Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Recipe Collection -> Challah and Breads
Do you bake Challah?
Previous  1  2



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h



Do you bake Challah?
I always bake my own  
 35%  [ 26 ]
I always buy it  
 12%  [ 9 ]
I only buy when I'm very busy  
 27%  [ 20 ]
I bake occasionally buy usually buy  
 25%  [ 19 ]
Total Votes : 74



elisecohen




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 9:20 am
Willow, the recipe in the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book is the BEST, especially if you add a little wheat gluten with the whole wheat flour. In fact, if you prefer whole wheat, it's a great book--only whole grain recipes, no refined flours at all. And it even has diagrams on making a "1-braid" challah, to make small ones. The basic recipe in that book is a 6 C (actually as you knead in, I find it takes about 7-8 C) of flour one.
Back to top

613




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 10:54 am
I bake every few weeks and freeze. my dh would have a cow (wow, what an "old school" term) if I bought challah! I never make enough for a bracha, though, cuz I don't have enuf room in my freezer.

this past batch I forgot the salt... and the batch was better than usual!!! anyone know why?

after egging, I sprinkle the top of my challos w/ a sugar/flour/oil mixture- YUM!
Back to top

chanala




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 11:12 am
For a city with a small Jewish population and even smaller frum population, we are blessed with one fantastic bakery and a caterer who makes equally fantastic challah! I don't enjoy cooking, so that right there kicks up my enjoyment of Shabbos five notches!!! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
Back to top

timeout




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 11:23 am
In my house my husband bakes the Challah but I make the Brocha (usually at 3AM when teh dough is ready) Very Happy
Back to top

TzenaRena




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 11:24 am
613 wrote:
I bake every few weeks and freeze. my dh would have a cow (wow, what an "old school" term) if I bought challah! I never make enough for a bracha, though, cuz I don't have enuf room in my freezer.

this past batch I forgot the salt... and the batch was better than usual!!! anyone know why?
after egging, I sprinkle the top of my challos w/ a sugar/flour/oil mixture- YUM!



I've seen one challah recipe that says to dig under the flour to put the salt, because the yeast action gets hampered or even cancelled by too much salt. I.e. keep the salt away from the yeast. If you put in too much salt the challah doesn't rise well.
Back to top

uandme




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 6:20 pm
like queen, I usually bake 5lbs+ and freeze about 10 loaves (and keep a few fresh for that week). then I am set for several weeks, depending on # of guests, etc.
otherwise I buy too if the freezer is empty of my own and I haven't taken the time to do it.
Back to top

Pickle Lady




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 6:34 pm
I make the recipe out of the kosher palette. Its a great recipe and it always comes out so yummy. What I do is freeze the dough braided and then bake it erev shabbos when I want it. It takes up so much less room when its just dough and I think it tastes way better than frozen baked challah.
Back to top

lucky




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 07 2005, 9:40 pm
I do 6 lbs at a time, and it is only enough for 2-3 weeks. I reheat the challos from the freezer on Erev Shabbos.
Back to top

hadasa




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 1:06 am
There's no option in the poll for "both"!

I make the dough Thursday night or early Friday morning. If I make it at night, I let it rise in the fridge (Yup, it does!). I shape & bake it on Friday and leave some dough for the kids to braid when they come home. But we usually have a lot of people, so I also buy a few just in case. Whatever doesn't get eaten becomes French toast, breadcrumbs, Challah Kugel....or green mold embarrassed
Back to top

chen




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 7:25 am
hadasa wrote:
Whatever doesn't get eaten becomes ....or green mold embarrassed


LOL
Back to top

shanie5




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 8:59 am
willow- the recipe came from an excellent baker here- so I guess its 'tried and true' - just not by me Confused

613- its strange that your challah came out better. even tho you should keep the salt away from the yeast, you should not leave it out cuz it supposed to help the yeast somehow too. everything ive heard/read about this topic says you can lessen the salt, but not to remove it entirely. was there some other ingredient that may have contained salt?
Back to top

TzenaRena




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 9:13 am
613 could you pleeeease tell us your egg-glaze recipe? it sounds good!
Back to top

elisecohen




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 10:48 am
Shanie5, the salt helps slow down the yeast's fermentation. However if you mix it directly with the yeast it can kill the yeast, leaving you with a heavy, "leaden" loaf. That's why recipes always call for it to be added with the flour or mixed in with other ingredients. If you don't add it at all, the yeast fermentation can happen too quickly, and the loaf also won't rise correctly, leaving you with a soggy, flat or bubbly loaf.
Back to top

shira




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 11:12 am
Why do many recipies tell you to let dough rise and then punch it down and allow to rise again? What do you gain from doing this?
Back to top

