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Forum -> Recipe Collection -> Challah and Breads
Homemade water challah with very crispy crust



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lovesshoes




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 6:46 pm
When I bake challahs, I am never been able to achieve the crusty crust of the water challahs that I buy in the grocery/bakery. Is there a special recipe for that? Even when I warm up my challah in the oven right before Shabbos I never get that "water challah crust", even though I use egg wash when I bake them.
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ez-pass




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 6:50 pm
Warm it up uncovered before Shabbos in the oven on 425 or 450 until it's very crispy.
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lovesshoes




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 6:53 pm
ez-pass wrote:
Warm it up uncovered before Shabbos in the oven on 425 or 450 until it's very crispy.


Thanks, I do, but even that doesn't give it that special water challah crust from the bakery.
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lovesshoes




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 6:54 pm
ez-pass wrote:
Warm it up uncovered before Shabbos in the oven on 425 or 450 until it's very crispy.


Is it possible to get that crust by starting off the baking at a higher temperature, then lowering it? Or maybe the other way around?
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hodeez




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 6:58 pm
Bake at 425 for the first ten minutes to develop the crust, then lower the oven to your usual baking temperature until the challot are done. I use hindys water challah recipe from kosher.com, so easy and delicious
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ez-pass




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 7:12 pm
I bake the challah regular. I freeze them and bake them before Shabbos at 425-450 untill they are super crispy. I always get a very very crispy crust and soft inside.
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ez-pass




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 7:20 pm
lovesshoes wrote:
Is it possible to get that crust by starting off the baking at a higher temperature, then lowering it? Or maybe the other way around?


No idea. I always do it really high and get that crusty crust and soft inside.
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2cents




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 7:35 pm
I use raizyscookin's recipe and method and I get a great crusty water challah.
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thatworn




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 22 2020, 8:07 pm
Put 4 tablespoons of powdered yeast and 5 cups of warm water in a bowl with a half cup of sugar and a squeeze of honey.
When the yeast has bubbled up, place another half cup of sugar, a cup of oil, 4 tablespoons of salt and however much flour it takes to make a good consistency dough.
Arise and swell, dough!
Bake at 375 until done.
This is how I bake chala. I don't do eggs. Ugh!
It turns out very crispy on the outside and fluffy-ish on the inside, but the crust is not as thin and the inside is not as light as a nice Viennese or French bread.
It does not freeze well, so I only bake for YT or if I'm baking also for a kimpeturin, etc.
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dveikus




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 10 2022, 12:08 pm
lovesshoes wrote:
When I bake challahs, I am never been able to achieve the crusty crust of the water challahs that I buy in the grocery/bakery. Is there a special recipe for that? Even when I warm up my challah in the oven right before Shabbos I never get that "water challah crust", even though I use egg wash when I bake them.


Two years later, here's my reply. Smile

From what I understand, to get the crispy crust, after the challah is baked (or mostly baked) they spray it with water and then bake it for a few more minutes. The water does not make it mushy, but crispy. I think you can do this when reheating the challah.

Another method I heard of is to place a pan of boiling water on the bottom shelf of the oven and the steam should give a crispy crust.

A third method is to throw a few ice cubes onto the oven floor when you place the challah into the oven.
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evaeva




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Nov 10 2022, 1:26 pm
WHEN I USE LESS SUGAR IMY CHALLOS ARE A LOT CRISPIER
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