Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah, literally the “head of the year” is the Jewish New Year. It is a time of inner renewal and divine atonement.
Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset mid to late September and ends in the evening two days later.
Challah is a traditional bread eaten during Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally the challah is rolled into a circular shape symbolizing the cycle of the year, and is sometimes baked with raisins in the dough. The top may be brushed with honey to symbolize the "sweet new year."
Challah
Two loaves
Ingredients
Directions
Rosh Hashanah, literally the “head of the year” is the Jewish New Year. It is a time of inner renewal and divine atonement.
Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset mid to late September and ends in the evening two days later.
Challah is a traditional bread eaten during Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally the challah is rolled into a circular shape symbolizing the cycle of the year, and is sometimes baked with raisins in the dough. The top may be brushed with honey to symbolize the "sweet new year."
Challah
Two loaves
Ingredients
- 1lb 10.5 oz (5 cups) Bread Flour (or AP)
- 10 oz (78 degrees) Water
- 5.17 oz Eggs, room temperature (2 eggs)
- 4 oz Butter (softened)
- 2.5 oz (¼ cup) Honey
- 0.5 oz (5 tsp) Kosher Salt
- 2 tsp Yeast
- 1 egg for egg wash
Directions
- Mix dough dry ingredients
- Separately mix dough wet ingredients: water, eggs, honey
- Mix all ingredients except butter and mix dough for 5 minutes
- Mix in butter a little at a time (it will be difficult at first but it will mix in)
- Knead 10 minutes to develop dough
- Rise: 35 minutes
- Put in refrigerator until needed (up to 48 hours)
- Shape into braids (3, 4, or 6 strand)
- Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise until nearly doubled in size.
- To bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. (If frozen, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.)
- Bake in middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.