TzenaRena




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 11:38 am
elisecohen wrote:
Shanie5, the salt helps slow down the yeast's fermentation. However if you mix it directly with the yeast it can kill the yeast, leaving you with a heavy, "leaden" loaf. That's why recipes always call for it to be added with the flour or mixed in with other ingredients. If you don't add it at all, the yeast fermentation can happen too quickly, and the loaf also won't rise correctly, leaving you with a soggy, flat or bubbly loaf.


elise, thanks for the science lesson Thumbs Up

Shira, I think the texture is more fluffy, and soft - less dense and OTOH less coarse, or grainy- with all these multiple risings and punchings Confused I let rise once, for an hour or more if I have time, till double, then shape, and do a no-no. I skip shock the second rising! Putting it into the warm oven does that, so I waste no more time on that. (I'm sure my challah's texture isn't as smooth as others get it, but we like it this way too!) I've read a trick. Bake on 400 Farenheit for 10-20 min.(not sure exactly), then lower temp. to 350. If you do that it doesn't need the last rising(after the shaping and egging).

Hey, nobody take my word for any of this. it's experimenting alright.

I have to say though, that everyone loves my challah b'h. I guess the experiments work!


Last edited by TzenaRena on Thu, Dec 08 2005, 11:44 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top

1stimer




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 08 2005, 11:43 am
I used to bake challas and freeze but now our freezer isn't working (the food gets very very icy - so challas end up being soggy) so I buy.

Truth is I just realised I could just freeze the dough...
Back to top

hila




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 14 2005, 6:32 am
I bake most of the time. the kids complain when I dont. But I bake every 2-3 weeks and freeze.

And I have this "thing" about the mitzva of taking challa. to me making bread is not good enough, so I always make at least 2kg flour so I can take challa with a bracha.

I feel we should always remember the "forgotten" mitzvot like this. When you buy in the store you dont have the zchut of the bracha of challa.

However the other "forgotten " mitzva is kashering meat. I never did it and regret that but I am not prepared to have the mess in the house. It is so much easier to get kashered meat from teh supermarket or butcher. (or chicken for those who dont do red meat)

It feels so good to make challot and the amazing aroma that fills the house on friday is worth the extra effort and mess.

I use the "spice and Spirit" recipe - first one, and use the 70% whole wheat flour available here in Israel (Duvdevan)

Hila
Back to top

613




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 14 2005, 12:37 pm
SaraYehudis wrote:
613 could you pleeeease tell us your egg-glaze recipe? it sounds good!

sorry it took so long, I wasn't keeping up on this thread.
I'll give you the small quantities that I use (good for about 2 challos + 4 rolls), you can double it, triple it....whatever

1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
mix those up, then add
1 tsp. oil
and use your fingers to make the mixture crumbly

you may need to add more of the ingredients to get the crumbly consistency. then just sprinkle it on top of the challos after you egg them.
Back to top

proudmom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Dec 14 2005, 12:57 pm
I bake challah for shabbos, if I am in a big rush then I would buy, but I prefer to bake it. It taste so much better
Back to top

lucky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 15 2005, 7:36 am
I always used to hear from a very well meaning SIL, that if I would only understand the great mitzva of challah, then I would bake them myself.(My MIL used to send me every week) Little did she know that I had Mono and CFS and was happy if the kids had what to eat. But her comments bothered me terribly.
Now I B"H bake challos every second week.
Back to top
Page 2 of 2 Previous  1  2 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Recipe Collection -> Challah and Breads

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Perfect gluten-free challah recipe? 3 Yesterday at 1:36 pm View last post
Sourdough challah vs non sourdough
by amother
55 Yesterday at 3:24 am View last post
S/o sourdough challah
by gr82no
10 Tue, May 14 2024, 8:00 pm View last post
Awareness regarding hafrasha challah
by amother
22 Fri, May 10 2024, 1:05 pm View last post
Looking for yummy challah recipe bosch
by amother
13 Sun, May 05 2024, 7:04 pm View last post