Would you experiment with challah?

Mimisinger

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 10:43 am

I made a different post about looking for a low sugar challah recipe. I got one, but it has a lot of oil and a lot more rising time than I'm used to. Also, weirdly way less yeast than I'm used to. So, I was wondering, what if I just took my regular recipe and changed it a bit. My regular recipe calls for 1 3/4 c. sugar which I feel like it sooo much sugar and I wanted to cut down on it. But, I'm scared of putting a lot of effort into baking challah and it flops. I know baking is a science, but for some reason, challah seems more hardy than a cake or something...

reality mom

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 10:55 am

If youre okay with it being less sweet then I cant imagine why just cutting the amount of sugar would be a problem. Its not like playing with the quantity of flour or water added.

Raisin

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 11:00 am

Cutting the sugar will just make it less sweet, shouldn't affect texture or anything. My recipe gives a range for sugar, not a specific amount.

I love bread without sugar, eg french bread, pita. Bread doesn't need sugar to be good.

Mimisinger

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 11:11 am

Raisin wrote:

I agree. I just would love a good recipe for water challah with less sugar and oil.

Raisin

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 11:34 am

this is a great sugar free oil free recipe. Baking it is a bit of patchke because it is supposed to be baked in a dutch oven (I use any heatproof pot) in a very very hot oven but the kneading process is very easy. If you don't have a dutch oven she gives a link to lots of other ways to bake the bread without one.

http://www.thebakerchick.com/2.....read/

Mimisinger

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 11:45 am

Raisin wrote:

I've seen these before and they're great, but I'd like to make 5 lbs worth. And I don't have a dutch oven Smile

lavenderchimes

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 11:56 am

Bread is the most forgiving of baked goods. You can change almost anything. Less sugar is no problem -- I used to change the sugar quantity weekly, and then switched to honey. I add flax seed, substitute flax seed and water for eggs when I run put -- everything goes! I don't even use a recipe any more:)

There are only a few rules:

1. You have to have some way to make it rise. Yeast and eggs or flax seed, etc.

2. Keep the same ratio of wet to dry. You can use water instead if oil, or juice, etc. You can less the flour to add wheat germ or Whole what flour, etc. As long as you have X amount of wet and Z amount of dry.

3. Consistency -- you probably alteady know to add flour if it's too wet. Try to err on the side of too wet, because it's easier to add flour than water.

4. If you don't add some salt, it won't taste so great. You can fix this by giving everyone a little salt at dinner.

Don't be nervous. If you are really nervous, though, try the new "recipe" during the week so it's less pressure.

chaya35

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 12:18 pm

My old recipe was 1 1/2 cups sugar. One week I decided to try with 1/4 cup less and it was fine so the next week I did another 1/4 cup less and it was fine.

Now I do the recipe from Peppermills website and it is 3/4 sugar & also it is less rising time which is great.

Raisin

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 12:27 pm

Mimisinger wrote:

I've seen these before and they're great, but I'd like to make 5 lbs worth. And I don't have a dutch oven Smile

Read the link in there. There are other options then dutch ovens. You can put a water bath on bottom of oven for same effect apparently. You can quadruple or whatever the recipe till you get 5 lbs. I double the recipe in medium size mixing bowl and make a few.

BadTichelDay

Thu, Jan 11 2018, 3:38 pm

Lavenderchimes a few posts up is right.
Other than the liquid/firm stuff ratio, the baking temperature and the yeast, you can change almost anything.
I bake challot almost every week and I have no steady recipe, I just invent things and experiment constantly - my challot are different evey week and dh loves the variety.
I do everything from sweet to salty to spicy, sometimes with additions like peppers, tomatoes, onions, rose water, date syrup, you name it. Wheat flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, barley, oatmeal...
Challot almost can't go wrong.They are very resilient and forgiving in my experience.

By the way, I found that dark brown sugar is less sweetening than white sugar and adds a moister, softer texture to the challah.

brkn

Wed, Jan 17 2018, 10:15 pm

IME, you can almost always halve the sugar in a baking recipe with no real problems. Some cookies don't brown as well with less sugar, but that's all. If you're really worried, make it on a weekday. If it turns out not so good, you can still use it for bread pudding or something.

unexpected

Wed, Jan 17 2018, 11:36 pm

My recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, which is delicious but tastes like cake. It also calls for 3 tbs salt. I switched it to 1/4 cup sugar and 11/2 tbs salt and it was fine. Didn't effect consistency at all.