Extra Egg in Challah

corolla

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 8:39 am

I currently have a delicious water challah recipe as follows:

2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup mild vegetable oil
5 cups bread flour

What would happen if I added 1 egg? I'm curious to see how it would turn out but don't want to preemptively ruin a batch of challah.

BatyaEsther

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 8:45 am

It will be delicious.
I would cut the water a little (maybe about 1 3/4 cups) as the egg adds liquid and otherwise it may be a little sticky. Other choice is adding a little extra flour as needed.

corolla

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 8:50 am

Thank you. Can't wait!
I'm looking for a little more richness but for some reason, I have hangups about using eggs in challah. Maybe because my mother never does.

PinkFridge

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 9:13 am

corolla wrote:

Thank you. Can't wait!
I'm looking for a little more richness but for some reason, I have hangups about using eggs in challah. Maybe because my mother never does.

Do you like your mother's challah, or is just a feeling of mesorah?
If you feel competent making challah, personally, rather than doctoring a good recipe, I'd just find a really good egg challah recipe. But that's me. I've made wonderful egg challah but since making water challah, particularly using the recipe in Rebbetzin Kanievsky's bio (slightly different than the BY cookbooks, and I end up using less flour), we're not going back.

Last edited by PinkFridge on Thu, Nov 14 2019, 9:16 am; edited 1 time in total

mom2mysouls

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 9:16 am

Eggs will make the texture lighter..not as condensed and dry as water challah.
It doesnt hurt to try. Just decrease liquids a bit. If youre afraid to play around, get a recipe that has the right proportions.

chefmama

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 9:31 am

Here's a great recipe very similar to the one you listed. It has 1 egg and is really good and fluffy.

1kilo flour
1 cube fresh yeast
1/4 sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup oil
1 and 1/2 cups warm water
Mix all together well and knead until a soft, smooth dough. Cover, rise, shape, egg tops, bake.
(I realise you didn't ask for a recipe, but since it is similar thought you'd be interested as it has an egg and comes out really good Smile

)

corolla

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 10:08 am

PinkFridge wrote:

The thing is that most recipes that I've come across have 5 lbs of flour and an amount of eggs that's impossible to divide.
It's just DH and me, so even 5 cups is too much. I don't have the space or facilities to make more.
Every time I've tried making Rebbetzin Kanievsky's recipe, it hasn't worked out. I don't know what I'm doing wrong...

corolla

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 10:08 am

chefmama wrote:

)

Can I sub active dry yeast?

PinkFridge

Thu, Nov 14 2019, 11:48 am

corolla wrote:

I'd love to trouble shoot. But I don't know if it's possible.The recipe in the book calls for 3 kg. of flour. I start with 5 lbs and add handfuls as needed while kneading. So to halve that, I'd start with about half a 5 lb. bag, and halve all the other ingredients. (I use about 2/3 -3/4 the amount of sugar and they still rise beautifully.)

I bake in small disposable oval pans at 370 for about 35 minutes. They're smaller than a loaf pan.

I'm trying to think, what else do I do that might be my own tweaking...

Mandolin

Sat, Dec 07 2019, 10:10 pm

corolla wrote:

You can try this. It's more than 5 cups but you can always throw a loaf in the freezer or share with friends. I am also halving the original recipe which was originally for 5 lbs of flour. Some numbers are difficult to half but I try my best and it turns out great.

2 tablespoons and 2 tsp dry yeast
1.5 cups and 1/8 cups wrist temperature water
3 eggs
6.5 white flour
half of 3/4 (I estimate) cup sugar
half of 3/4 (I estimate) cup honey
half of 3/4 (I estimate) cup canola or vegetable oil
1.5 tablespoons salt