Challah recipe is an egg-based bread that is braided. Today, we make a 5-strand braided bread with my no-fail recipe and easy to follow video instructions. You will be surprised how easy this is.
Have you tried my challah recipe yet? I've already shared with you the 3-strand braided challah as well as the 4-strands braided challah. Like me, some of you are also fascinated with the idea of braiding challah, so let me share a few more.
Today, I share with you this 5-strands braided challah. And, next week, we will do the 6-strands braided challah with my milk and honey challah recipe.
For those of you that do not know, Challah is a Jewish bread made every week on Friday to celebrate Shabbat, the Jewish weekend. It is also eaten on festive occasions, except Passover. It's an enriched dough made with flour, oil, and eggs and gets a slight yellow color from the eggs. Traditional challah is made with water because Jews do not eat dairy and meat together. But if you're not keeping kosher, try milk to make this bread, it is quite delicious. I will share my recipe with you next week.
About this challah bread
You know challah bread recipe is the easiest. Yes, it is the same no-fail recipe we used before. As you can see in the video and step-by-step pictures, the ingredients are simple pantry staples and the process for the dough is like any other bread.
The real magic of this challah is, of course, the braiding. They start from one braid right up to 10 braids and each and everyone looks absolutely gorgeous.
The timeline and process for making this challah is quite straight forward. It takes about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
- Make the dough - 10 minutes
- First rise - 60 minute (can be made overnight)
- Braid the loaf - 15 minutes
- Proof the bread - 45 minutes
- Bake the challah - 25 minutes
The secret to baking a perfect challah bread
There are two things that contribute to good challah bread.
- The density of the dough when making this bread. Unlike our pizza or focaccia bread, where we add more water, this dough has less water. Unlike our dinner rolls, where we make a light and airy bread, this one is denser. That's because we want the dough to hold its shape. So, when you knead this dough, you want to take note of the density of the dough. It must be soft but still have a good body, not as squishy as pizza dough.
- When shaping the loaf, don't just roll it into a long rope. Take that moment to roll it out, then into a jelly roll as I have in the video. This gives you a well-formed and shaped loaf. The final bread will hold better as I like to call a good looking bread.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour - I like using bread flour for this challah. It gives a soft chew bread with a tender crust. And yet, for years I have made this with all-purpose flour and it works wonderfully too. So, use either bread or all-purpose flour.
- Water - As I said above, traditionally, challah is made with water, but the same amount of milk works just as well.
- Instant dry yeast – I like to use instant dry because I’ve always had great success with it. If you have to use active dry yeast, you will need 2 ¼ tsp or one packet. And, if you use fresh yeast, you will need about 21 grams. Also, it’s not necessary to activate the yeast, but I like to take the guesswork out and make sure my dough will rise.
- Sugar – The sugar here is not really to add sweetness. So no, the one tablespoon won’t make your challah sweet. The sugar and fat in the recipe are there to feed the yeast. Just as you need warm liquid to activate the yeast you need sugar and fat to strengthen it and let it grow. If you prefer, you can substitute sugar with 2 tbsp of honey.
- Butter – I like adding butter, not just to feed the yeast, but also to add flavor. You can substitute the butter for 2 tbsp of oil in this recipe.
- Egg - Adds a lot of flavor to the bread, gives a tender crumb and strengthens the texture. The egg is also a leavening agent that helps the bread rise. You can omit the egg if necessary, but you will need to use less flour than the recipe states as the egg is a liquid ingredient.
Quick video
This is a quick short version. A detailed video with narration is in the recipe card below.
Step by step instructions (save/pin)
For the dough
- Combine flour and salt – and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl or measuring cup, combine warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, and eggs – combine well with a whisk.
- Add the flour and yeast mixture to a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Mix on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
- Once all the flour is combined, knead for 3 minutes more on medium speed.
- Make a ball and place in an oiled bowl.
- Cover and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in volume.
Shape the loaf
- Transfer to an un-floured work-surface.
- Divide the dough into 2 for 2 challah loaves.
- Then, divide each into 5 portions. They need to be approximately the same weight.
- Roll each piece of dough flat with a rolling pin - it doesn't have to be round.
- Then, roll like a jelly roll from one side to the other (see video). Shape into a rope about 18 inches long.
Braiding the challah
- Place all five ropes so they intersect at the top. It's easier to watch the video first then to follow my written instructions.
- Ensure the five strands are secured at the top. From left to right you now have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 strands.
- Strand 1 over 3, 2 over 3 and 5 over 2.
- Continue with the process until you have reached the bottom.
