Hi, hi! Happy Sunday!
I am sort of out of words to say today. Well actually, my brain is just a little distracted. I have tons to tell you, but it needs to wait until the time is right.
I am all about the right timing.
Speaking of timing.
I just spent the last hour trying to figure out how to get in all my Christmassy posts before Christmas! How is it only sixteen days away? I have so much to share and so little time.
Oh, and did I mention I have not even given my Christmas shopping a thought. Like not even for a second. I have been too busy making cupcakes, cakes, cinnamon rolls, stir fry, hot cocoa, brownies, burrito bowls, greek food and maybe watching a few too many Christmas movies. 🙂
Today is the day though. I plan on spending my whole day glued to the computer until I am done. It is a good day for online shopping since, one the temps are freezing (we have not gone above zero in days!!) and two, it is snowing pretty good out.
Actually, I am kind of excited now!
This bread is part one of a killer recipe I have in the works. Part two will be coming sometime soon.
And it is good.
But first the bread.
Challah is an egg bread that is incredibly easy to work with and one of my favorites to make.
The dough has three risings, but after any rising you can choose to slow down the process and refrigerate the dough for up to three days. I highly recommend doing this. It helps the bread to develop amazing flavor!
It is great for breakfast, sandwiches, stuffings, sweet desserts and pretty much everything in between.
Plus, it so pretty! If you are entertaining this is the bread to make. It is kind of a stunner!
And fresh out of the oven?
Oh my gosh, SO good and doughy and just delicious!
Oh, and this recipe makes two loaves. Feel free to freeze one loaf or divide the recipe in half. If I were you I would just freeze the dough of one loaf (wrap the unbaked dough in plastic wrap and allow the dough to thaw completely and rise again before baking) to have on hand. Trust me, you will love having this guy in the freezer to put in the oven for a quick bread!
Simple Whole Wheat Challah Bread.
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
- 1/2 cup olive oil plus more for greasing the bowl
- 5 large eggs divided
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 - 4 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
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Whisk the oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining brown sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard mixer. This amount of dough actually broke my 7 quart mixer, but my mixer was already going, so I am not sure it was entirely the dough's fault.
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Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. (At this point you can let the dough sit, overnight in the fridge or continue on to the next rising.) Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour. (Again, at this point you can let the dough sit, overnight in the fridge or continue on to the next rising.)
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To make a 3-braid challah, divide the dough in half and place one half in the oiled bowl and cover. Take the remaining half of the dough and form it into 3 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Bring the right outside rope over the center rope; that rope now becomes the center. Bring the left outside rope over the new center rope; that rope now becomes the center. Continue braiding until you reach the end. Pinch the ropes together to seal.
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If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Allow the bread to rise another hour or place it in the fridge to rise overnight.
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When ready to bake, brush loaves again with the egg wash. Sprinkle bread with sesame seeds, if using.
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Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.
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The bread can be frozen unbaked or baked.
And the crust? Down right incredible!
This looks absolutely perfect! That braid is beautiful and it looks so rich and full of flavour. Plus you have the most adorable little helper (that tiny hand!). Don’t worry btw, I haven’t started Christmas shopping yet either – it’ll probably all be done in an hour on the Internet, I can’t brave the shops at this time of year!!
Thanks Becca!!
I still dod not get to it today. Here is for hoping I get to it tomorrow!
This bread looks absolutely beautiful. I am a little intimidated by yeast, but want to give this a try. Wish me luck. I am sure mine will not look as pretty as yours, but hopefully with some practice, I will get there.
This is a good bread to start with and don’t be afraid of yeast. Like you said, with practice you will get it! 🙂
Thanks Judy!
Tieghan, this challah is stunning! I love how it’s whole wheat as well…awesome! Challah bread is hands down my favorite kind of yeast bread. Those hours and hours of prep time and 3 rises are soo worth it in the end!
Thanks Sarah!
This bread look delicious! I can almost smell it baking. Can’t wait to hear what you
have to tell us 🙂 !!
Thanks Kathy!
Just absolutely stunning!!!! The dough itself, how gorgeous! That punch-down shot, holy cow that’s art right there 🙂 And then the hearty nature of the loaf, the color!!!! and the fact that you got such amazing rise AND used wheat flour – amazing. I make challah but always with bread or AP flour, never wheat. This is awesome! pinned
Thank you!!
That punch down shot is actually my 5 year old sister punching the dough! I really put her to work! 🙂
I used white whole wheat flour and I think it works SO well in breads! Hope you are having a great time in Aruba! Soak up the sun and warmth for me (it has been in the negatives here for days and tomorrow is going to be a wind chill of -30!)!
Your first paragraph was such a cliff-hanger! No fair! 🙂 I want to know now.
This bread is beautiful Tieghan! Love that it’s whole wheat too–maybe that gives me an extra excuse to make a couple loaves over the holidays.
Thanks Laura! And don’t get to too exited! The news is just odds and end of life. Nothing very big!
So beautiful. I so admire bread makers. I have a feeling some French toast or bread pudding is coming our way!
Challah has been on my list of things to make for a while now. It’s a sign! I was going to try Smitten Kitchen’s recipe too. I love the whole wheat edition.
I love that this is whole wheat! Brilliant.I love the process photos–for some reason the punching one made me laugh. Haha, but it looks great nonetheless! 🙂
This IS a gorgeous bread! Know what I loved beyond the bread though? A nice, short and succinct title! Sometimes I wonder if you didn’t mean to make three dishes but they all somehow got jumbled up together! 🙂
Challah is one of my favorite breads, and I’ve never had it whole-wheat before. I like! Can’t wait to see what part two of this is!!
