Round Challah Recipe

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Shaping round challah may look complicated, however, with my easy-to-follow instructions, you'll be on your way to delicious bread with a gorgeous round shape in no time!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Rising time2 30

Total Time3 30

Course: All Recipes, Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: bread, challah, rosh hashannah, Round Challah Bread, shabbat

Servings:

Calories: 163kcal

Author: Kimberlee Ho

Equipment

Ingredients

Flour Paste (Tangzhong)

½ cup water
3 tablespoons bread flour

Challah Dough

¼ cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg room temperature
2 large egg yolks room temperature, reserve egg whites for egg wash, if desired
2 ¾ cups bread flour
1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast or rapid-rise yeast
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Egg Wash

1 large egg or reserved egg whites from dough
pinch kosher salt
1 tablespoon sesame seeds poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Flour Paste:

Whisk water and flour in a small bowl until no lumps remain
½ cup water, 3 tablespoons bread flour
Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to a stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms a mound when dropped from the end of a whisk into the bowl, about 40 to 80 seconds. Alternatively, place the flour and water in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until a thick paste forms.

Make the Dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour paste from Step 1, water and vegetable oil. Then add the egg and egg yolks. Whisk well until combined
1 large egg, ¼ cup water, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 large egg yolks
Add the bread flour and yeast. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with a clean towel and let stand for 20 minutes.
2 ¾ cups bread flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
After the 20 minutes, remove the towel and add the sugar and salt to the bowl. Knead on medium speed for 9 minutes. Dough should be wrapped around the dough hook without sticking to the bottom or sides of the bowl.
If the dough is sticking, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, up to ¼ cup more, allowing the flour to fully incorporate before adding more.
¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Transfer the dough to a clean counter and lightly coat the now-empty mixing bowl with vegetable oil. Form the dough into a ball and return it to the oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides lightly in oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until about doubled in volume, about 1-1 ½ hours.*

Shape the Dough:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and stack on top of a second rimmed baking sheet to prevent the bottom of the bread from getting too browned or burnt. Set on your counter next to where you'll be shaping the dough.
Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean counter. Do not flour the work surface. Press the dough into an 8-inch square, expelling as much air as possible.
Cut the dough in half lengthwise to form 2 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise. You should have 4 equal pieces of dough.
Roll 1 strip of dough into a 16-inch long rope. Continue rolling, tapering ends, until you have an 18 inch long strand.
Repeat with remaining dough strips.
Arrange ropes so two are parallel in the center of your work surface, about 1-2 inches apart.
Lay the other two strands across in the opposite direction so you have two strands vertically and two horizontally.
Shape the Dough: Begin by lifting one of the two horizontal strands and placing it underneath one of the vertical strands. With the other horizontal strand, place this underneath the other vertical strand. (see photo)
With the two strands closest to you, pick up the one that is under the horizontal strand and place it over its “neighbor" to the right, going counterclockwise.
With the two strands in the 3 o'clock position, pick up the strand that is under, and place it over its neighbor.
Repeat this with the 12 o'clock strands and the 9 o'clock strands, moving around the circle counterclockwise.
Once you arrive back at the two strands in front of you after having gone around the circle once, go back the other way (clockwise): Pick up the strand that is under and place it over its neighbor.
Complete this step around one full rotation of the "clock."
Once you arrive back at the two strands in front of you again, repeat the process in a counterclockwise fashion.
Repeat this process until the strands are too short to place over their neighboring strands.
Tuck any loose ends under the circular shape.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough does not spring back fully when gently pressed with your knuckle, about 1-2 hours*. Rise time will vary based on the temperature of your kitchen.

Make the Egg Wash and Bake:

30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350º F. Whisk together egg (or reserved egg whites) and salt. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning, if using.
1 large egg , pinch kosher salt, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Bake until the loaf is a deep golden brown and registers at least 195º F, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the loaf cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Transfer baked loaf to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours

Video

Notes

*If you would prefer to bake the challah the next day, after shaping, cover lightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight, up to 12 hours. Remove the braided dough from the fridge when you preheat the oven to allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
Bread can be stored at room temperature in a bread bag, bread box or plastic wrap for 3-4 days. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To freeze, slice bread and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for at least an hour then place in a freezer-safe bag and store in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or defrost in the microwave at 50% power.
Recipe adapted from Cook’s illustrated Magazine, May & June 2019.

Nutrition