Classic Challah Bakealong with King Arthur Flour

Classic Challah Bakealong with King Arthur Flour

I’ve been wanting to bake some Challah bread for what seems like forever. I just love the sweet, rich dough enriched with lots of eggs & a little sweetness. It’s one of my favorite bread. And man, can it make some delicious French Toast! So why haven’t I made it sooner?

The answer: I am scared of the braid.

Bakealong with King Arthur Flour

I love taking part in the King Arthur Flour Bakealong Challenges, so when I saw Challah was on deck for January I jumped at the chance to make it. Making the dough is the easy part. Years ago, I switched to SAF Instant Yeast years ago & it makes baking so much easier. My doughs rise & my bakes are better & you already know I am Into That.

I was listening to one of my favorite new podcasts, Flour Hour. On the podcast, Amanda & Jeremiah talked about doughs & why they do or don’t rise. Jeremiah reminded me that the yeast will rise if the water is too cool, but the yeast will die if the water is too hot. So, when I made this Challah, I kept my water even a little cooler than lukewarm. All bakers know, there is nothing more frustrating than mixing up a dough & waiting for it to rise & it just sits in the bowl. I’m happy to say that Jeremiah’s tip worked & this dough was glorious!

The Challah Braid

Now, the braid is intimidating. King Arthur breaks it down pretty well on their blog, Flourish. Pictures don’t work that well for me. I have to see someone do it about a hundred times before I will jump in. Luckily for me, King Arthur Flour also has this nifty little video showing the six-strand braid.

The only issue with this video is it is filmed from across the baker’s table. To me, it’s upside down & I need the video as though it was affixed to the baker’s forehead. I watched the video a half dozen times, but my brain could not get the braid down. After struggling for a few minutes, I called Derek in for reinforcements & had him hold the iPad, lock the screen & turn the video upside down. That way, the techniques were shown from the baker’s point of view. Guess what? We nailed it!

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into This Classic Challah Bakealong with King Arthur Flour! If you give it a go, I recommend making two loaves. Like I said, the dough is simple. Once you do one braid (trust me, if I can get it, so can you!) the second braid is so easy. This Challah is rich with a bit of sweetness & I am so glad I gave it a try. Pair it with some butter & Glory Bee honey & I will eat it all day long!

Have you made Challah bread before?

Check out the Classic Challah Bakealong with King Arthur Flour Recipe here!

Are you doing the Bakealong Challenges with us? We’ve made Cinnamon Star Bread, Berry Blitz Torte, Butterflake Herb Loaf, Dark Chocolate Eclairs, & Chocolate Babka.

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