Round challahs are traditionally baked for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, to symbolize the continuity of life – and on Rosh Hashana, we dip challah and apples in honey to symbolize our hopes for a sweet New Year. For this reason, Rosh Hashana challahs are often sweeter than those served the rest of the year. Some add more sugar than they normally do to the dough, others add raisins, or sprinkle cinnamon and sugar.
May this coming year be filled with sweet blessings and may it bring you closer to your own inner HAPPINESS.
round challah for Rosh Hashana
If wanting to make this a traditional three-braided challah – click here for instructions on how to braid.
Preparation – 2½ hours
Baking time -35 minutes
Makes 1 large round challah
The recipe uses a mixer with a dough hook, but you can easily use your hands.
ingredients
2 Tbsp/20g flaxseed
1 cup + 2 Tbsp (246g) warm milk or almond milk
6 Tbsp/60g olive oil
1 tsp active dry yeast
1¼ cups/150g whole spelt flour
2¼ cups/350g white spelt flour
¼ cup/40g light brown sugar
1 tsp fine rock salt
toppings
oat milk, for brushing
black and white sesame seeds
preparation
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, whisk together the flaxseeds with warm almond milk, oil and yeast. Leave it to sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed until the mixture foams, about 5 – 6 minutes.
2. Measure out the flour, sugar and salt, whisk together and add to the yeast and milk mixture, turn the machine onto the lowest setting and knead on medium speed for about 5 – 10 minutes. The dough should be elastic and smooth. If the dough seems too sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time or if too dry, add more liquid, a tablespoon at a time.
3. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to sit in a warm place for 1 – 1½ hours until well risen and doubled in size. The longer it sits the better the bread.
4. Take out the dough, knead a little with the heel of your hands and work it into a ball.
plaiting the dough
5. Divide the dough into four equal pieces, approximately 214g each. Using your palms, and starting from the center and working outward, elongate 1 piece by rolling it gently against the work surface with even pressure until you have formed a rope approx 23-inches or 60-cm long. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces.
6. Place two strands parallel to one another in a vertical manner. Weave one strand horizontally through the two vertical strands, placing it on top of the left-hand strand and underneath the right-hand strand. Do the same with the remaining strand, but weave it underneath the left-hand strand and on top of the right-hand strand. The strands should sit snug to each other, with no space in between, looking like a large plus sign. (Refer to the photos below and watch this video, it is more difficult to explain than it is to do.)
7. Starting from the bottom of your plus sign, take the left-hand strand and cross it over the right one. Moving counter-clockwise, do the same for the remaining strands.
8. Now switch directions. Look at the very first strand you crossed at the bottom of your loaf (it should now be horizontal instead of vertical). Take what is now that strand’s right-hand neighbour and cross it over going clockwise. Do that with the remaining strands.
9. Keep switching directions until you have run out of dough to plait. You may have to stretch it a little to weave it all together.
10. Pinch the remaining dough together and tuck them under the loaf so it looks nice and neat. Transfer the braided loaf to the baking tray, brush with oat milk and sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds.
11. Cover loosely with an oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1½ hours.
12. About 15 minutes before the dough has finished rising, preheat an oven to 180C/350F. Remove the plastic wrap or towel and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the challah to fully cool down before cutting into it.
Shana Tova!
Update:
Here’s another way to make a round challah. Watch this video with very easy instructions. Divide the dough into three pieces and roll each strand into 65cm long and proceed.
