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Forum -> Recipe Collection -> Challah and Breads
Seltzer in Challah



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mc




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 27 2013, 9:28 am
I've heard tihs suggested, and I was thinking of swapping the water for seltzer in my recipe. Have you ever tried this? did the challah come out different? Do you think I should use all seltzer or part? (I'm using "instant yeast" if that makes a difference.
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zaq




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 27 2013, 11:55 am
This is probably a myth. I can see how the escaping seltzer bubbles would make the dough "rise" somewhat faster, but such rising would not contribute to flavor complexity. Yeast metabolizes the sugar and starch in the flour and produces a variety of by-products between point A (starch) and point Z (carbon dioxide). These interim products contribute to flavor. Pumping the dough full of gas, which is what seltzer would do, just puffs up the volume but contributes nothing to flavor.

Secondly, challah has a pretty long rising time. I don't know how long it takes for all the gas to escape from the seltzer, but my guess is that most if not all escapes during the first rising and is expelled when you punch down the dough. This may be the crux of the matter: whether or not any gas is left after the first rising.

In any event, seltzer is not going to hurt anything, and it is not going to make your challah any LESS fluffy. Try it and see how it works for you.
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Didi




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Dec 28 2013, 2:02 pm
my challah calls for 5 cups of water and 1 of seltzer
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BrachaBatya




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jul 25 2014, 1:59 pm
I tried this last week and I think it made the challot more fluffy! Give it a shot, it's certainly worth a try!
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Pandabeer




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jul 25 2014, 3:10 pm
I don't know about challa , but I substitute seltzer for water in all other baked goods, cake, cookies, kokosh, and even in the fish mixture.
I don't think it's suppose to help rise quicker , it gives it more air and fluffiness
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BrachaBatya




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jul 25 2014, 4:27 pm
My dough is finishing up its rising as I type this and I used seltzer this time again. Hope it gives it more puff-factor!
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SorGold




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Jul 25 2014, 4:37 pm
I always use half water and half seltzer in my whole grain challah. I definately think its fluffier since I started a few yrs ago
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