RISING: The Book of Challah 0991472047, 9780991472048

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Rl'-l'G! TH[ BOOK OF CHAilAH •

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·bctt:n.ilic.eJ rrthht~ c)f di~ nu~ton, t :im c·tt'rnally g~teful to tJ1ese superwomen: lilllary Barr, ~hlf;.(.'Vl.tt, · 1.;un ~If~ ~ulY. Marilyn Brill. :ind Ann3 Mh1an1 Berman·L3zaros.

Estee. you are part of the above category. but as my first chtld and only daughter:)~ ~in a category of your O\vn as \\fell Out children :ire our ~~--r. tea'"'hers.. \Vitb your v. lse • t~a~ soui. from the moment of our birth you have tiaght me more ab of~ihom d .. tsme1Js 11'1.t dinner, nd that ~vc:-rythlng that is \\'Orth knowing aboul \viii h • pp.·n n .th klt.cht:n. In

"w1l way. 0111g •-11.e s~ggt>ring wnrk ol nurturing e d • ttlt.> w:;y. F.adi of tht:m t-ndlcs::>ly encc1urag •d t st:ed I ~ery a~ and excelling at it each step of fl> 1tr:t?p qt 1t1nng plst the inJCJul iJu:-.h of c~ ~ (/'an romphmenled, giving me the fortlt ude c:

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~n~,nt. ani en~lessly Inspired and motivated by this

1 111:1cs nu11ody I d rather party \\IJ~h . Im $11 gr:Jmful tn my taJf!nrLt 'l'lt\ '\\:~•.\n l 'tr.l~· n nt seh~and 1n.1vhl' b.1k. . 1.lllll' ."\\\l~'itl\Oc '1.'.l1.1ll:lh-;.i\onll th~\'--''·

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"t~'E $.'TOR.V' OF CHALLAH ~ \

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''REISHIT ARISOTEICHEM'' The Fir~t of Yr;ur Doug~1 The word reishit indicates thal which Is the hrctfcct.. l'hls Hd in the f.lo\\' oi creation is the ~;amcl/c.f as intbc \\1>rd diallah. tranSformiJ.18 it rrom ordir.a.ryc TediEn) trtto (?A11ClOrdi-

narv cbdilah. Chall.ab may look like bread .. but it ·s ~Uy so .roudl mare tltan that ChaJlah · hak · . . ..;~ And our abstennon --ei\~ is a Dl\1ne c;u.. '""~ 1· ates tatefrom \\'Ork on Shabbat is the u tun fi ment ofreliance upon and thankfulness or it

Shabbat and Woman Shabbatis always referred to in the feminine sense: Shabbat Hamaff..."Cl (the Sbabbat Queen). Its enerror is visually represented by the image of a queen. The energy of the day of Shabbat is that of ma/chut (royalty or receptivity). It is the vessel that receives all energ}r from the previous \\"eek and is impregnated ,,ijth the possibilities of the week to come. Shabbat and challah and the \voman all embody tile qualities of receiving and gratitude. We are taking off a piece of our basic nutrient staple, the dough for the bread with whlch we intend to feed our family, implying an awareness that the source of this sustenance transcends our efforts. As such, the separation of challah represents implicit trust and gratitude, gratitude being the capacity t.o acknowledge the source of our gifts and express thankfulness for them. These are both inherently feminine characteristics as outlined in Kabbalistic teachings.

ed in her biological makeup. The same for "Man" ,\Tith male energy and male biology.

Letting Go a Little

woman and Challah our first pronouncement upon awakening each day is one of gratitude to our Creator for giving us a new day, expressed in the short prayer beginning with the words "fi1odeh ani lefanecha," l am grateful before You. These three words of gratitude have a combined numerical value of 306, equal to the numerical value of the word isha (wom-

an).

