READY IN ABOUT 4 hrs

Honey Whole Wheat Challah

Read Reviews (5)

"Challah, the delicious and beautiful braided bread traditionally served at the Friday night Jewish Sabbath meal, is made with the addition of whole wheat, and sweetened with honey. This slow-rise recipe is designed for flexibility, so split-second timing isn't necessary. This is a wonderful bread for a first-time breadmaker. Braid with a 3 or 4-strand braid, and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds." — Bracha

Directions

In a large bowl, mix yeast, warm water and 1 cup of bread flour into a thin batter, and let stand until the mixture shows frothy bubbles, about 10 minutes. Stir in vegetable oil, honey, 3 eggs, and salt until well combined. Beat in 2 more cups of bread flour and the whole wheat flour, alternating flours by cupfuls, until the dough is too stiff to stir in more flour.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour if needed to form a slightly sticky dough. Form the dough into a round shape. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
Punch down the dough, knead it a few times to remove some of the bubbles, and cut it into 3 equal-sized pieces. Cut the first piece into 3 equal parts. Set the rest of the dough aside under a cloth to prevent drying out while you braid the first loaf.
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. Repeat for the other 2 loaves, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl, and brush the egg mixture over the braided challah loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are a deep golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 35 mins
COOK 40 mins
READY IN 3 hrs 45 mins

Footnotes

Cook's Note
If you need to slow down the rising process -- say, you make the dough on Wednesday evening, but want to bake it on Thursday evening- after you've placed the dough ball in the bowl, refrigerate it until Thursday morning. This should slow the yeast's growth so that you can leave it out on the counter until it's ready for the next stage in late afternoon or early evening.

Reviews More Reviews

Dec 02, 2009

This bread was easy to make and very flexible in it's rising time which is nice! The only tip I have is begin braiding in the middle of thethe loaf and braid out to each end (I find it easier to make a good looking loaf this way!) My only complaint was that the bread was denser and heavier then I expected Challah to be but that is because of the whole wheat flour... I shouldn't have been surprised :) Thanks for adding a good whole wheat bread recipe that is pretty enough to grace any dinner table!

—Lori

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Jan 27, 2011

This is our favorite challah! I only made two other types before but once we found this recipe, well, it's always a winner. Sure, it's dense because of the wheat but it's SO tasty. I like to add some extra honey and sometimes add honey to the egg wash.

—tamara

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7 Ratings

Jan 31, 2011

Absolutely delicious and healthy too! I wouldn't change a thing. Makes great French toast and croutons, but trust me, it won't last that long. Thanks for sharing!

—nina518200

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Mar 07, 2013

I am a mediocre bread maker but this turned out really great. I did have to about 1 cup more of each flour but thats how it goes sometimes. I sort of deflated one loaf when I brushed on the egg wash so make sure you take your time and apply is carefully.

—pharmacokatie

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Jan 21, 2013

Great recipe! Bread has a lovely texture. I usually use 2/3 c of honey to give a little more sweetness.

—flygirlphd

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Nutrition

Calories
234 kcal
12%

Carbohydrates
37 g
12%

Cholesterol
47 mg
16%

Fat
6.9 g
11%

Fiber
3.3 g
13%

Protein
7.4 g
15%

Sodium
277 mg
11%

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

Nutritional Information

Honey Whole Wheat Challah

Serving Size: 1/18 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 18
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 234
Calories from Fat: 62

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6.9g 11 %
Saturated Fat 1.2g 6 %
Cholesterol 47mg 16 %
Sodium 277mg 11 %
Potassium 141mg 4 %
Total Carbohydrates 37g 12 %
Dietary Fiber 3.3g 13 %
Protein 7.4g 15 %
Sugars 5.4g
Vitamin A 1 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium 5 %
Iron 24 %
Thiamin 31 %
Niacin 38 %
Vitamin B6 7 %
Magnesium 15 %
Folate 38 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.