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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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- When ready to bake, brush loaves again with the egg wash. Sprinkle bread with sesame seeds, if using.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.
- The bread can be frozen unbaked or baked.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
And the crust? Down right incredible!
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!
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!!
This is such a gorgeous challah bread, I love that it’s a whole wheat loaf!
Looks gorgeous, Tieghan! Pinned 😉
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!!
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! 🙂
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! 🙂
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.
So beautiful. I so admire bread makers. I have a feeling some French toast or bread pudding is coming our way!
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!
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!)!
This bread look delicious! I can almost smell it baking. Can’t wait to hear what you
have to tell us 🙂 !!
Thanks Kathy!
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 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!
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!