Challah Time!

There was much baking today during Challah Time!

Ellen created a beautiful long braided challah that she showed us once it came out of the oven. I'm really looking forward to her results now that she's interested in exploring braiding. 

Ellie worked on creating this double-decker challah below, which I'm pleased to report is a success! Just look at this beauty! Mazel tov, Ellie.

Karen made Jamie Geller's Cinnamon Twist Challah to welcome her son's family, who will be staying with her starting today. Those little bakers showed up during our session and got to work straight away helping Savta. This cinnamon challah uses our basic water challah recipe and the filling consists of 1/3 cup oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1tsp cinnamon.

Laura made these two lovely challot today using a dough hook for a longer knead time to improve their texture. I'm sure we'll see one at services tonight.

Nancy showed us her birthday gift - Happy Birthday, Nancy! -  from Robert. A new Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus bread machine. We were all very impressed and are eager to hear about Nancy's future plans with this powerhouse. This is her 1lb. challah made today.

I experimented today adapting my basic water challah recipe to use a sourdough starter instead of active dry or instant yeast.  I poured out the dough I'd bulk fermented on the counter top since 7:30pm last night. I decided shaping it into a simple twist would be the best way I could preserve the rise which had developed. (Sourdough is very delicate and is not punched down after the first rise like regular challah dough.)

I doubled the second rise time because sourdough always takes longer. I followed the visual and touch cues to guage when the dough had risen sufficiently that we'd learned when we watched Erin McDowell's, "Understanding Yeast" together.  This single large loaf consisted of four cups of flour, so I allowed an extra 8 minutes to bake.  

   

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Until next week when we meet on Purim!