Looks gorgeous, Tieghan! Pinned 😉
This is such a gorgeous challah bread, I love that it’s a whole wheat loaf!
I love a good challah, it’s one of my favorite breads! I’ve never tried using whole wheat flour in them before–sounds (and looks) great!!
Hi there…new to this site, but this bread looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! I have a question, though…in the ingredients, on the whole wheat flour part, it says “4- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat…” I’m a little confused on the 4 part. Is the 4 there by mistake, and it’s 2 1/2 cups flour? Thanks so much!!!!
Hey Jill!!
Sorry for the confusion, it is 4 to 4 1/2 cups. So you will need at least 4 cups of flour, but no more than 4 1/2 cups flour (depending on how sticky or dry the dough is). I am normally good with just 4 cups of WW flour. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any more questions!!
Thanks so much!
So you will only be using 4 to 4 and half cups of either whole wheat or all purpose? Or is it 8 cups total? Sorry just wanting to make sure.
Hey Paige,
it is 4 cups whole AND 4 cups all purpose, so 8 cups total. Hope you love the bread!
Looks divine and I can’t wait to make it, but could you clarify what that 4 – 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour means?
Wow, a totally whole wheat challah? Killing it again Tieghan! This definitely has to be made at some point!
Also, I know – Christmas is coming up super fast and I’ve been thinking the same thing; how in the world will there be time to post all those holiday recipes and do everything else that needs to be done?? I feel like I should have started in early November!
I know, right!! Life is too busy!!
Thanks Alexandra! 🙂
One of my favorite things in the world is challah bread. This looks amazing!
Thanks Marla! Hope you guys are staying warm!
OMG thanks sooooo much for this recipe- is it just me or do you need to make french toast with this- STAT?! LOL! Yummmmm! Pinning, would love to try this for Christmas morning!
Thanks Sophia!
Thanks Sophia!! Hope you love this!
I just made this tonight on a whim, and by GOSH it it heavenly! I cut down the recipe to half so I could make one loaf as a starter, and it worked just fine. I did braid the bread rather loosely and it ended up being very wide, with the middle expanding, but it still tastes delicious. Thanks so much for this great recipe (and it helps that it’s whole wheat too–at least a little healthy)!
YAY! So happy you loved this!! Thanks for reporting back, Madeline!
These pictures are gorgeous! Do you mind me asking what camera you use to take your photos?
Thanks Chris! I use a canon 60D
Your breads are always soooooo pretty! Love this challah!
Thank you so much, Brenda! Hope you are staying warm!
Punch it, punch it good! Look at this heavenly braid of delicious carb overload! I am loving it. Challah rules for making a mean French toast — I’m thinking this would be no exception!!
Haha! I think you are so right!
Thanks Hayley!
That crust! It’s just stunning! And the slices look gorgeous too Tieghan! What a fabulous recipe…can’t wait to see what part two is 🙂 Pinned!
Thanks so much, Trish! 🙂
I’m sorry but if you won’t tell us your news, then I am going to request you take some photos of food ideas with some of that snow behind. It is Christmas time after all.
The bread is gorgeous too!
Haha! The news is nothing that fun, but the bread recipe goes up in the morning! 🙂
Thank you!
Found your FB page and this recipe when Crazy for Crust suggested your FB page. I’m now following you on FB. I have a question for you…if you don’t mind. I have baked bread all my life but I’ve never used a wheat flour in doing so… does using wheat flour change the way you make bread in any step of making it?
Thanks for the FB like!!
Using whole wheat flour does not change the steps at all, but the bread is a little denser. Still good, but just a little less fluffy.
Thanks again!
I am not able to find Platinum yeast in Canada, would you recommend any other kind? I’ve tried making bread a couple of times but the dough is not aired at all and the bread turns into a block of cement after a day.
I meant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada more specifically
Hey Diana! Kind you find yeast where you live? If you can’t you can also order it online. Here is the link to one I like on Amazon. Link
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Used this recipe to make challah rolls- absolutely delicious! Perfect. Easy to work with dough. Thank you 🙂
So happy you loved it! Thanks!
I’m making this bread today and now on the final rise, the bread is looking beautiful. Thank you for a great recipe. I’m sure it will taste just as good as it looks
Hope you love it!!
If all I have on hand is organic white pastry flour, can I use that instead of the whole wheat pastry flour? =)
Hi! That will be fine, hope you love this!
How would you recommend putting the dough in the fridge overnight? I put it in plastic wrap but one of them burst their bonds during the night and dried out a bit in one spot.
Thanks
I’m going to make some thick cut french toast with that challah bread.
This is my first time making Challah. I halved the recipe to make sure I could complete 1 loaf instead of screwing up 2. It turned out wonderful! I cannot wait to celebrate the new year.
So happy this went awesome for you, Megan! Thank you!
Hello,
What kind of sheet do you bake it on?
Thanks!
Trish Pines
Hi Trish! I just use a regular baking sheet pan. So one you might bake cookies on or roast veggies on. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you!
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hi there!
confused on the yeast amount— it looks like it reads “2 tsp packages active dry yeast 4 1/2”
is it 2 tsps of yeast?
thank you so much!
next up, stalking your site for rosemary bread 🙂
so sorry about that. Recipe is all fixed!! It 4 1/2 teaspoons or 2 packages of yeast. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love this bread! 🙂