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Forum -> Recipe Collection -> Challah and Breads

Fluffy challah

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shtern

Sun, Feb 04 2007, 5:42 pm

How do you make the Challah fluffy and soft. Do I have to wait for the dry yeast to bubble over? The challa tastes great but it's not fluffy, What is the trick?

chocolate moose

Sun, Feb 04 2007, 5:55 pm

I never got the h ang of it; we buy challah each week now.

you def. need to use the max amount of water, though.

lubcoralsprings

Sun, Feb 04 2007, 6:00 pm

use wheat gluten and or high gluten flour. You are sure to have great challah.

greenfire

Sun, Feb 04 2007, 7:07 pm

lubcoralsprings wrote:

use wheat gluten and or high gluten flour. You are sure to have great challah.

ditto and do not over roll - you have to let the dough rest and then when shaping be gentle not to add so much flour but rather use a little on your hands to shape.

QueenBee

Sun, Feb 04 2007, 7:14 pm

let it rise for 1/2 hour after shaping

shtern

Sun, Feb 04 2007, 7:49 pm

Thanks for the reply. What I usually do is let the dough rise for 1-1/2 hrs, then I shape it without using flour. A baker taught me to use oil instead to keep it moist. (Minimum handleing the dough) then let it rise another 1/2 hour.
lubcoralspringsj, thanks for the tip, I'll try using High gluten flour.

greenfire

Sun, Feb 04 2007, 9:08 pm

shtern wrote:

I actually coat the dough with oil to let it rise (I just use the oily bowl that I mix oil water salt & sugar or honey in put dough in and flip) - hence the dough is at rest

cheerios

Mon, Feb 19 2007, 11:44 am

Quote:

use wheat gluten and or high gluten flour. You are sure to have great challah.

If I am making spelt challah, is there a substitute for wheat gluten? Is there spelt gluten? I'm trying to make wheat free challah.

lamplighter

Mon, Feb 19 2007, 1:19 pm

I let it rise for 1 1/2 hours then, punch it down , then rise again then shape it and let it rise a 3rd time.
seems to do the trick.

it might also be the recipe

greenfire

Mon, Feb 19 2007, 1:54 pm

I only let mine rise 2x - always yum

Ima'la

Mon, Feb 19 2007, 2:17 pm

I learned the following from a challah-baking expert, and as soon as I tried it, my challos started coming out much lighter and fluffier:

After the first rising (time varies depending on altitude), instead of punching down, take it out and knead it again. After second rising, do not knead or punch. Instead of just rolling ropes to braid, roll out each piece with a rolling pin into a rectangular shape, then roll up jelly-roll style, and roll into ropes.

su7kids

Mon, Feb 19 2007, 2:39 pm

I think also the density of the challah depends on how much flour you add. You have to go by "feel". when you knead, it should still be springy, but not stick to your hands. Its kind of like pulling your hands away and it may still WANT to follow, but it doesn't. Oy, does that make sense?

I also heard it should be the consistency of a baby's tummy!! LOL

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