In the Hebrew alphabet, some letters are energetically masculine and some are feminine. The letter Hei [il], which transforms daily /echem into challah, is a feminine letter that represents gratitude and receptivity. It is also the Jetter that changes the word ish [to'K](man) to isha[ilto~](woman).

Hei is the letter of creation and creativity, a function that both receives and gives forth. It is an ability to receive in a way that is also giving, much as the woman who receives the initial seed of life is able to actualize it and bring forth a living being.

"The man brings the wheat home, but does he chew wheat? He brings in the flax, but can he wear flax?" (Talmud, Yevamot 63a).

The woman is the one who takes the raw An important note to my readers: materials of life and makes them nourishThroug.hout this book, \vhen speakjng of ing, comforting, and life-sustaining. The fe~ascuhne and feminine energies as outmale aspect of receptivity is not a passive lined and depicted in KabbaJistic teachings, pose; it is proactive and productive. I am not speaking exclusively of either a T~e. ide~ of receiving as the deepest form man or a woman. The Torah acknowledges tha~ man and woman each contain both en- of giving is something that we have hopeergJes within them; "Zachar u-nekeiva bara ~lly each experienced at some point in our otam' 1' ma Ie and female He created the hves. On a very practical level, there are {Berelshlt 1:27), m those who are able to receive what we give . M.asculine and feminine energ1es work- them-be it an expression of our emotions towards them or a physical gift-in a maning in tandem enliven each of as to a· I or greater degree. "Woman" b ' esser ner that makes us feel like we are the ones totyp f"" ecomes a pro- who have been given something. e o iemale energy and th.1s 1s . reflect-

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SHABBRT, CHAUAH. ANO WOM-"N

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go of my attachment to the outcome and allowing the ideas to flow through me that I The letter Hei is fascinating in that it is could truly be creative. Of course, this flow both silent and vocal. It is used at the end of was occurring after years of training and a word as a silent, supporting letter, and in on-the-job experience, all of which were the beginning or center of a word as a vocal, very much a part of me, but, at the moment of creation, there was no expression of that, expressive letter. just a removal of ego from the story. The Hei's dual functions serve as a great I have often seen this and I'm sure you lesson in creativity and receptivity. must have have, too: a couple tries so hard To truly create, we need to be presentto conceive a child, to no avail, only to sudthe fullness of our whole self must come denly find themselves pregnant after taking forth-but we must also step aside to allow a break from "trying'' or once they've defor the creation to occur. The combination cided to adopt. What has happened? Quite of full expression coupled with complete simply, they have removed their attachhumility allows for a new entity to emerge. ment to the outcome from the process and As a professional artist, I have often made room for creation to occur. puzzled over the elusive creative process, Our forefather Avraham and foremother which I must access each day to do my job Sarah were childless and unable to conceive as a designer, artist, and writer. It occurred until G-d gifted them each with the letter to me quite early in my career as a graphic Hei. Avram became Avraham, with the exartist that the more my ego was attached pressive and vocal Hei, while Sarai became to the project at hand, the more difficulty I Sarah, with the silent Hei. It was then that would have accessing my creativity. If I was the creation of a child was possible. worrying about how the client was going to The woman, the challah, and Shabbat are like the finished piece, or whether it would appear that I was an accomplished artist all expressions of the silent Hei of creation, (yay!) or a fraudulent wannabe (oops!), the quality of gratitude and receptivity. The I would get stuck and be unable to create receiving is so powerful and fully absorbed something "fresh." It was only after letting that it brings forth new creation.

