My 100% whole wheat challah recipe
I should probably record this somewhere in a convenient place:
Start with somone else's whole wheat challah recipe to see if there's anything you want to steal. There are plenty of good ones on the Internet. That's how I got mine; this is just one that I liked, with a bit stolen from here and there and massaged a bit. It works for me.
1.5 + 2 Tbs water
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1.5 tsp salt
3 Tbs non-dairy creamer (yes, evil but necessary)
1/3rd cup brown sugar (use a generous amount)
4.25 cups pre-sifted (I use frozen) whole wheat flour (unless you want to sift), don't overdo this; when in doubt use less, not more flour
1 packet of yeast, or 2.5 tsp if you don't have packets - you'll have to experiment
OPTIONAL:
4 tsp gluten powder with Vitamin C
2 tsp lecithin granules
* put in bread maker. I use whole wheat setting but I shut off the machine before it hits the bake cycle. The dough setting will probably work too.
OR
* knead, let rise, punch down, let rise, etc.
load a squirt bottle with water and pre heat the oven to 425
while the oven is heating, shape the dough per your requirements
HERE'S THE HARD PART
stick the challah on a baking pan with wax paper - the last knead should probably be done with wet hands - dough should be a little sticky
I usually split the dough into at least two or three challot
"score" each challa with a knife in a few place to make it sort of "french bread-y". I actually cut about 1/4 inch into the dough in three (at least) angled cuts.
put the baking pan into the oven for about ten minutes
open the oven, squirt the water onto the challa
reduce heat to 375 close oven
Challah should be ready in about 20 minutes or so, and if it's done right should be crusty and crunchy on the outside, and at least somewhat soft :-) on the inside
I know I've done well when when I bake a few batches on a long friday and at least one batch mysteriously disappears and my wife and kids all look sooo innocent
100% whole wheat is an acquired taste but we like it. Feel free to experiment and tell me what works.
WHAT TO DO IF IT WON'T RISE
Well, you might have to give up and bake a brick, but try this:
Pre-heat the oven to 125 and shut it off. Put the dough on a baking pan into the oven and leave it in there while the oven is cooling off for about 30 minutes.
Next time use vital wheat gluten. I know I said above it's optional, and it is, but it helps the rising. A lot.
Start with somone else's whole wheat challah recipe to see if there's anything you want to steal. There are plenty of good ones on the Internet. That's how I got mine; this is just one that I liked, with a bit stolen from here and there and massaged a bit. It works for me.
1.5 + 2 Tbs water
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1.5 tsp salt
3 Tbs non-dairy creamer (yes, evil but necessary)
1/3rd cup brown sugar (use a generous amount)
4.25 cups pre-sifted (I use frozen) whole wheat flour (unless you want to sift), don't overdo this; when in doubt use less, not more flour
1 packet of yeast, or 2.5 tsp if you don't have packets - you'll have to experiment
OPTIONAL:
4 tsp gluten powder with Vitamin C
2 tsp lecithin granules
* put in bread maker. I use whole wheat setting but I shut off the machine before it hits the bake cycle. The dough setting will probably work too.
OR
* knead, let rise, punch down, let rise, etc.
load a squirt bottle with water and pre heat the oven to 425
while the oven is heating, shape the dough per your requirements
HERE'S THE HARD PART
stick the challah on a baking pan with wax paper - the last knead should probably be done with wet hands - dough should be a little sticky
I usually split the dough into at least two or three challot
"score" each challa with a knife in a few place to make it sort of "french bread-y". I actually cut about 1/4 inch into the dough in three (at least) angled cuts.
put the baking pan into the oven for about ten minutes
open the oven, squirt the water onto the challa
reduce heat to 375 close oven
Challah should be ready in about 20 minutes or so, and if it's done right should be crusty and crunchy on the outside, and at least somewhat soft :-) on the inside
I know I've done well when when I bake a few batches on a long friday and at least one batch mysteriously disappears and my wife and kids all look sooo innocent
100% whole wheat is an acquired taste but we like it. Feel free to experiment and tell me what works.
WHAT TO DO IF IT WON'T RISE
Well, you might have to give up and bake a brick, but try this:
Pre-heat the oven to 125 and shut it off. Put the dough on a baking pan into the oven and leave it in there while the oven is cooling off for about 30 minutes.
Next time use vital wheat gluten. I know I said above it's optional, and it is, but it helps the rising. A lot.
Comments
I'm considering the gluten less and less optional. The challah is amazing with it, and kinda thick without. It's hard but apparently not totally impossible to get gluten in Israel.
The last step about getting it to rise better really works well, and I've been doing it regularly because the results have been so good.
Definitely try to get gluten, but if not available (it's sometimes hard to get in Israel) use the entire package of "me'shaper le'afiyah" in one of those dual yeast packages you can get in the supermarket. I'd suggest only about 3 tsp from the yeast side.
These days I only use the bread maker, then let it rise in the oven at 125 for 30 minutes, then take it out, and heat the oven to 425 and continue as in the regular recipe.
Once the dough is done in the bread maker, let it rise (maybe in the oven like I said earlier). Split into however many pieces, split each piece into three, make snakes, and braid.
Yum.