In acknowledgement of the biblical Jewish holiday celebrated on every 15th day of the month of Tishrei known as Sukkot, Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles, I present this special challah bread to all my Jewish friends. This special bread requires plain flour, Yeast, Salt, Sugar, Eggs, pumpkin seeds and Honey.
I have been longing to make challah bread for sometimes now, but my schedules couldn't seem to get me around it. Thank goodness that this spectacular festival has immensely motivated me to make this loaf. Yesterday, I put my feet on the ground and insisted that it was time to stop procrastinating and just do it. There are various recipes for challah but the core tip is that once you know how to make bread, you can also come over this one.
I looked at chabad's recipe for challah bread which I decided to settle for. The picture looked lovely and the recipe is quite easy. Nonetheless, I still integrated my baking skills into the challah making which made my loaf turned out attractive, appetising and aromatic. Honestly, the aroma oozing out from the oven attracted my neighbours to come and pay unsolicited visits to me. {Hi..ll..aa..rr..ii..oo..uu..ss...} Infact, my husband said to me "mmmmhhhhh Blessing you have to be making this bread everyday".
The first step to making a super challah is to get the dough ready. It is optional to use white flour or wholemeal flour. I decided to use wholemeal flour for this loaf.
Once you have prepared your dough as shown in the recipe, the next step is to allow the dough to prove itself for few hours.
I really admire the braided appearance of challah and the secret tip is just to divide the dough into parts, let's say 4 or 6 and then roll out each into strand of about 14 inches long before braiding.
Take the strands and grasp them together at one end.
Then begin to braid by placing strand 1 over strand 2, then strand 3 over 4, then 5, 6 and then new strand 2. Repeat the entire process until the braid is completely done before pinching the ends underneath to seal it.
Afterwards, brush the surface of the loaf with honey and place back in the fridge for another 1 hour. Then bring out from the fridge, brush honey again on the surface before sprinkling pumpkin seeds over the loaf. Then place in a pre-heated oven of 150-250 oC and bake until golden brown and done.
Challah bread is absolutely not difficult at all to make, and it has a festive appearance which is just perfect for this sukkot celebration.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 eggs
- 1 kg plain flour
- Salt to taste
- Sugar to taste
- 1 tbs. honey
- 2 tbs. yeast
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup warm water
Instructions:
- Measure out sugar and salt into a clean bowl, pour lukewarm water and whisk properly.
- Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the mixture, cover and allow to stand to 15 mins. At this point, you will see the yeast frothing.
- Then beat in the egg, add flour and oil before mixing thoroughly to form a dough.
- Cover the dough and allow to stand for 15mins.
- Then knead the dough once again and mould into a round shape.
- Place the dough into an oiled clean bowl and cover with thin film.
- Leave in the fridge for 2 hours to allow the dough prove itself.
- Afterwards, bring out from fridge, divide the dough into 4 or 6 mini doughs, roll out each dough into strand of about 14 inches long before braiding.
- After braiding, cover with thin film and leave it again in the fridge for another 1 hour.
- Then use a baking brush to brush honey over the braided loaf, then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
- Place in a pre-heated oven of 150-250oC and bake until golden brown.
- Once done, bring out from oven and serve warm or cold.
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