Your Shabbat Challah Recipe: No-Knead Challah

Your+Shabbat+Challah+Recipe%3A+No-Knead+Challah

Of the essential elements comprising Judaism, perhaps the most universally known and beloved are challah, the centerpiece of the weekly Shabbat table and many holidays. So, every Friday the St. Louis Jewish Light is offering you a different challah recipe from our archives, our partners, and hopefully YOU!

If you have a challah recipe you would like to share, simply email it by clicking this link.

This recipe was sent in by Elaine Wernick of University City, Missouri

Ingredients

  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1 cup very warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (see note)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup margarine, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (approximately)
  • 1 egg beaten with a little water in a large bowl

Preparation

  • Mix yeast and warm water in mix master bowl.  Stir in sugar.  Add 3 eggs, margarine, and salt, mixing well.
  • Add 2 cups flour; stir well.  (Dough should be very sticky) Add additional flour
  • Let dough rise 6 hours or more in a large oiled bowl covered in plastic wrap in the fridge (I usually do it the day before….it can rise for more than 6 hours)
  • With floured hands, divide dough into 2 or 3 sections. Divide each section into three strips.  Roll strips into ropes of approximately equal size.
  • Braid each set of three ropes on floured cookie sheet.  Let rise 1 hour.
  • Brush egg-water mixture over tops of loaves. You can also just make 1 large challah  OR, I’ve started making pull apart challa.
  • Make balls about the size of pool balls and put them in a springform pan…I put parchment paper inside bottom.
  • Cover pan and let sit for about 45 minutes.  Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if desired.
  • Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven 20 minutes.
  • Turn onto wire racks to let cool.  Wrap and freeze, if desired.

 

Note: For Rosh Hashanah, 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup honey or 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate may be substituted for the sugar.  Also, 1 cup golden raisins may be stirred into the mixture before flour is added.

EASY & DELISH