Recipe for two challahs

Elfrida

Fri, May 01 2020, 5:41 am

When I used to want to make small amounts of challah, I googled bread recipes. I found that challah recipes are almost inevitably for at least four loaves, to give you lechem mishnah for all three meals, and sometimes even more. Bread recipes, on the other hand, are often for a single loaf.

In the end, this became my favourite. If you're looking for a soft, sweet fluffy challah, this isn't it, but if your happy with something slightly more robust its great.

Recipe originally came from Brynie Greisman, in Mishpacha. Recipe is for two loaves, but you can divide the dough into smaller sections and bake it as rolls or miniature challahs.

IMPORTANT: This recipe does not have enough flour to allow you to actually take challah.

2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp salt
1 cup uncooked rolled oats

Put in bowl together, mix, and leave for one hour.

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) dried yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water

Dissolve yeast in water, and add to oat mixture.

4 1/2 - 5 cups whole wheat flour.

Mix in flour, one cup at a time. Knead for about ten minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Place dough in greased bowl, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, around and hour and a half, depending on climate.

Punch down and knead for a couple of minutes, then braid into two challahs (or four small challahs, or a lot of rolls).

Allow to rise again until doubled in bulk, around 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Tops should be well browned. Can glaze with thin brushing honey and oats, or traditional egg wash and sesame/poppy seeds.

lkwdlady

Fri, May 01 2020, 5:45 am

Why don’t you just make smaller loaves and properly freeze the rest for other week?
I have a recipe for 2 loaves but each loaf is too much for 2 people to eat. I would just make the loaves smaller.

2 challos

2 packages rapid rise dry yeast
3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup oil
2 cups warm water
1 egg
8 cups flour

Let me know if you want instructions

Last edited by lkwdlady on Fri, May 01 2020, 5:48 am; edited 2 times in total

#BestBubby

Fri, May 01 2020, 9:44 am

Chickensoupprof wrote:

Hello,

I'm really bad with counting (dyscalculia) and everything and don't know how to make a recipe fit for 2 persons.
I want to make two challes but I don't know how to and how to devide it and so on.

Thank you x

OP, the minhag is to honor Shobbos by baking bread from which CHALLAH has been taken.
If you bake just two loaves without using sufficient flour to take Challah with a Bracho, then you
did not make "Challah" you made BREAD.

Most poskim require 5 lb of Flour in order to take Challah with a Brocha. Many people freeze extra challah. If you warm it up in the oven it tastes like fresh!

Here is my recipe for a not sweet Challah. If you like it sweet, add more sugar to taste.

5 lb flour
5 c. Water - very warm, but not hot
3.5 T Yeast
3 Eggs
1.5 - 2 T. Salt
½ c. Sugar
½ c. oil

Put warm water, yeast and sugar in mixing bowl - sprinkle a little flour on top. Wait about 7 minutes until yeast is bubbling. Add six cups of flour and start mixing. Add eggs, sugar and oil. Add rest of flour, one cup at a time.

Cover with plastic wrap and towel and let rise in warm place for one hour. Say Brocha and Take Challah. Braid. "Paint" with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (Optional). Bake at
350 - time depending on size of challah. If you make 5 medium challahs, about 50 - 60 minutes.

lkwdlady

Fri, May 01 2020, 9:50 am

#BestBubby wrote:

You still take challah but you say the brocha without Hashem’s name.
Also, it’s a mitzvah to bake for her family and make them happy even if it’s not the hafrashas challah Mitzvah...
Some people just find the full 5 lbs overwhelming to deal with.

sky

Fri, May 01 2020, 9:54 am

@#bestbubby
It’s brought down an argument that it’s better to bake challah fresh on Friday without s bracha because fresh bead tastes better then older challah.
I bake challah fresh every week without a bracha. I dont have the time to do 5lb at a time and would just buy if I couldn’t do small batches.
I asked my rav about making challah fresh vs taking with a bracha. He said because we have freezers today that argument isn’t so valid and it is better to take with a bracha.
However if it’s hard for me I should still make my fresh batches of challah to honor Shabbos.
You have to be careful before dissuading ppl. You don’t know if op has a mixer or a freezer or family size. Better make fresh challah then no challah at all.

#BestBubby

Fri, May 01 2020, 9:54 am

lkwdlady wrote:

Sorry, but the minhag of eating "Challah" is to do this Holy Mitzvah with a Brocha (with Hashem's name). Otherwise it is just bread, not Challah.

That is fine if you want to eat bread shaped like Challah during the week, but for Shobbos there is a minhag to eat Challah made with a Brocha.

To my understanding, It is more Mehudar to BUY challah made with a brocha then to eat challah without a brocha.

BatyaEsther

Fri, May 01 2020, 10:06 am

[quote="#BestBubby"]Sorry, but the minhag of eating "Challah" is to do this Holy Mitzvah with a Brocha (with Hashem's name). Otherwise it is just bread, not Challah.

That is fine if you want to eat bread shaped like Challah during the week, but for Shobbos there is a minhag to eat Challah made with a Brocha.

To my understanding, It is more Mehudar to BUY challah made with a brocha then to eat challah without a brocha.[/quote][b]

So if that is your understanding than you do what is appropriate for you and your family.
Maybe she can't get challah because of COVID-19, maybe she can't afford to buy challah, maybe her family has a taste preferencesa d this is it for oneg Shabbos, maybe she need to bake for shalom bayit reasons, maybe she is overwhelmed by 5 lb or don't have freezer space.
She asked for a recipe, not a lecturer on what YOU feel the Mitzvah is.

iyar

Fri, May 01 2020, 10:16 am

#BestBubby wrote:

Are you sure about that?
I’m not sure you’re right.
OP would like to bake Challah. Let’s share recipes. (I don’t have a good small recipe so I’m leaving that to more experienced bakers.)
OP it’s nice to bake with five pounds and add the mitzvah to your baking, but if now isn’t the right time - enjoy your baking and enjoy your challah. I’m sure your family will love it! Happy braiding!