S/o its soo easy to make a dough just do it

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Forum -> Yom Tov / Holidays -> Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh, Fast Days, and other Days of Note

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amother

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:00 pm

So - I'm a newbie.
Want to help a newbie out?

I would love to make challah this week.

I don't bake so I'm a real newbie.

I don't have a Bosch - or a mixer

Any leads to make this happen since it's sooo easy?

ShishKabob

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:03 pm

Sorry, it's not easy and it's for sure not easy if you don't have a mixer.
These days it's easy for me, but it took me years to get there. Hope you get some good advice.

amother

Hunter

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:08 pm

It's not easy at all. and I have a kitchen aid.

lamplighter

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:11 pm

Follow esty wolbes recipe and tips for challah on cookingwithtantrums.com
Its foolproof and great for a beginner.

mir1

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:12 pm

Making chala is not hard at all.
Today I have a mixer and I bake a lot but I have done it plenty time by hand.
500ml - 2cups warm water
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 C sugar
1/2C oil
1kg flour about 8 cups flour
1Tbs salt

In a big bowl pour 3/4 cup boiling hot water and 1 and 1/4 cold tap water. In total you have two cups (500ml) warm water.
Add years and sugar let bubble.
Once you see the yeast becoming active , bubbling wait 3 or 4 min add oil about half the flour, start kneading by hand and the salt and rest of flour slowly until you get a nice dough.
Cover, let it double in size , shape as you wish. Even little balls one next to each other is good.
Egg, poppy seeds , sesame...
Let rise again

Warm oven at 375 bake for until golden
Enjoy

amother

Ginger

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:14 pm

It absolutely is very easy.
I use the one bowl honey challah recipe in the millennial kosher cookbook and mix by hand in one bowl. Takes 10-15 minutes tops.

amother

Peony

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:16 pm

I don't have a mixer either. I do everything by hand.
I agree its not so easy.
And its not consistent either.
But here's my recipe you have to realize that you may need too add liquid or flour, depending on... I don't even know, humidity, weather, etc

In a very large bowl, pour
5 lb bread flour
2 T salt (mix into flour well)

In a separate container, pour 5 c hot but touchable water (sort of like 2.5 c boiling, 2.5 c cold). It should be a temperature that is hot but you can stick your finger in and keep it in without burning.
Then add 5 T dry yeast and Almost 2 full cups sugar

Let it bubble for ten minutes

As the ten minutes happen, you crack 3 eggs and beat with a fork. Then add to the liquid.

Add the Liquid to the flour mixture.

Start mushing it through the flour with your hands.
Add a cup of oil. Mix and !is and knead and knead. You may need to add a little more water (or maybe an egg)

When it is all a nice ball that's squishy but if you poke a finger in the dough will spring back,.you lift the ball of dough, pour in abt a half tablespoon of oil until the bowl, drop the dough back in and turn it over so it is covered in a thin layer of oil.

Cover with saran wrap and then a towel. If you don't have saran wrap, at least a towel.

Let rise for an hour. If your house is cold, you should turn on the oven and place the bowl on the stove so it gets a little heat.

Do hafrashas challah, daven, daven it comes out good because it is so disappointing when you work so ahrd and it doesn't, and shape

mha3484

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:16 pm

This recipe is so so so easy. No kneading required.

https://www.kingarthurbaking.c.....ecipe

You also cant go wrong with esty wolbe’s someone posted above.

imanotmommy

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:24 pm

I've only ever made challah by hand, and I wouldn't say it's "sooooo easy," but it's not like it takes an entire day!

First, I cover the table (or part of the table, or counter) with a disposable tablecloth.
Then, I take out a big bowl, tablespoon, and one or two measuring cups. (2 if I want separate for wet and dry ingredients.)
Turn on the electric kettle.
If you want a recipe, here's what I use:
Dump a 5 lb bag of flour into the bowl. High gluten, all purpose-both work. in a hole in the flour or in a separate container, add a bit less than a cup of warm water (not too hot to touch), 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of dry yeast.
let it sit for a little while while you wrap keys in foil or wash barley, or whatever Smile

