Round Apple Honey Challah
This round apple honey challah is a beautifully symbolic treat for Rosh HaShana. It combines the sweetness of apples and honey with the rich tradition of challah. The tender, spiced apple filling inside a soft, golden loaf makes it a perfect centerpiece for your holiday table. Its round shape symbolizes the year’s cycle, making it a meaningful and delicious way to welcome the Jewish New Year.
Challah is a traditional Jewish bread, often braided, with a soft, slightly sweet flavor and a rich, tender crumb. It is central to Jewish culture, particularly during the Sabbath and holidays. The dough is enriched with eggs and often slightly sweetened with sugar or honey, creating a beautifully golden and soft loaf that is as delicious as it is symbolic. Traditionally, challah is braided, representing unity, love, and the intertwining of community.
While challah is usually braided, for Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year, the challah is often shaped into a round loaf. This round shape symbolizes the cyclical nature of the year, the continuity of life, and the hope for a year full of blessings and peace. The round challah is a beautiful departure from the everyday braid, carrying deep meaning and significance as families gather to mark the beginning of a new year.
Why is this the best recipe
- Perfect Balance of Sweetness and Spice: The apple pie filling, with its blend of sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, delivers a warm, spiced sweetness that complements the soft, slightly sweet challah dough, creating a delightful harmony of flavors in every bite.
- Tender and Rich Dough: Made with milk, eggs, and just the right amount of sugar, the dough is tender and rich and has a beautiful, soft crumb.
- Beautiful Presentation: This challah’s coiled shape not only makes it visually stunning and perfect for special occasions like Rosh HaShana, but it also ensures that the apple filling is evenly distributed throughout the bread, giving you a perfect bite every time.
- Honey Glaze Finish: Brushing the warm challah with honey glaze adds a lovely shine and an extra layer of sweetness that ties together all the flavors, making it irresistibly delicious and perfect for a festive celebration.
Ingredients and substitutes:
- Milk: Adds richness and tenderness to the dough. For a dairy-free version, you can also substitute water, almond milk, or soy milk.
- Sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps activate the yeast. You can also use honey or maple syrup for a different flavor profile.
- Eggs: Provide richness, structure, and a soft crumb. For a vegan option, you can also use flaxseed meal mixed with water or use a commercial egg replacer.
- Yeast: Leavens the dough, making it rise. Both instant yeast and active dry yeast work well in this recipe.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives a soft texture, while you can also use bread flour for a chewier bread.
- Apples: Provide a tart and juicy contrast to the sweet dough. Firm varieties like Granny Smith work best, but you can use a mix of different apples for more depth of flavor.
- Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg: Add warmth and spice to the apple filling. You can adjust the quantities to taste or substitute with similar spices like allspice or cardamom for a different flavor profile.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the apples and spices. Almond extract can be used as an alternative for a different twist.
- Honey: Used in the glaze to add a shiny, sweet finish. You can also use maple syrup or agave nectar for a different flavor.
Step-by-step: Apple Honey Challah
- Prepare the Dough: Warm the milk slightly, then mix it with the sugar, Eggs, butter, and yeast in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a hook attachment. Add the flour and salt. Knead the dough on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes until soft, smooth, and elastic.
- Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it is doubled in size.
- Apple Pie Filling: Peel, core, and chop the apples into small pieces. Combine the apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla extract over medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the apples are soft, and the mixture thickens. Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until fully incorporated and thickened. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely.
- Assemble the Challah: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface into a long strip about 5-6 inches wide. Spread the cooled apple pie filling down the center of the strip. Fold the dough from both sides to encase the filling and form a long log. Carefully roll the log into a coil, starting from one end, and tuck the end under the coil.
- Second Rise: Place the coiled challah onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the Challah: Brush the risen challah with beaten egg and dust with pearl sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Honey Glaze: Combine the honey with hot water. While the challah is still warm, brush it with honey syrup for a shiny, sweet finish.
- Cool: Let the challah cool slightly before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I store leftover challah?
Store leftover challah in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap in foil and warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven until soft and warm.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator. This slow rise can enhance the flavor of the bread. Bring the dough to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Yes, but keep in mind that whole wheat flour will result in a denser, heartier loaf. You might want to use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour to maintain some lightness. Also, you may need to add a bit more liquid to the dough.
Can I add other fillings to the challah?
