secret to bakery challah

bamamama

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 12:32 am

Flour wih icky chemicals in it. It's a travesty that generations have been sold the idea that this is what bread is supposed to taste like.

Raisin

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 6:54 am

there are people that like bakery challah? I've tasted challa from many bakeries, and while some have been decent, often they are dry and overbaked. Homemade challah is almost always a million times better.

If you make challa by hand it might end up too dense because you tend to add too much flour. you might get better results with a machine.

vicki

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 7:55 am

I've been fighting the tendency to over-flour my dough forever. I bake by hand and the dough is always sticky. I've finally gotten to a place where my challa is pretty good. The kids like it. But bakery challa - the right bakery challa - is so, so, so much better. Chewy, fluffy, soft...

Raisin

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 8:24 am

maybe I've just never tasted the "right" bakery challa. LOL

Of course, in theory there is no reason why bakeries should not make good challa, I've just yet to taste it. And since I bake my challa on friday, it is always as fresh as it could be, wheras when you buy from a bakery it was probably baked on thursday night or even earlier. Strangely enough, I love bakery bread, but not challa.

buy a bread machine. The challah dough I made in my bread machine came out fantastically.

Leahh

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 8:34 am

Raisin wrote:

maybe I've just never tasted the "right" bakery challa. LOL

Here we like bakery challah and its also baked on friday. I get it straight out of the oven in friday

Ruchel

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 8:53 am

Good homemade is often better than bakery, but average bakery challa I tasted is better than average homemade.

PinkFridge

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 9:47 am

bamamama wrote:

Flour wih icky chemicals in it. It's a travesty that generations have been sold the idea that this is what bread is supposed to taste like.

My challah is not quite like bakery challah and, of course, better ;-) But since I've been using Costco bread flour it's been really great and maybe a little like bakery. I have to wonder what's in there - it gives me pause....

medola

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 9:59 am

I always thought they use high gluten flour so that makes it fluffier. Would love to know the "secret" as well... Also I have found that the more I kneed the dough (now I do it with the kitchenaid) the fluffier it comes out. I think I heard that kneeding it activates the gluten or something... (Maybe I am just making that up)

JoyInTheMorning

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 10:03 am

Raisin, I have a bread machine and it makes good challah, but I find it frustrating that it has a two-pound limit. (Well, whatever the dough amount is that makes two pounds of bread.) Even with a small family, that is not nearly enough!

What bread machine do you use?

ttbtbm

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 10:07 am

medola wrote:

Kneading the dough long enough and letting the dough rise a long time are what give me great results with my homemade challah.

Raisin

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 10:09 am

I have a panasonic. It makes 5-6 cups of flour, which makes about 3 medium challos. I used to make 2-3 batches. Since I have many guests every week it got quite time consuming. I got fed up of this and got a magic mill which makes almost as good challah and in 5lb batches. If I was only making for my family I would be happy to stick to making 2 batches in the bread machine, or one batch and supplement with bakery challa.

I also use bread flour, not regular flour. Regular flour makes denser, more cakey challa. But american flour might be different.

JoyInTheMorning

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 10:58 am

Raisin, thanks. I use King Arthur's bread flour. I have a Breadman Ultimate from 2000 or 2001; my recipe uses 4.5 cups of flour. I could probably put in another cup, but that's not the proportion I want anyway. I would like to make double the amount. I guess we eat too much!

I work on Friday, so doing two batches isn't an option. As it is I have to start at 4 AM in order to get done in time to start work. I am a morning person, but I am not going to get up at 2 AM!

And I looked at the Magic Mill, and Amazon has it for almost $700! I'd be better of getting another Breadman for $100 or so and running two machines at a time. I may just do that someday.

bamamama

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 1:55 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

bamamama wrote:

Flour wih icky chemicals in it. It's a travesty that generations have been sold the idea that this is what bread is supposed to taste like.

I notice a huge difference between brands as well. I can't account for it by looking at the label since it often says "wheat flour, (whatever additives the govt requires)".

FranticFrummie

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 3:58 pm

One thing to keep in mind, is that bakeries use a commercial steam oven. That makes a WORLD of difference. They run at around 500 degrees, but have a steam generator in there to keep the crust soft and the temperature even. That way nothing gets burnt or raw in the middle.

Some day, oh yes, some day, I will have an extra couple thousand dollars for one. A girl can dream...

In the meantime, I use my Kitchenaid to knead the dough, and let it rise overnight at room temperature.

Success10

Mon, Dec 23 2013, 4:38 pm

Wait, bakeries add chemicals? Is that why their stuff stays better for longer and is fluffier?

This is like finding out that all beautiful model pictures are actually photoshopped, and the look you've being trying so hard to achieve is all a false reality!!