(like ten minutes)
I check that the yeast is somewhere between "bubbling" and "foaming"
And then I add:
4 eggs, 2 tablespoons salt, 1-2 cups sugar, 1-1.25 cups oil, 3.5 cups warm water (but it's not so bad if it's room temp). If you don't have the really big challah bowl, it may now be filled to the brim, but will shrink down as you mix.
I wear gloves and mix, then knead, the dough. until it's dough.
I spray the top of the dough, turn it upside down, and spray the new top.
then I leave it to rise. for an hour? two hours? somewhere warm-on the stove while I oven is on, on the window sill...all good. It will grow. so if you have a less than challah-sized bowl, don't leave in on your best shabbos tablecloth to overflow.
I come back, take challah, and shape the challah.(spray whatever pans with cooking spray and put the challahs on/in that) I usually braid a few, bake some as lump-shaped rolls...
if I have time, I let it rise again for up to an hour. otherwise, whichever ones get to rise while I shape the others, great. they can also go in a cool oven and rise during preheating. I don't bother with egg wash. oh, I forgot, stick in the key, if that's your minhag.
Bake the challahs
when you take them out, turn them upside down. the challah should feel hollow and look browned on the bottom and top. often, I stick them in for a little longer upside down.
when they're absolutely, totally, 1000% cool, I put them in large ziploc bags.

amother

Arcticblue

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:47 pm

I make challah every week by hand. It's not 100% consistent, but it's foolproof because it never comes out BAD, just different.

It takes me under 10 minutes to get the dough together, but you do need to come back to it a few times (to shape it and then to bake it).

Here's my "recipe":

1) In a very large bowl, pour a bag of flour. The cheap Walmart unbleached all-purpose is fine.

2) Dump in sugar. It's probably between 1/2 to 1 cup, but it's forgiving.

3) Measure in about 2 tablespoons of salt. It's also forgiving, no need to level the spoon or anything.

4) Pour in some oil. It's probably between 1/4 and 3/4 cup, but it doesn't matter exactly.

5) Optionally check and pour in 5 eggs (lately I've been skipping this, it doesn't dramatically change anything).

6) Measure about 3 tablespoons of dry yeast. (no need to proof it unless it's very old) I like the 1lb bags of compressed dry yeast.

7) Add about 4-5 cups of warm to hot water. I've used all temperatures, including too hot and too cold, and never managed to kill the yeast. But very warm and not too hot is the best for kneading and helping it start to rise faster. If your water is colder, it will take longer to rise. (I don't measure the water either, I use my small (1.5qt) pot filled up about 3/4.)

8) Mix with your hands until it starts to form a dough. Optionally knead (fold the dough in half and press down, turn the bowl and again fold in half, pressing down, etc. I stand on a stool or chair so I can let my body weight do the work). I do not see any difference in the finished challah based on how much I kneaded, but it makes a smoother dough and prettier challah if kneaded longer.

9) Not all of the flour needs to be incorporated! If some flour is left on the bottom and doesn't absorb into the dough, just leave it there. If your dough is far too sticky and you already used all of the flour in the bowl (this is rare for me BH) add some more flour and stop kneading earlier!

10) Once you're finished or have given up, oil the top (and bottom too if you want) of the dough. Skip this step if your dough is too sticky, because the oil adds more moisture to the dough or locks it in. Optionally cover the bowl and walk away.

11) Leave your dough to rise for about an hour (or more). It will be much bigger than before! If it doesn't look like it rose too much, move to a warmer spot in the kitchen and give it more time. No need to punch down.

12) Shape your dough. I am lazy and make simple rolls, but my kids make elaborate challos. If you didn't knead well before and regret it, you can do that now and make the dough smoother.

13) Put your finished challah on a pan (I like parchment on a real metal pan) and let it rise again for a half hour or more. This is the most important rise, so try not to skip it!

14) Egg your challah if you'd like and put on poppy or sesame seeds etc.

15) Bake (I do at 350) for 20-30 minutes or until it looks done.

amother

Pink

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:51 pm

I find the braiding the hardest. Rolling out strips.. takes forever to roll out six strands for several challos. I love the spiritual aspect of the holy mitzvah and my children get so excited when I bake challos but I rarely do because it’s so hard. I want to though. Any tips on how to make rolling the strands for braids easier?

amother

Arcticblue

Wed, May 01 2024, 8:59 pm

amother Pink wrote:

I am lazy and don't braid my challos at all.