Yes! You can experiment with different fillings like chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruits. Just be careful not to overfill the dough, as this can make it difficult to shape and cause the filling to leak out during baking.
Apple Honey Challah – Braided Bread
This Round apple honey challah is a beautifully symbolic treat for Rosh HaShana. It combines the sweetness of apples and honey with the rich tradition of challah. The tender, spiced apple filling inside a soft, golden loaf makes it a perfect centerpiece for your holiday table. Its round shape symbolizes the year's cycle, making it a meaningful and delicious way to welcome the Jewish New Year.
Video
Ingredients
Challah dough
- 1 cup (244 g) Whole milk or water warmed (110°F)
- ¼ cup (50 g) Granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp (7 g) Active dry yeast
- 2 large (100 g) Eggs beaten
- 4 tbsp (56 g) Unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups (500 g) All-purpose flour (or bread flour for a chewier texture)
- 1 ½ tsp (9 g) Salt
Apple pie filling
- 3 med (550 g) Apples peeled, cored, and chopped
- ⅓ cup (75 g) Brown sugar
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ground cloves
- ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp (15 g) Flour
Honey glaze
- ¼ cup (85 g) Honey
- 2 tbsp Hot water
Method
- Prepare the Dough: Warm the milk slightly, then mix it with the sugar, Eggs, butter, and yeast in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a hook attachment. Add the flour and salt. Knead the dough on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes until soft, smooth, and elastic.1 cup Whole milk or water, ¼ cup Granulated sugar, 2 ¼ tsp Active dry yeast, 2 large Eggs, 4 tbsp Unsalted butter, 4 cups All-purpose flour , 1 ½ tsp Salt
- Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it is doubled in size.
- Apple Pie Filling: Peel, core, and chop the apples into small pieces. Combine the apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla extract over medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the apples are soft and the mixture thickens. Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until fully incorporated and thickened. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely.3 med Apples, ⅓ cup Brown sugar, ¼ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp Ground cloves, ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 2 tbsp Flour
- Assemble the Challah: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out on a floured surface into a long strip about 5-6 inches wide. Spread the cooled apple pie filling down the center of the strip. Fold the dough from both sides to encase the filling and form a long log. Carefully roll the log into a coil, starting from one end, and tuck the end under the coil.
- Second Rise: Place the coiled challah onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F /175°C.
- Bake the Challah: Brush the risen challah with beaten egg and dust with pearl sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Honey Glaze: Combine the honey with hot water. While the challah is still warm, brush it with honey syrup for a shiny, sweet finish.¼ cup Honey, 2 tbsp Hot water
- Cool: Let the challah cool slightly before serving.
Notes
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- Proper Yeast Activation: When activating the yeast, ensure your milk is warm but not hot (about 110°F/45°C). Hot milk can kill the yeast, while cold milk may not activate it properly, resulting in dense bread.
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- Kneading is Key: Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. This develops the gluten, essential for a light and airy challah. If the dough feels sticky, add more flour, but be careful not to add too much, as this can make the bread dense.
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- Cool the Filling Completely: Before adding the apple filling to the dough, make sure it’s completely cooled. Adding warm filling can make the dough too soft and difficult to handle, and it can also affect the second rise.
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- Shape with Care: Work gently when rolling and coiling the dough to avoid tearing or squeezing out the filling. If any filling leaks during coiling, tuck it back in and seal the edges well.
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- Second Rise: Don’t skip or rush the second rise. Allowing the shaped challah to rise until puffy ensures it will bake up light and fluffy. The time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen, so be patient.
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- Bake Evenly: To ensure even baking, place the challah in the center of the oven. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning while the inside finishes baking.
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- Honey Glaze: Brush the honey glaze on the challah while it’s still warm from the oven. This helps the glaze absorb better and gives the bread a beautiful, shiny finish. You can also add a second layer of glaze after the first one sets for an extra glossy look.
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- Storage: If you have leftovers, store the challah in an airtight container at room temperature. It can also be wrapped tightly and frozen. To reheat, wrap it in foil and warm it in a low oven to preserve its moisture.
Nutrition
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ARE YOUR FLOUR, IN ALL RECIPES ISRAELI OR AMERICAN
THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM AS THE HUMID LEVEL
I shop at Teev Tham and often buy different brands for cooking. I don’t really see much of a difference. I think they all work well in my recipes.