What is Challah Bread and How to Prepare It

In this article, the professional bakers from Zomick's bakery explain what is Challah Bread and how to prepare it.

They state that in Hebrew there are two words to define bread: Lechem and Challah. Lechem is the bread that is eaten every day and Challah is the bread with the shape of a braid that is eaten for the Sabbath and for other festivities. During the Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the Challah is rolled in a circular way, and symbolizes the desire for a long life. It is braided because the Talmud says that when a knot is made with three fibers, it is impossible to be destroyed. The word Challah also refers to the practice of Hafrashat Challah by which a portion of the mass is separated symbolically, as an offering to the priests of the Temple of Jerusalem.

The professional bakers from Zomick's bakery explain that Zomick's Challah traditional recipes contain plenty of eggs, white flour and sugar, although modern recipes have fewer eggs, use whole-wheat flour and sometimes substitute sugar with honey or even molasses. The main difference between the Zomick's Challah and the European brioches is that it does not contain any dairy products, such as milk or butter. The reason for that is because of the kashrut, or Jewish law by which you cannot mix dairy products and meat in the same food.

The seeds of poppy or sesame that are sprinkled on the bread before putting it into the oven symbolize the manna eaten by the Israelites during the Exodus of 40 years in the desert after the departure from Egypt.

According to the professional bakers from Zomick’s Kosher Bakery, generally two loaves are baked together. They represent the double portion of manna that God provided the Israelites so they could eat two days, Friday night and Saturday morning. It is customary to start the Friday dinner and the two meals of the Sabbath blessing the two Challot (plural of Challah). These two loaves are placed "on their backs" so that the “faces” can be seen during the blessing. This is made in memory of the Lechem Hapanim (the bread of the faces) from the time of the first temple.

The blessing or "Hamotzi" is recited over all the loaves:

 "Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech ha'olam, hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz"

 “Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forthbread from the earth.”

Below, Zomick's Kosher Bakery shares it's reciper for the famous Zomick's Challah Bread, which is one of the best challah in NY. Also, you can buy this challah bread online at Shop Rite.

ZOMICK'S CHALLAH RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 pack of 11gr of dry yeast

1 cup of water

½ cup of olive oil

1/3 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs + 1 egg to paint

6 or 6 ½ cups of confectionery flour

Sesame or poppy seeds

PREPARATION:

Pour the water into the glass of the kitchen robot and program 1 ', 37º velocity 1.

Add the yeast and set 10 '', velocity 4.

Incorporate the rest of the ingredients in the order indicated and mix 10 ", velocity 4.

Add the flour and mix 30 '', velocity 6.

Knead by programming 2 ', closed cup, spike speed.

Let stand in the glass for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

After 1 hour, remove the dough from the glass and degas and divide the dough into two exactly equal portions.

Divide each of these two portions into three elongated strips of equal thickness and approximately 40 cm long.

Place them on the baking tray in parallel almost touching and start to braid from the center. Bend the ends down and tighten a little so that they are well sealed.

Let the braids rest until they fold in size.

Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of cold water and paint the braid with this mixture.

Sprinkle with sesame and poppy seeds.

Place in a preheated oven at 175º for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Place on a rack and let cool.