Some people put a bunch of balls of dough in a pan and it looks like it was braided after it rises.

amother

Winterberry

Wed, May 01 2024, 9:07 pm

amother Pink wrote:

I only do 4 strand braids. And I cover my challahs with sesame seeds which I find kind of hides the flaws and makes them come out pretty even when they aren’t perfect.

amother

Pansy

Wed, May 01 2024, 9:10 pm

amother Pink wrote:

I don't braid my challos. I just separate the dough into 5/6 equal portions and dump each in a loaf tin. It was either not braiding my challos or not making challah, because for me that's certainly the hardest part.

teachkids

Thu, May 02 2024, 1:10 am

My biggest issue with making challah is being home and awake for a long enough stretch of time for it to rise, shape, rise bake. I have an hour in the morning before work and an hour after I get the kids to sleep

amother

DarkKhaki

Thu, May 02 2024, 1:13 am

amother Pink wrote:

I roll out three long strands then either line them up and cut through all so there are six, or just fold them all over at the top if I want to do it faster - need to squish them a bit otherwise the top ends up wider, but it looks good enough.

amother

Begonia

Thu, May 02 2024, 2:43 am

Tamar Ansh is streaming her shlissel challah masterclass in which she shares tons of challah-making tips and tricks which you'll probably find helpful.

I joined last year. I'm not an affiliate in any way; just sharing in case you or someone else here finds it helpful.

Here's the link: https://jerusalemchallahcenter.....llah/

Comptroller

Thu, May 02 2024, 4:05 am

For the first time, I would start with smaller quantities, maybe 1kg flour, or 2 pounds.
And, when you make your first challot, it is important to have enough leftover flour, because you will need it to knead the dough and to form the strands and to braid your challa.

I use fresh yeast, so I dissollve 1 cube (42g) of yeast in a glass of lukewarm water with 2 spoons of sugar.
(The yeast needs the sugar to eat, the water hast to be lukewarm, not to cold, because in this case the yeast is slower to develop, and not too hot (burning, yad soledad ba, over 40°C), because that would kill the yeast. The yeast is a living organism.

flour (1kg, 2.2 pound) in a bowl, make a little pit in the middle
If you use dry yeast: add dry yeast
1 spoon of salt
1-2 eggs (in the pit in the middle)
Water with yeast
2 more glasses of lukewarm water

Mix with your hand, then you can apply the slap and fold method, see video.

If the dough is sticky, add more flour
If the dough is dry and cannot absorb all your flour: add a little bit of water.

To beginn, it is easier to work with dough that is rather dry, not too sticky, because it will be easier to form the braids and braid the challa.

It takes about 7 to 10 minutes to slap and fold the dough, until it is a proper dough.

Towards the end, massage your dough with a little bit (1-2 spoons) of oil (canola or sunflower, whatever)

Put the dough in a bowl you smeared with oil, cover it, leave at room temperature, in a place that has no draft and is not cold.

Wait about 1-2 hours, till the dough doubled in size.

Form strands, braid the challa
Put eggwash

Preheat the oven at maximum heat. that's important so the challa will rise in the oven.
Put an oven sheet at the lowest level in the oven, leave it in while oven heats up, put half a glass of water on it just before you put the challa in. (Or use steam function if you have an oven with steam).

Put challa in. turn heat to 230°C

It takes about 20 min to bake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWN9mxR_iXI

Here is a video about the slap and fold kneading technique, but don't be shy to add flour when it is sticky. To begin, it's better not to work with too sticky dough, that's harder. Furthermore, the challa holds the shape better when the dough is not sticky.

How to braid your challah:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm76H25lLwQ

amother

Melon

Thu, May 02 2024, 4:14 am

I found this
I never bake challah but thinking of giving it a try
https://www.instagram.com/reel.....3OQ==

amother

Emerald

Thu, May 02 2024, 7:44 am

https://www.oster.com/food-pre......html

Years ago I bought an Oster hand mixer with dough hooks. I recently used it to make challah and the results were great. If you want to use 5 lb of flour you'll have to divide the mixture into two separate bowls and mix them separately. The dough hooks cannot handle 5 lb of flour in one go.

I don't mix the dough for a long time, just until the ingredients are combined well.

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