Round Rosh Hashanah Challah with Honey
Challah is the braided bread served every Friday in Jewish homes, and for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it changes in shape and flavor. It is made round —a spiral with no beginning or end, representing the cycle of the year starting over— and contains more honey and raisins, for the wish of a sweet year. That night, it is dipped in honey, rather than salt as on every Shabbat. It is kneaded with oil instead of butter: this makes it pareve, meaning it can accompany a meat meal, and it also keeps it tender for several days. Half an hour of work, two rising periods, and half an hour in the oven. It is also spelled hallah.
Ingredients
- 500 g all-purpose flour, plus a little more for the countertop
- 7 g dry yeast (or 20 g fresh yeast)
- 200 ml warm water
- 2 eggs
- 80 ml neutral oil (sunflower or corn)
- 100 g honey
- 10 g salt
- 120 g raisins
- 1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt, for brushing
Method
- 1
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a tablespoon of the honey and wait 10 minutes, until it foams. The water must be warm and not hot: if it is uncomfortable to the touch, it will kill the yeast. If it does not foam, the yeast is expired and it is best to change it before continuing.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk the 2 eggs with the oil and the rest of the honey. Add the foamed yeast.
- 3
Mix the flour with the salt and add it little by little, integrating first with a spoon and then with your hand, until a dough forms.
- 4
Knead for 10 minutes on the countertop, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should be soft and barely sticky: add flour little by little only if it sticks to your hands, because excess flour leaves it dry and tight.
- 5
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for 90 minutes-2 hours, until it doubles in volume. The honey, egg, and oil make it rise more slowly than ordinary bread: do not rush it.
- 6
Meanwhile, soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain them and dry them well with a kitchen towel (tea towel): if wet, they will moisten the dough and slip out when shaping.
- 7
Degas the dough by pressing it with your hand, stretch it into a rectangle, distribute the raisins on top, and roll it up. Knead just enough to distribute them.
- 8
Form a long and even cylinder of about 60 cm, a little thicker at one end. Coil it onto itself starting from the thick end, like a snail, and tuck the final end underneath so it does not open in the oven.
- 9
Transfer it to a baking sheet with parchment paper, cover it, and let it rise again for 45-60 minutes, until it is well puffed.
- 10
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Brush the entire surface with the beaten egg, getting well into the folds of the spiral.
- 11
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until it is well browned and sounds hollow when tapping the base. If it browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes: the honey toasts it faster than a regular challah.
- 12
Let it cool on a wire rack before cutting it: when hot, the crumb is still setting and will flatten. At the Rosh Hashanah table, it is served with a small plate of honey for dipping.