Remember how I said that I wanted to learn how to bake challah? Well, it’s happening.
I’ve actually been interested in learning how to bake challah for months, since long before my “Shabbos project.” One of my friends offered to teach me back when but then the lockdowns happened so that was put on hold. A few weeks ago she invited me to her house to bake on Erev Shabbos Nachamu because she heard that it’s a segula for shidduchim to bake then…I went.
We baked together that Erev Shabbos and the two weeks since…and people, you owe it to yourself to bake challah, too. Challah therapy, I didn’t know that was a thing, but it definitely is. Challah baking is my new favorite thing.
Challah baking is the women’s mitzvah that is available to all women, single or married. Hadlokas neiros varies by minhag but hafrashas challah is available to everyone over bas mitzvah.
Segula or not, I find the whole process to be so spiritually uplifting. Maybe it’s because I’m utterly undistracted; it’s really hard to check my phone with my hands covered in dough…I try to daven a little as I add the ingredients and mix the dough. And getting my hands into that bowl…it’s just so relaxing.
Davening after hafrashas challah is quickly becoming the highlight of my week. It’s a very special time. I try to give myself as much time as I need to say whatever I want to say. I’m telling you, challah therapy.
I read in Rochie Pinson’s book, Rising: The Book of Challah, that it’s a segula for shidduchim (I know) to have 43 women be mafrish challah for someone, corresponding to the numeric value of the word “gam” which symbolizes wholeness or completion. My friend was like, “We gotta try that for you,” and I was like, “That’s a lot of people.” Lol. But maybe you want to try it? Speaking of which, the book is beautiful.
One of the reasons I wanted this friend to teach me to bake is because she does the whole thing by hand and I a) am afraid of appliances with too many parts (aka the Bosch mixer) and b) liked the idea of getting the whole tactile-kinetic experience. (It delivered.) Challah baking seemed so intimidating but with a challah tutor it was really doable. I’ll bet you know someone who would love to teach you how to bake challah (just saying).
My friend’s challah is sweeter and more cake-like than my mother’s, which I would also like to bake, but this is the recipe I have made the last three weeks. And it is heavenly:
In a small metal bowl, mix:
4 cups warm water
3 T. yeast
1 T. sugar
Let the yeast proof. You can do it on the counter or in a warm oven. It becomes foamy in a few minutes.
In another bowl, whisk:
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups of canola (not vegetable, only canola) oil
In a large bowl, mix:
1 5 lb. bag of high-gluten flour (she usually uses Glick’s)
1 1/2 cups sugar (actually she uses 2 but I cut it down and like it like this)
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Put on gloves.
Pour in the yeast mixture and egg mixture to the flour mixture and knead and knead. You basically fold over the dough and smush down, over and over, turning the bowl on occasion.
Keep kneading. You want to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough starts to become smooth. This takes maybe 15-20 minutes.
Let the dough rise in the fridge for about 8-10 hours.
Take it out, make a bracha, be mafrish challah, say the yehi ratzon and add on whatever tefillos you want to say, wrap the challah in foil, burn.
If the dough is sticky, keep it cold. Return to the fridge while you braid each loaf.
Braid the rest of the dough. I do a basic 3-stranded braid. Place in very lightly greased challah pans.
Brush with a whisked egg and sprinkle topping of choice. I just use sesame seeds but my friend uses everything seasoning or cinnamon-sugar.
Allow to rise in the pans another 1-1 1/2 hours.
Bake on 350 for about 25-45 minutes depending on the size. I usually bake my challos in the medium sized pans (I think they’re called 3 lb. sized pans) and they take about 35 minutes. Every oven is different so you’ll want to check on them earlier.
The challos are ready when the tops and bottoms are golden (not brown). If the top is browning faster than the bottom, cover lightly with foil.
Remove to cooling rack and let cool.
Return to pans, cover with foil, wrap in plastic bags and eat within 24 hours or freeze.
BONUS: This challah makes the BEST French toast. I used almond milk and made it in a fleishig pan because my challah is fleishig keilim but honestly I think the almond milk enhanced the flavor. For 4-5 slices of challah, whisk together an egg, half a cup of milk, 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup, sprinkle of salt, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Lightly dip each slice on both sides (do not soak, just do a quick dip). Fry in a pan in butter or canola oil for 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve with maple syrup. The best French toast I ever tasted.
Challah goals:
-To do the whole process at home without my challah tutor.
-To try additional recipes, including whole wheat, and see what I like best.
-To learn the 6-stranded braid.
-To learn to make pretty rolls (I tried to make rolls and they looked like blobs — heavenly-tasting blobs, though).
-To buy Himalayan pink salt to use in my challah dough because I read that the yeast eats the minerals in the salt and gives the challah more flavor.
-To sift the flour for my challah like my mother does.
-To…get a group of 43 women together to bake challah as a segulah for a shidduch. 🙂
-To inspire someone else to bake challah.
-To teach someone else to bake challah.
Do you bake challah? Are you going to? 😉
