How to Make Your Own Challah Bread

You may have had French toast made with challah bread, but have you ever tried making your own challah? Whether or not you observe Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it can be a culinary adventure to learn how to make challah bread yourself. Keep reading for details on how challah is different on Rosh Hashanah, along with a couple recipes to try at home.

How to Make Challah Bread: Challah on Rosh Hashanah

If you've bought a loaf of challah, you know what the traditional shape looks like: long braided loaves. On Rosh Hashanah, challah is formed in a circle. As explained by Rabbi Appell, the round shape may symbolize the passage of time or God's crown. It may also refer to the chance that comes around each new year to change ourselves and our lives.

On Rosh Hashanah, sweetness is a key feature of the greetings offered to others and the food eaten in hope of a "sweet new year." Both apples and challah bread are dipped in honey, and sweet ingredients may be added to challah.

How to Make Challah Bread: Different Loaf Shapes

While traditional challah is braided in a long loaf shape, round challah may be twisted, woven or formed into a classic spiral. The spiral is straightforward (below). Roll the dough into a long strand, and then wind it around itself, moving outward in a circular shape. For flat challah, make the spiral loose. To make your spiral rise more, wind the strand more tightly.

Weaving and twisting challah can be a bit more challenging. Baker and author Maggie Glezer explains how to make a pinwheel round shape.  First, twist two strands of dough along their entire length. Then place the strands in a pie plate in a spiral shape, so the twists look like a pinwheel. Follow the detailed directions with photos on Epicurious. You'll find it's not nearly as confusing as it may sound.

Similarly, this woven round challah on Chabad.org is really impressive. The step-by-step instructions include photos to help you make your challah look just like theirs. Don't forget the egg wash and cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on top.

How to Make Challah Bread: Recipes to Try

If you've never made challah before, we think Maggie Glezer's recipe for Chernowitzer Challah is the perfect place to start. She describes it as "practically foolproof," so it just might qualify as an easy challah bread recipe. Sounds like our kind of recipe, especially for a bread that's as labor intensive as challah.

Glezer notes that you can include raisins in her challah, but she cautions bakers to rinse them with hot water first. This helps plump them up and washes off any excess sugar that could interfere with the action of the yeast.

Finally, while this recipe uses challah as an ingredient rather than the main event, we couldn't leave it out. Try this bread pudding with apples and pomegranate jewels (video above). It looks fantastic. But we understand if you prefer to use store-bought challah instead of making your own.