Do you really think sourdough challah tastes good?

mha3484

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 1:57 pm

I must be the odd one but I really don't like sweet bread especially when I serve dips. I always loved a good crusty water challah or different crusty breads sourdough included. My city had a bakery known for really sweet challah and I just could never get into it.

Also the health benefits of sourdough is that its more digestible from the fermentation process. Some people say that it agrees with them better.

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 1:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

The last 2 years everyone’s all into sourdough. People claim certain sourdough challahs are really good and they like it over regular challah.
I definitely understand that it’s a lot healthier. There’s no oil, yeast, eggs or sugar… of course it’s much healthier. I also believe that you can feel better if you eat sourdough over regular challah since it’s easier to digest.
But do you really like it so much?
I have eaten sourdough baked by different people. Nothing special.
I would take a slice of my rich, sweet challah anytime over a slice of sourdough (for the taste).
Why are people claiming that sourdough tastes exceptionally good? I don’t understand.

I actually think it’s an acquired taste. When I first tried it I really didn’t like it but after a few more tries (and trying them from different bakeries) my family and I really love it. It’s all we buy when I don’t bake.

I really think there’s a big difference in taste and texture depending on where you get them.

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 2:00 pm

amother OP wrote:

That makes sense. It’s more like weekday bread.

Not necessarily. Have you ever tried heating them in the oven until your seudah on Friday night?

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 2:02 pm

amother Ivory wrote:

I bake and eat it for health reasons but most people I know do not, so they must really like it.
It's rustic and harder to chew, so I can understand not everyone going for it.
And because I never make regular challah anymore, when I eat by other people I end of enjoying their challah that's sweet and soft and feeling like I miss it.
But I still really really like my sourdough.

The owner of one bakery I buy from told me that some kinds of sourdough are much softer than the typical because there is something added to make them soft. I wonder what that something is…

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 2:05 pm

Amarante wrote:

I don't think sour dough bread is particularly healthy.

I do think whole wheat bread is a lot healthier than any bread made from white flour and sour dough bread is generally made from white flour.

Traditional challah has a very distinctive texture and flavor - it's delicious - and so is sour dough and so it whole wheat.

So yes I think sour dough bread is delicious but I also think that traditional challah is delicious and the taste is more of a treat - I could actually enjoy eating it plain like a simple cake because it has a subtle sweet taste and wonderful texture.

I think it really depends on what you are eating as a pastrami sandwich on challah would be weird - at least to me.

I really don’t like the taste of whole wheat although I know it’s healthier than white.
Seven grain is good.

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 2:07 pm

amother Hyacinth wrote:

There are actually people who don't like sweet things. Most challah is quite sweet, relatively speaking.

Unless you get water challah but some of those seem to be a bit sweet too,

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 2:08 pm

amother OP wrote:

What makes it a good sourdough?
How good could flour and water taste?

Someone got us some from a place in Lakewood, covered in onion, garlic, poppy and sesame seeds. That is yum.

amother

Blush

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 2:53 pm

Cheiny wrote:

The owner of one bakery I buy from told me that some kinds of sourdough are much softer than the typical because there is something added to make them soft. I wonder what that something is…

It's called dough inhancer or dough conditioner. Another chemical added to commercial items.

chanar

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 3:04 pm

Someone taught me how to make sourdough a year ago, and My family love it! I happen to make a delicious challah, but my husband and kids just go crazy over the sourdough, so I rarely bake challah anymore! Will bake for yomtov but a regular shabbos I just do sourdough. We eat it with dips, with guacamole, it’s beyond! I’ve gotten messages from people I’ve gifted it to with how amazing it was! I will say, I have never tasted a store bought one that I enjoyed..

amother

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 3:06 pm

Cheiny wrote:

Someone got us some from a place in Lakewood, covered in onion, garlic, poppy and sesame seeds. That is yum.

I once put everything spice on my challah and my family didn’t like it at all

realsilver

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 3:22 pm

Amarante wrote:

I make only spelt sourdough, and so do many people. But in any case, I think you're wrong about the white flour, because the fermenting process takes the gluten and turns it into probiotics.

It's definitely an acquired taste, that's forsure! I can't go back to regular challah now that I've gotten used to sourdough. I think if you stop eating sugar and heavy carbs, you're body stops craving it.

zaq

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:20 pm

It's ok, nothing more. I fail to see the big deal. It's insanely hard to cut, and neither the taste nor the texture seems very Shabbosdik. IMO it's more appropriate for a weeknight meal of hot dogs and beans. JMHO of course.

Cheiny

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:21 pm

amother Blush wrote:

It's called dough inhancer or dough conditioner. Another chemical added to commercial items.

Oh ok. But then I read somewhere that the sourdough being sold as sourdough really isn’t. I wonder if that is true. That like 75% of the sourdough that’s available out there is not really sourdough.

amother

Ivory

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:28 pm

Cheiny wrote:

I don't know about the exact statistic but I personally wouldn't trust any commercially available to sourdough to know that it's truly slow-fermented with no added chemicals or yeast. Unless I verified for myself.

amother

Holly

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:39 pm

I make sourdough bread for shalosh seudos and a braidable amazing squishy sourdough (close to what non Jews would call a brioche but it is more similar to traditional challah just that it uses starter instead of yeast) for Friday night and Shabbos day. We love them both!
I remember my first loaf over 10 years ago. It was so sour no one could eat it lol. Now, I never have a drop left.

amother

Beige

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:44 pm

I LOVE sourdough.

That being said, I have eaten some really terrible sourdough challot out there.

It's one of those things that when good is amazing and when bad is terrible.

amother

Moccasin

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 4:57 pm

I’ve had a lot of terrible sourdough- store bought and home made. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed store bought sourdough. If you don’t know how to make it well, it’s awful. It took me over a year to perfect my sourdough making. And now it’s all my family wants to eat and whenever I’m invited out I’m asked to bring. It’s light and airy on the inside with a thin, crispy chewy crust.