Braided Challah

Recipe by The Big Book of Bread
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Sweetened with honey and enriched with eggs and oil, this challah recipe yields a gorgeous loaf with a feathery crumb and golden hue. Use it to make braided loaves that are both delicious and symbolic. The soft, tender, eggy bread is traditionally baked on Fridays and served as an accompaniment to Shabbat dinner, though there’s no reason you couldn’t make it for any day of the week. Here, we’ve included instructions for a simple three-stand braid; find details on how to make a more elaborate six-strand braid in the “tips,” below. 

This recipe comes from our cookbook, the Big Book of Bread. Order it now!

Prep
30 mins
Bake
30 to 32 mins
Total
5 hrs
Yield
one large loaf
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Braided Challah - select to zoom
Braided Challah - select to zoom
Braided Challah - select to zoom
Braided Challah - select to zoom

Instructions

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  1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.

  2. To make the preferment: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the water, flour, and yeast until no dry spots remain. The mixture will have the viscosity of pancake batter. Cover and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour. There will be many small bubbles on top and the mixture will have grown in volume.

  3. To make the dough: Add the flour, salt, whole eggs, egg yolk (reserving the egg white to brush on the challah later), honey, and oil to the preferment and mix with the dough hook on medium-low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl well, then increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and is shiny and smooth, 8 to 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; the dough will be sticky.

  4. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until very puffy, though not necessarily doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

  5. Use a bowl scraper to gently ease the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set nearby.

  6. To make a 3-strand braid: Divide the dough into 3 even pieces (235g each). Preshape each piece into a cylinder, then cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

  7. On a clean, unfloured work surface, roll out each piece of dough into a log about 14" long. If the dough resists stretching and shrinks back, set that piece aside and work on the other pieces before trying to roll it again. Even a short rest can help relax the gluten just enough to make shaping easier. If the dough sticks to the surface, use a bench knife to scrape up any residual dough and add just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. If it’s difficult to form the log because the dough is sliding on the surface, use a very lightly dampened kitchen towel to remove any excess flour from the surface and lightly moisten the surface to create some tension for the dough to roll more easily.

  8. Place the 3 strands of dough vertically in front of you, spacing them so they are nearly but not quite touching. Beginning at the center, take the strand on the left and drape it over the strand in the middle. You don’t need to pull or create tension; you’re just draping one strand over the other. Next, take the strand on the right and drape it over the strand that is now in the middle. Continue braiding until you reach the end, then pinch the strands together. Flip the loaf over so that the surface is now on the counter and then rotate it 180° so the unbraided half is facing you. Repeat the braiding process as described until you reach the end, then pinch the strands together. If necessary, gently roll just the tips of the braid back and forth and tuck under to create clean-looking ends. Supporting the braid underneath with your hands and forearms, gently transfer it to the prepared baking sheet, setting it at an angle so it has room to grow.

  9. Cover the challah and let it rise until noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

  10. To bake: Lightly beat the reserved egg white with a fork, then generously brush it all over the challah, taking care to brush some into the cracks of the braid. Bake the challah for about 30 minutes, until the crust is evenly deep golden brown (even where the strands cross) and the internal temperature reaches 190°F when measured with a digital thermometer. Remove the challah from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

  11. Storage information: Store leftover challah in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage. 

Tips from our Bakers

  • To make a 6-strand braid: Divide the dough into 6 even pieces (120g each). Preshape each piece into a cylinder, then cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. On a clean, unfloured work surface, roll out each piece of dough into a log about 14" long. If the dough resists stretching and shrinks back, set that piece aside and work on the other pieces before trying to roll it again. Even a short rest can help relax the gluten just enough to make shaping easier. 

    Arrange the strands of dough vertically in front of you, setting them side-by-side. Pinch the strands at the top into 2 sections of 3 each. Join the 2 sections together into one and pinch firmly. Separate the strands into a single strand on either side, and 2 sections of double strands in the middle. Cross the outer 2 strands. Now begin braiding: Bring the outer left strand to the center. Next, bring the second strand from the right to the outer left. Bring the outer right strand to the center. Bring the second strand from the right to the outer left. Repeat the process, starting with bringing the outer left strand to the center until you reach the end. Once you reach the bottom, tuck the ends under and pinch them together. Using the tips of your fingers, roll the loaf back and forth gently to secure the ends, then tuck the tail under the loaf. See this video for a demonstration of how to make a 6-strand braid.

    Supporting the braid underneath with your hands and forearms, gently transfer it to the prepared baking sheet, setting it at an angle so it has room to grow. Cover and let rise until noticeably puffy, about 45 minutes, then bake as directed above. 

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