Light Heavenly Challah and a White Chocolate Babka
Baking challah is therapeutic and satisfying and I’m especially grateful for the spiritual opportunity to do the mitzvah of ha’frashat challah.
It began as an experimental baking project when I was a busy young mother with three young children and adorable little nieces and nephews.
As pre-schoolers, every Friday my boys brought home miniature loaves of homemade challah from school. Those challahs tasted so good that I was determined to replicate the recipe.
Over these many years of baking challah, I learned the best tricks and techniques to achieve the perfect plush, airy loaf.
Baking challah is therapeutic and satisfying and I’m especially grateful for the spiritual opportunity to do the mitzvah of ha’frashat challah. Every week, I take that moment to pray for my husband, my children and my extended family.
Eating warm homemade challah on Friday nights with all the traditional Moroccan dips on the table with family and friends gathered around is joyous and a pleasure I don’t take for granted.
Some of my tips include using yeast imported from Israel (available at the kosher market), as well as being extra careful that when I proof my yeast, I use warm water (not cold and not too hot). A successful proof is when the yeast is foamy. I use high gluten flour, which gives the loaves a lofty rise and the perfect crumb.
I use a mixer, which is much easier, but if you don’t have a mixer, kneading the dough by hand is very satisfying, an excellent workout and also results in fabulous challah.
What I never realized until now is that all those years ago the dough for those baby loaves that arrived home every Friday was lovingly prepared by Lillian Douek.
—Rachel
Upon our arrival in Los Angeles many, many years ago, the first person that both my mother and I became friends with was Lillian Douek. Many people in the community know Lillian as the best art teacher at Hillel Hebrew Academy. She is also one of the kindest, most talented, most creative and most beautiful women I know.
Over the years, we shared every family simcha and many Shabbat meals. She taught all four of my children and, luckily for me, I used to sit in her classroom watching her thrill her students with her art projects. My home is still filled with the paintings that my kids created with her guidance.
For years, my girls attended Lillian‘s summer camp and the yummiest part was the delicious freshly baked challah they would bring home every Friday. It was so good that my girls would beg me to use Lillian’s recipe to bake more loaves for Shabbat. Those moments of creating flour filled messes in the kitchen are wonderful memories for me.
Recently I asked Lillian if I could share her recipe with the readers of the Jewish Journal. With her ever abundant generosity, she graciously agreed.
(If you’re not a baker or you’re just too busy with these short Fridays, Lillian’s challah is available for purchase at La Brea Bagels on Beverly Boulevard.)
Wishing you the blessing of long friendships and perfectly sweet and airy, golden brown braided challah.
—Sharon
Lillian’s Challah Recipe
4 Tbsp active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
5 lbs high gluten bread flour
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable or avocado oil
Egg Wash
1 egg and 1 Tbsp honey, beaten
Topping suggestions — sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything but the bagel mix or chocolate chips
Combine yeast, warm water and sugar in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to proof for 5-10 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour with the sugar, then add the eggs, honey, oil, and the proofed yeast mixture to the dough and mix at a slow speed, adding the salt while mixing, until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium for 10 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and lightly knead by hand until the dough feels soft and smooth.
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Set aside to rise in a warm spot for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and separate the dough into equal strands and begin braiding the challah.
Place braided challah on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, then cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
Brush the tops of the challah with the egg wash, then sprinkle with selected toppings.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy!
Take Challah and recite the blessing (below)
Separate the dough into sections and braid into challah. Allow each challah to rise 15 minutes.
Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with toppings and bake for about 45-55 minutes, until challah is golden brown.
Allow challah to cool completely before storing.
Note: It is a mitzvah to make the blessing of Hafrashat Challah when baking 5 pounds of bread dough.
Transliteration: Baruch ata Adonai Elo-hainu Melech Ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tziva’anu l’hafrish challah.
Translation: Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to separate challah.
Separate a small ball of dough, approximately one ounce, and say: “This is challah.”
Burn the challah by wrapping it in a piece of silver foil and placing in the oven.
Pistachio and Cardamom White Chocolate Babka
1 lb challah dough
Filling
4 Tbsp vegan butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup pistachio pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Sugar glaze
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup pistachio pieces
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a greased baking loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, cardamom, cinnamon and salt until well combined.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Spread the butter mixture to coat the dough, then sprinkle evenly with the pistachios.
Roll the dough into a long strand, then cut it down the middle. Twist the two strands, then place into the prepared loaf pan. Brush the top of the babka with olive oil and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake the babka on the middle rack for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
While the babka is baking, prepare the sugar glaze by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture comes to a simmer, remove from the heat and pour over the hot babka.
Allow the babka to cool, then drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with the remaining pistachio pieces.
Serve warm.
Leftover babka should be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Follow them
on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food
