I usually bring appropriate baked goods to my office for Rosh Hashanah, but this year a combination of poor planning and other baking obligations got in the way. At least I was able to come in Monday morning after Rosh Hashanah with an Apple and Honey Challah.
This recipe had been on my to-bake list for a while because I was interested in making a spiral-shaped challah. To make the dough, I mixed a starter from instant yeast, bread flour, and warm water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then I added honey, oil, and eggs; slowly added the dry ingredients (bread flour, salt, sugar); and kneaded the dough until soft and elastic. Because I did all of the kneading in my KitchenAid, I didn't add any extra flour.
I let the dough rise in an oiled bowl for a few hours and then rolled it out in a very long and narrow rectangle. The dough was very well behaved and didn't stick. I sprinkled on diced apples that had been tossed with lemon juice (I used one Smokehouse and one Granny Smith) and raisins, rolled up the dough, pinched the seam shut, and formed the roll into a tight spiral. Then I brushed on egg wash (egg mixed with honey), sprinkled the loaf with sesame seeds, and let it rise again before baking.
Even though I tented the bread with foil partway through baking I thought the crust came out a little too dark. In retrospect I should have realized the likelihood of this occurring and covered the bread earlier -- because sugar promotes browning and there is honey in the egg wash. But aside from the thick, dark crust, I was very happy with the way this spiral loaf came out. And when I sliced it open, there was a nice, even distribution of apples and raisins.
This challah was just lovely. The bread itself was tender and delicate but very flavorful. The chewy raisins were a wonderful bonus. Unfortunately I couldn't really taste the apple. The apples had a soft texture and mild flavor and if I ate a piece of bread with my eyes closed I might not have even realized that there were apples in the loaf. Notwithstanding, this was an excellent loaf of bread and I would happily make and enjoy it on any occasion.
Recipe: "Apple and honey challah," adapted from Got Kosher? Bakery, available here from the Los Angeles Times.
Previous Posts:
This recipe had been on my to-bake list for a while because I was interested in making a spiral-shaped challah. To make the dough, I mixed a starter from instant yeast, bread flour, and warm water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then I added honey, oil, and eggs; slowly added the dry ingredients (bread flour, salt, sugar); and kneaded the dough until soft and elastic. Because I did all of the kneading in my KitchenAid, I didn't add any extra flour.
I let the dough rise in an oiled bowl for a few hours and then rolled it out in a very long and narrow rectangle. The dough was very well behaved and didn't stick. I sprinkled on diced apples that had been tossed with lemon juice (I used one Smokehouse and one Granny Smith) and raisins, rolled up the dough, pinched the seam shut, and formed the roll into a tight spiral. Then I brushed on egg wash (egg mixed with honey), sprinkled the loaf with sesame seeds, and let it rise again before baking.
Recipe: "Apple and honey challah," adapted from Got Kosher? Bakery, available here from the Los Angeles Times.
Previous Posts:
- "An Amazing Sweet Center: Marzipan Challah," August 24, 2017.
- "What I Did During Snowzilla, Part IV: Four-Strand Braided Challah," February 21, 2016.
- "For a Sweet New Year, It's Apples -- or Is It?: Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting," October 3, 2015.
- "This Cake Is the Bee's Knees: Honey Cake," October 11, 2014.
- "Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, or Maybe Just a Tooth: Sfratti (Italian Nut-Filled 'Sticks')," September 8, 2013.
- "A New Year, A New Cake: Apricot Honey Cake," October 7, 2011.
- "A Delicious Start for a Sweet New Year: Majestic and Moist New Year's Honey Cake," September 8, 2010.
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