with leftover challah, but this salad is another great way to use what you already have and make it into something new and delicious.

I recommend using challah that has been sitting for a few days. If challah seems on the softer side, toast it briefly in an oven heated at 300 degrees in a single layer on a baking sheet for 10 -15 minutes, until golden. You can also toast in a pan on the stovetop in a small amount of butter, oil and garlic if desired.

Challah Panzanella Salad

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