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Video: Rabbi and Rebbetzin Bake Challah on TV

Rabbi Yossi and Rochel Baila Yaffe, Directors of Chabad of the Shoreline in Connecticut, were in the kitchen on local TV channel WTNH demonstrating their recipe for challah.

In the Kitchen: Challa

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  • Challa Recipe & Hafrashas Challah:)

    Challa Recipe from Rochel Baila
    (makes 6 challas)

    Mix in small bowl and set aside:

    1 ½ c. hot water (not too hot, but not just warm)
    dash sugar
    1 Tb. And 1 Tsp. dry yeast

    Mix in large bowl:

    2 Tb. Kosher salt
    1 c. oil
    1 c. honey (or a drop less if you want)
    2 ½ c. boiling water

    After it’s all mixed very well, add:
    6 c. whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
    5-6 large eggs.
    yeast mixture (from above)
    (optional) 2 heaping tablespoons vital wheat gluten (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
    Mix well.

    Add 8-9 cups bread flour. Start with 8, knead, then slowly sprinkle a bit more at a time until dough is a nice ball, not sticky but not dry. Lift up ball of dough and spray Pam on bottom of bowl; put dough back in bowl and spray Pam on dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise.

    After doubled in size, punch down dough, hold hands on dough and say bracha: “Baruch ata Ado—nai Elo—heinu melech haolam asher kidishanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu l’hafrish challah.” Take or cut an ounce-ish chunk of dough, and say “Harei ze challah.” Wrap it in napkin and either burn right away or later. (not at same time when food is in oven)

    Take rest of dough, divide in half, and divide each half into three. Take each of three hunks of dough, divide each hunk into 4 pieces, roll into strips. Pinch together top of 4 strands, then take leftmost strip and go over-under-over-under. Keep taking leftmost strip and going over-under-over-under. When done, pinch ends and set on tray covered with parchment paper. One tray should fit 3 challos, and then do one more tray with the other 3 hunks of dough (each divided into 4 strips).

    Cover two trays with plastic wrap and let rise till doubled. Mix one egg with 1 Tb. Water, and brush over challos. Sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds (optional), and bake in 350 oven for 20-30 min (switch racks in middle, and check near end to see if bottoms are brown enough for you).

    Cool on baking racks, and enjoy at your Shabbos meal!

    (Once cool, you can freeze challos in 2-gallon Ziploc bags. To use, wrap frozen challa in foil and bake in 350 oven for 15ish minutes. Tastes fresh!)