Best way to keep challah freshest Shabbas day

amother

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 12:34 pm

If I like to have warmed up challah day turn meal should I take it out the freezer on Shabbas morning and then put on the blech? If so does something get placed under it and how long before the meal?

I probably wasn’t doing it right and it was so over dry .

amother

Yarrow

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 1:02 pm

amother OP wrote:

First, I wouldn’t take it out that morning. I’d take it out before Shabbos starts and keep it in plastic.
Are you aware you can’t put it directly on the Blech on Shabbos?

WitchKitty

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 1:05 pm

I take it out and put on the blech about an hour before- for rolls.
So probably 1.5 hours for a whole challah?

SYA

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 1:28 pm

I freeze the challah fresh. I take it out and leave it on the counter to defrost and come to room temperature about three hours before the meal. It is always kept in a sealed plastic challah bag to keep it from getting stale or dry.

According to our Rov, we don’t put challah on the blech.

amother

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 1:49 pm

If you use the bleach halachically I guess a low pan can be placed under the challah.

So is one hour enough to be nice and crispy. Does it get turned around to warm up the entire challah or just keep it flat.

amother

DarkYellow

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 1:54 pm

Definitely take it out Shabbos morning, it will taste freshest. I warm it on top of the cholent pot wrapped in foil.

amother

Hawthorn

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 2:08 pm

I take it out Friday and warm it up in the oven till it's crispy. Leave it in the closed oven till shabbos morning and it's delicious. If you can't open the oven door on shabbos, warm the challah before shabbos till crispy, let cool & keep it in a paper bag till the morning.

Rebesq

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 2:20 pm

I never freeze challah. Everyone says it taste the same if you warm it up but my kids and husband seem to know the difference. I make it and freeze the dough raw then take it out let it rise and sometimes I will shape it again and bake right before Shabbos.

nicole81

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 2:29 pm

For shabbos say, I take it out of the freezer and leave it in the Ziploc to defrost. About a half hour before the meal I put it on an overturned bekelah on the blech. Sometimes I cover the top with foil, other times I don't, and I turn it over after 15 min.

amother

Cerulean

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 2:30 pm

I take it out of the freezer shabbos morning, and put it on a pice of foil on top of the crock pot.

WitchKitty

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 2:58 pm

Yes I put it on an overturned pan.
I don't turn it over. I like the way the bottom becomes crispier and the top stays soft.
When I first bake it I don't let it get too dark on the bottom so it doesn't burn later on the blech.
I bake on Friday. Freeze the day challos, and put the night challos on the blech too, fresh. So they're hot for the seuda.

Golde

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 3:04 pm

It probably got dry because you heated it directly from frozen. Take it out of the freezer to defrost in the morning (but keep it in the sealed freezer bag while defrosting) and then heat it before the meal

amother

Yarrow

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 4:03 pm

amother DarkYellow wrote:

Definitely take it out Shabbos morning, it will taste freshest. I warm it on top of the cholent pot wrapped in foil.

The top of the foil has to be completely open, for people who aren’t sure how to heat up halachically

nicole81

Tue, Jan 17 2023, 4:29 pm

amother Yarrow wrote:

The top of the foil has to be completely open, for people who aren’t sure how to heat up halachically

Not really. People hold differently. My understanding is that it's fine as long as it's not completely insulated. So for example, for us, covering the top only to keep it from drying out is totally fine as the side aren't wrapped.

Also it's a bit presumptuous to come on here anonymously and declare *the halachic way* to do something when at least 2 people on here have said they do it differently.