Cleaning out my freezer, I discovered a souvenir of a very special day not too long ago. It was a gleaming, golden brown challah, intricately braided and artfully sprinkled with poppy seeds. Even in its wrapped and frozen state, it was picture perfect and mouth-watering.
It also evoked fond memories of a new twist on challah baking.
I learned to make that challah along with 15 other 60-something women in a class taught by Jack Adler, a retired San Francisco attorney now enjoying his life as grandfather, baker and potter. Jack’s baking resume: As a teenager, he worked in his grandfather’s bakery in Los Angeles.
On a sunny, early spring morning, our group dutifully got settled in Jack (and Betty’s) sparkling white and welcoming kitchen, aprons tied and eagerly awaiting instruction. One would think that we never had made a challah before.
(Knowing these women, I think it was safe to assume that none of us were strangers to the kneading and rolling stages — but getting past the braiding stage was likely another issue.)
Our teacher began by demonstrating how to make the dough, showing us the various stages of its rise and fall. Patiently and lovingly, Jack revealed the technique of weaving six ropes of dough into a beautiful, perfectly symmetrical braid. He then presented each of us with enough dough (already in its final stage) to make our own challah.
Three women braided it straight off, while the rest of us chanted, “No. 2 across, No. 1 in the middle,” referring to Jack’s diagram. None of the students’ challahs looked exactly like Jack’s — mine was thin on one end and wide on the other — but somehow, when the challahs emerged from the oven, all disfigurement seemed to have disappeared.
Jack presented his challah on a decorative Shabbat platter he had crafted in his ceramics studio. (Perhaps there’s a ceramics class in my future?) The rest of us took ours home.
Jack’s Challah
Makes 3 loaves
Adapted from a recipe by Fred Haft
3 tsp. sugar, divided
1 cup warm water
4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup oil
1 cup warm water
5 extra large eggs
9 cups unbleached flour
Poppy seeds or sesame seeds
2 egg yolks beaten with 1 tsp. water
Dissolve 2 tsp. sugar and 1 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl that has been rinsed in hot water. Sprinkle yeast on top, cover with towel and let proof 10 minutes.
Stir to dissolve the foam, add oil, water, 1 tsp. sugar, salt eggs and half the flour. Beat well with heavy-duty mixer using the dough hook. Slowly add the remaining flour. The dough should still be somewhat sticky. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny, adding flour as needed. Round the dough into a greased bowl. Cover and proof until double in bulk, about 11⁄2 hours.
Punch down, cover and proof again until double in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Divide the dough into 3 equal parts, to make 3 equal-sized challahs. If adding raisins or chocolate chips, knead in now. Cover 3 pieces with a towel.
Divide each part into 6 equal pieces (or 3 or 4 if you prefer). Shape each piece into a rope, slightly thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. Braid the ropes.
To make a 6-braid challah: Line up the 6 ropes parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath.
Place loaf on a wooden peel dusted with corn meal or a cookie sheet. Cover with towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 20-30 minutes. Brush with egg yolk wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Gabi Moskowitz. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].