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Forum -> Recipe Collection -> Challah and Breads
Braided challah dough - how long to rise?



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meeze




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 10:26 am
I need emergency help here.

I bake spelt challah every week and after it's braided I let it rise for 20 minutes.
But while its baking, I could see the whole dough forming together and all my braided work go to waste. I do put on the strands some flour so the strands don't stick together, so why is this happening?
Is it the rising time too much?

How does everyone's challah come out so nice braided even after rising longer than mines?

Or is it something else that the braiding doesn't show?

Please, everyone, I need your experiences!!

Thanks
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shmosmom




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 10:28 am
I don't bake spelt, I use white bread flour. I let my challah rise about 45 minutes to an hour. How do you braid them?
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meeze




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 10:35 am
shmosmom wrote:
I don't bake spelt, I use white bread flour. I let my challah rise about 45 minutes to an hour. How do you braid them?

I braid them from 4 strands
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Teomima




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 10:36 am
I let my dough proof a lot (once for either 2 hours at room temp or overnight in the fridge, and again another hour at room temp) before braiding it. After braiding it I immediately brush with egg wash and then let it rise, no more than half an hour, then egg wash again before baking. So if yours is rising for only 20 minutes then I don't think your issue is that you're letting it rise too long. But does your dough have enough time to proof earlier in the process?

Do you use egg wash? If so, when do you put it on? Another idea would be to try rolling the ropes in oil instead of flour. It'll have the same effect in keeping them from sticking, but might help the ropes stay more defined while baking.
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meeze




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 10:38 am
Teomima wrote:
I let my dough proof a lot (once for either 2 hours at room temp or overnight in the fridge, and again another hour at room temp) before braiding it. After braiding it I immediately brush with egg wash and then let it rise, no more than half an hour, then egg wash again before baking. So if yours is rising for only 20 minutes then I don't think your issue is that you're letting it rise too long. But does your dough have enough time to proof earlier in the process?

Do you use egg wash? If so, when do you put it on? Another idea would be to try rolling the ropes in oil instead of flour. It'll have the same effect in keeping them from sticking, but might help the ropes stay more defined while baking.

I let the dough rise 45 min. Then braid it and wait 20 min. Is that not enough?
Also after that egg wash and in oven
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Teomima




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 10:49 am
meeze wrote:
I let the dough rise 45 min. Then braid it and wait 20 min. Is that not enough?
Also after that egg wash and in oven

How's your crumb? Meaning, is the bread itself even or are the air bubbles random and erratic? Usually you want a nice, soft, cake-like crumb in a challah.

How much yeast are you using? I think some recipes call for way too much, in my opinion. That could also be the culprit.

I think you should try letting it rise, punch it down and knead it some more, give it a second rise, then knead and braid, then your last rise, and see if that helps.
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BadTichelDay




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 11:50 am
I think the spelt may be part of the problem. It has less gluten than ordinary wheat flour and therefore holds shape less well.
I bake challot nearly every week and use different types of flour for variety. I've done spelt and rye sourdough challot. Rye doesn't braid at all due to its consistency, and the spelt turned shapeless. They still make great breads, just their natural shape is round, not braided. Maybe spelt with yeast would be less sticky than sourdough, but still, it has low gluten.
If I want beautifully braided challot, I use ordinary white wheat flour and yeast.
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abs




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 11:56 am
Don’t try braiding spelt. It doesn’t hold a shape. Maybe try a silicone form that looks braided if you like that shape
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meeze




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 4:35 pm
abs wrote:
Don’t try braiding spelt. It doesn’t hold a shape. Maybe try a silicone form that looks braided if you like that shape


Wow, I never heard that the braiding has to do with the gluten. If that's true, it may be the problem.
Where did u hear this from?
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abs




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jul 08 2021, 6:41 pm
I once tried making spelt Challah. It isn’t the right consistency to hold that shape
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meeze




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 10 2021, 7:03 pm
I asked my neighbor who also bakes delicious spelt challah what the trick is . She said she never had the problem with the braiding and actually lets its rise so much more.
What am I doing wrong??
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healthymom1




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 10 2021, 8:29 pm
6 strand white flour
45 min rising time once braided
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essie14




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 10 2021, 10:00 pm
meeze wrote:
I asked my neighbor who also bakes delicious spelt challah what the trick is . She said she never had the problem with the braiding and actually lets its rise so much more.
What am I doing wrong??

My challah is a mixture of whole wheat and spelt. I let it rise for 1 hour, punch down, let it rise again for at least 1 hour, punch down and then braid, and let it rise another hour after braiding. then I egg and bake.
The braids stay beautiful.
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