What Makes Challah Special
Challah is an egg-enriched bread traditionally associated with Jewish celebration and Shabbat. What sets it apart from ordinary white bread is the generous amount of eggs, honey, and oil in the dough. These enrichments create a soft, slightly sweet, pillowy crumb with a glossy golden crust that photographs beautifully.
The braiding isn't just decorative — it creates a structure with slightly different textures in each pull-apart strand. A 6-strand braid looks extraordinarily impressive but follows a simple repeating pattern once you learn it. We'll cover both a 3-strand version (easy) and the classic 6-strand.
Ingredients
- Bread flour — 500g
- Warm water — 180ml
- Large eggs — 3 (plus 1 for egg wash)
- Honey — 80g (or sugar)
- Vegetable oil — 60ml
- Instant yeast — 7g
- Fine salt — 10g
- Sesame or poppy seeds — for topping
Method
Make the Dough
Combine warm water, yeast, and a tablespoon of honey. Wait 5 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, remaining honey, and oil. Add the yeast mixture. Gradually add flour and salt, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Enriched doughs take longer to develop gluten because fats coat the proteins — don't rush this step.
First Rise
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover tightly, and let rise for 1.5–2 hours until doubled. Enriched doughs rise more slowly than lean doughs — the eggs and oil slow fermentation. Don't worry if it takes longer than expected in a cool kitchen.
Shape & Braid
For a 3-strand braid: Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into a 40cm rope. Pinch the tops together and braid: left over centre, right over centre, repeat. Pinch and tuck ends under.
For a 6-strand braid: Divide into 6 pieces, roll into 45cm ropes. Number them 1–6 from left to right. The pattern: move strand 6 over to position 1, strand 2 over strand 6, strand 1 over strand 3, strand 5 over strand 1, strand 6 over strand 4. Re-number and repeat until you reach the end. Tuck ends under.
Second Rise & Egg Wash
Place the braided loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rise for 45 minutes until puffy (not fully doubled — over-proofing causes the braid to lose definition). Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp water and brush generously over the entire surface. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
Bake
Preheat oven to 175°C fan-forced. Bake for 28–32 minutes until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 88–90°C. The egg wash is what gives challah its signature lacquered appearance. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes. Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing — the crumb sets as it cools.
Variations
- Raisin challah — fold in 120g raisins during the final minutes of kneading.
- Chocolate chip challah — 100g chocolate chips swirled through the strands before braiding.
- Everything challah — top with everything bagel seasoning instead of sesame seeds.
- Round challah — for Rosh Hashanah, spiral a single long rope into a round coiled shape.
Tips for Success
- Weigh your eggs — 3 large eggs should total about 150g without shells. Consistency matters.
- Don't skip the egg wash — it's the difference between "bread" and "challah."
- Let the dough rest for 5 minutes between rolling strands — relaxed gluten rolls more easily.
- Day-old challah makes the best French toast you will ever have.