Easiest Way to Winter Tasty Sourdough Challah

Aaron Hudson
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Easiest Way to Winter Tasty Sourdough Challah
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Easiest Way to Winter Tasty Sourdough Challah Delicious, fresh and tasty.

Sourdough Challah. This sourdough challah recipe is a beautiful sourdough recipe. This easy sourdough challah recipe is the perfect use of your sourdough starter! Perfect for sandwiches, french toast, and more!

I find it's the best way to ensure salt and sugar dissolve well, and that all ingredients are properly distributed.

You want to have a homogeneous dough.

How is sourdough Challah different than yeasted Challah?

You can have Sourdough Challah using 12 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Sourdough Challah

  1. You need of For the starter:.

  2. Prepare 2 tablespoons of (35 grams/1.2 ounces) very active, fully fermented firm sourdough starter, refreshed 8 to 12 hours earlier.

  3. You need 1/3 cup of (80 grams/2.8 ounces) warm water.

  4. It’s of About 1 cup (135 grams/4.8 ounces) bread flour.

  5. Prepare of For final dough:.

  6. You need 1/4 cup of (60 grams/2 ounces) warm water.

  7. You need 3 of large eggs, plus 1 for glazing.

  8. It’s 1 1/2 teaspoons of (8 grams/0.3 ounce) table salt.

  9. Prepare 1/4 cup of (55 grams/1.9 ounces) vegetable oil.

  10. You need 3 tablespoons of (65 grams/2.3 ounces) mild honey or a scant 1/3 cup (60 grams/2.1 ounces) granulated sugar.

  11. Prepare of About 3 cups (400 grams/14 ounces) bread flour.

  12. You need of Fully fermented sourdough starter.

One thing people don't realize is that commercial yeast actually has a very strong flavor of its own, and contributes a lot to the overall flavor of traditional yeasted challah bread.

To make your sourdough challah, first prepare the starter, in a medium jar or container, combine ½ cup water with ½ cup whole-wheat flour and mix well.

The formula in this sourdough challah recipe.

The challah bread is made with an enriched dough.

Sourdough Challah instructions

  1. In the Morning: mixing the sourdough starter: Knead starter into water until it is partially dissolved, then stir in the flour. Knead until it is smooth. Let the starter ferment until it has tripled in volume and is just starting to deflate. (It took me 3hr in room temperature at 30oC - 4 times its volume). If it is winter, you should do it in the evening and it takes more time to rise..

  2. In a large bowl, add the oil first, then use the same cup for measuring the honey — the oil will coat the cup and let the honey just slip right outor sugar until the salt has dissolved and the mixture is fairly well combined. With your hands or a wooden spoon, mix in the bread flour all at once. When the mixture is a shaggy ball, scrape it out onto your work surface, add the starter, and knead until the dough is smooth, no more than 10 minutes. The dough should feel smooth and very firm…

  3. If it is winter, soak your mixing bowl in hot water now to clean and warm it for fermenting the dough. Place the dough in it and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough ferment for about 2 hours. It took me 2.5h in 28oC..

  4. Line a big large baking tray. I made one big loaf. You can make 2 as desired. Divide the dough into 6 rolls. (170g for each)..

  5. Braid or shape them as desired, position them on the prepared sheet(s), and cover them well with plastic wrap. Let proof until tripled in size, about 5 hours. (It took me 2.5 hr in 28oC). When the loaf has not push back Testing the dough by gently pressed with your finger, it will have not push back but remain indented. Brush it with the egg glaze mixed with a table spoon of fresh milk. Sprinkle nuts for your choice (I use Chia seeds)..

  6. Preheat the oven to 180oC. Bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown. After the first 20 minutes of baking, switch the loaf from front to back so that they brown evenly; if the large loaf is browning too quickly, tent it with foil..

  7. Remove it from the oven, and let cool on a rack..

It's enriched with oil, honey and eggs.

The sourdough adds a subtle tang to my challah, and the crumb has a moister, creamier texture that keeps even longer than the yeasted version.

While it's true that challah or, for that matter, all bread was at one time sourdough (the Hebrew word for leaven, chametz, means "sour"), challahs have definitely gotten sweeter and richer since.

Finding a solid sourdough challah recipe has been on my bread baking list for awhile.

While I have a sourdough enriched sandwich bread recipe that I love, the appeal of challah to me is that it's dairy free and the dough is easy to shape into beautiful braids — perfect for holiday celebrations!