- Tuck the seams at the top and bottom under.
- This sounds complicated, but it's easier when you watch it on the video above.
- Transfer to a baking tray. Cover and let proof for 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake
- A half-hour before baking, preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Brush the challah with beaten egg and sprinkles some sesame seeds.
- Bake each for 20 to 25 minutes until you have a nice golden brown (the internal temperature of about 195 F ).
- Remove onto a cooling rack, cover with a clean kitchen cloth to keep it soft.
- Enjoy!
Storage
- The challah will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Once cut, make sure to wrap the cut side of the bread well to prevent drying out.
Frequently asked questions
The challah will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Once cut, make sure to wrap the cut side of the bread well to prevent drying out.
Absolutely, I do it every week. I cut the bread into slices. Place it into a re-usable silicon storage bag in the freeze. When I need I just thaw slices in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.
Yes, raisins, dried cranberries, and almonds are very common in challah and taste delicious.
Of course, I have made challah bread for years with all-purpose flour before I had the luxury of bread flour and it works equally well. Bread flour does give a softer, chewier bread with a tender crumb.
Yes, if you want you can make one large challah as well. Personally, I prefer to make two for our family.
Challah is often the best bread to make French toast or bread pudding. Personally, I love making sandwiches with leftover challah as well as toasting them as croutons for soup.
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Challah Bread - 5 strands braided bread
Print Pin Rate VeenaazmanovDescription
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 ml) Water warm 110F
- 0.75 oz (21 g) Bakers yeast (or 2 ¼ tsp instant dry yeast, 1 packet)
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Oil olive or cooking
- 2 Eggs large
- 4 cup (500 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) All-purpose flour for kneading
- 2 tsp Salt
Instructions
For the dough
- Combine flour and salt – and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl or measuring cup, combine warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, and eggs – combine well with a whisk.
- Add the flour and yeast mixture to a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Mix on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
- Once all the flour is combined, knead for 3 minutes more on medium speed.
- Make a ball and place in an oiled bowl.
- Cover and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in volume.
Shape the loaf.
- Transfer to an un-floured work-surface.
- Divide the dough into 2 for 2 challah loaves.
- Then, divide each into 5 portions. They need to be approximately the same weight.
- Roll each piece of dough flat with a rolling pin - it doesn't have to be round.
- Then, roll like a jelly roll from one side to the other (see video). Shape into a rope about 18 inches long.
Braiding the challah
- Place all five ropes so they intersect at the top. It's easier to watch the video first then follow my written instructions.
- Ensure the five strands are secured at the top. From left to right you now have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 strands.
- Strand 1 over 3, 2 over 3 and 5 over 2.
- Continue with the process until you have reached the bottom.
- Tuck the seams at the top and bottom under.
- This sounds complicated, but it's easier when you watch it on the video below.
- Transfer to a baking tray. Cover and let proof for 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake
- A half-hour before baking, preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Brush the challah with beaten egg and sprinkles some sesame seeds.
- Bake each for 20 to 25 minutes until you have a nice golden brown (the internal temperature of about 195 F ).
- Remove onto a cooling rack, cover with a clean kitchen cloth to keep it soft.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Measure all ingredients ahead of time, so you don't forget anything at the last minute.
- For accuracy, use a weight measure for the ingredients because every cup of flour can weigh differently depending on how you fill it.
- The liquid (milk or water) must be warm (not hot) - about 110F. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Similarly, if the liquid is too cold, it will not activate the yeast.
- Though instant dry yeast has a long shelf life, it can get ruined. Always check the expiry date on the yeast. If unsure, combine the yeast with water/milk, sugar/honey, and oil/butter from the recipe and let stand 5 minutes. If it gets foamy the yeast is good to go. If not, it's best to buy fresh yeast or check the temperature of the milk.
- Keep salt away from yeast as it can kill the yeast. I like to combine salt with the flour then add the yeast mixture.
- A soft loose well-hydrated dough is not necessarily a bad thing. Often, it will give you a soft puffy bread. So, don't be tempted to add more flour than mentioned in the recipe.
- Kneading is key to making good bread. While kneading by hand can be therapeutic, using a stand mixer is easier and quicker.
- Leave the dough at room temperature to rise until double in volume. While not recommended, when in haste, you can place it in a warm (30 C / 75 F- not hotter) oven this will expedite the rise.
- Bread does not have to be time-consuming. You can leave the dough in the fridge to rise for a few hours (even overnight) while you go about your chores. A slow rise will give more flavor to the bread.
- Always preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before you place bread in or the low temperature will spread the dough too much.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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