Decadent Challah Bread Recipe - Allrecipes.com
Decadent Challah Bread Recipe
  • READY IN ABOUT 2½ hrs

Decadent Challah Bread

Read Reviews (21)

"This recipe is for a decadent, rich Challah bread. No matter who I serve this to, everyone hails it the best Challah they've tasted. Makes 2 large loaves." —  

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Original recipe makes 2 loaves Change Servings
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Directions

  1. Dissolve the honey in the water in a large mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast. Set the mixture aside until the yeast forms a creamy layer on top, about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt, 2/3 cup of olive oil, and beaten eggs. Add the flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is slightly tacky, but not sticky wet.
  2. Turn it out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in the bowl, turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface, then let rise until doubled in a warm, draft-free place, about 90 minutes.
  3. To make the loaves, punch down the dough, and cut it into 2 equal-sized pieces. Cut the first piece into 4 equal parts. Set the second piece aside under a cloth to prevent drying out while you braid the first loaf.
  4. To braid the first 4-strand loaf, roll the 4 pieces of dough into thin ropes about the width of your thumb, and about 14 inches long. Make the tops and bottoms of each rope thinner than the middle area. Pinch the tops of the 4 ropes together, and fan the 4 ropes out so they don't touch.
  5. To make an "under-2, over-1 braid," take the left-most rope, and move it to the right to cross underneath the next 2 ropes, then move it left to cross back over the strand immediately to its left. Take the far right strand, and move it to the left and cross it under the two strands to its left (they are already crossed from the previous braid); then move it right to cross back over the strand immediately to its right. Repeat until the 4 strands are braided together all the way to the end, and pinch the ends tightly together. Repeat the steps to braid the second loaf, and let the braided loaves rise for 1 hour.
  6. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Make a glaze by whisking together the milk, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the egg white, and the sugar in a bowl. Brush the braided loaves with the glaze, to make a shiny crust, and bake the loaves on the prepared baking sheets in the preheated oven until they are light golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Kitchen-Friendly View
  • PREP 20 mins
  • COOK 30 mins
  • READY IN 2 hrs 20 mins

Footnotes

  • Editor's Note:
  • To make a simple 3-strand braided loaf, cut each half of the dough into 3 pieces. Working on a floured surface, roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right, move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left, and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding, alternating sides each time, until the loaf is braided, and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look.
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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review
Mar 08, 2010

I chose this recipe because it looks very yummy and there were no reviews yet. This was easy to make and the results are delicious! The bread has a very light texture and is full of flavor. I will definitely make this again! UPDATE: My husband has very high standards when it comes to breads... when he got home and tasted this bread, he said, "You could sell this bread!" :) The whole family loved it!

— 
Most Helpful Critical Review
Nov 24, 2010

Fun to make, a good/ok bread but not the best tasting I've ever had. Drizzled vanilla frosting on top, made a good desert bread or breakfast.

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27 Ratings

Oct 04, 2010

This turned out perfect and I went onto youtube and looked up a video on how to do a 4 strand braid on challah and it turned out beautiful! I have been doing a 3 strand basic challah bread for several years now for Sabbath and was looking for something new and this was it! Love it!

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Sep 20, 2010

Awesome! Will only use this recipe from now on. My whole family ADORED it and wants it made again and again!

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Oct 11, 2011

I have been on the hunt for a great Shabbat challah recipe for many years and this one is it! Beautiful flavor and texture. My family now forgoes the bakery bought challah on Friday nights. Thanks for the great recipe!

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Sep 08, 2010

This is a truly beautiful loaf of bread! It came out perfectly the first time. I didn't have quite enough honey, so subbed a few tablespoons of sugar. The egg wash glaze makes this shiyk and look store-bought. I have made many challah recipes, and this one is amazing!

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Aug 23, 2011

I make this all the time. A wonderful recipe, and very diverse dough. I have made it as cinnamon rolls, buns, and of course as challah bread. Wonderful recipe for novice bakers. Love it. Thank you so much for sharing.

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Jun 12, 2011

The bread itself is amazing. I let sesame seeds soak with the glaze mixture to add flavor and that was tasty. The only problem is the bread doesn't taste like challah bread should.

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Nutrition

  • Calories
  • 183 kcal
  • 9%
  • Carbohydrates
  • 24.6 g
  • 8%
  • Cholesterol
  • 18 mg
  • 6%
  • Fat
  • 7.9 g
  • 12%
  • Fiber
  • 0.8 g
  • 3%
  • Protein
  • 3.6 g
  • 7%
  • Sodium
  • 156 mg
  • 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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