THE STORY OF CHALLAH

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CHRPTER lit

LIVING IN THE PROCESS & LOVING EVERY MOMENT

''The reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself." -Avot 4:2

LIVING IN THE PROCESS

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E LIVE IN A FAST MOVING WORLD 'T'S A

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information downloaded at the speed of light, of travel from one end of the planet to the other in the space of day, and of technology that progresses so quickly. it's making the twenty-somethings seem old. Everything needs to happen immediately, 1f not sooner Patience and longing seem to be emotional relics of the past. And, truthfully. as a person Jiving fully in this generation, I think you'll agree \Vi th me that there's nothing quite as frustrating as that little color wheel (hourglass, loading hne .. ) that sho\vs up on our screens and tells us that we have to ... wait?• We buy new appliances, ne\v gadgets, with the promises of faster. more 1mme\i.:ll . ,.~~ tn"o. ......, ~~)... daor Within mon'lcn~ , th · dollgh w~ Ms· uc-\;' tru·t: u.i: umc to toc\l. on,,... .. ~ · 1ng. or :c f- ~ rth taith m ""~"~ ~~55$-~~~ Som~time . \-Jc don't gt:t it r1gllt the 't~t •v".' !:Ct:'..'- ~'t t ·n e.xteoo · time. \Vtt gave it 111 :Ve h;iu, or p~rh..P,:\ \Ve d1Jn't. t\1aybc wt were dl!::!L?d the: mon1cnt. \Th,1 c \:r the ~­ nun.•~~ ~ ana nuy b , ut ~ome pornt \ t: sec the dou un~-.~ • our ~:u~~ rt:n-w:~ h ve ~rc.ltt!d nt:lVc:-.5, 45 well• cxtn salt And, rest assured, it will ri se. vJhll~ 1.-.•c.• propel our~lvc.·~ fo"v.:rd alV\·ays n." In the process of fu rming life, both on a \\fith tlie recognition of our shared hubiological level and on an emotional level, manit)• and the innate ability to obsen-e the the \\'Oman is both the "blender" and the similitude in all of creation. ''-omen become ·egg itself." She takes aJl the random bits the glu_e that bolds the ,,·orld together. of in.formation and inspiration, makes the Do )'OU kno,,· ,,·hat happens ''ilen eggs connections, and creates something that is are heated? The egg proreins uncurl and ali,·e. bump into other proteins that ba\-e also As \ve add the eggs to our dough, we uncurled and ne\v chemical bonds form. Ho,vever. ratl1er than binding the protein imagine that our shared soul roots, humanto itself, these bonds connect one protein it)r, and love are bringing all the disparate pieces together and creating a perfect circle to another. of acceptance and wholeness. Eggs as an ingredient are interesting in that they are an embl')Y()nic form oflife~ It is 1

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Adding the Extras Flour, w.orer. sugar,ye.asr. salt, oil, and eBJJs are c:he basic buildin9 blocks ofa cha I/ah dou9h. And here's where you start to have fun!

. Challah baking is about creating something a1ive, warm, and nurturing. It's about bringing your O\\ffl brand ofhomemade love and intention to the table. So, now it's time for you tQ add in the elements char.make the challah your own. 1

In 110•you WI·11 see that r offer the option of adding vanilla. d my Classic . Recipe on paue b

a 0;~dvanilla. Jwould spray it on myself as perfume and bathe in it if I didn't fear that 1

~;n~J ~enl :uld misrake me for baked goods. Vanllla added to cha II ah makes the whole

us a I e more sweet. cakey; and wonderful and that's howl Hke it. Throughout the recipe section 1offer su . savory, sometimes sweet to ggestlons for other tasty additions-sometimes challah that is baked with~n•"'en__ nee dY0 ur challah. Go crazy or stay simple; either way, a LCnaoo an 1ove Is a repr . f be received as such by all who partake of it. esent.at1on o your best self and will

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62 J T~E STORY OF CHALLAH

The Challah Bowl WHERE IT ALL CO M ES TOGETH ER

I write this in the lovely Catskills, lookin9 out ready for kneading. it really needs a vessel at a lar9e grassy area filled with children that is shaped like a bo\vl. and happy noise. I have been comiTlf} here A bowl creates a linear sink force. which with my children for the better part of twen- causes all objects, regardless of their disty years, and it is here that I mixed my chal- tance to arrive at the center at the same lah dough today, makiTlf} do with a lar9e,flat time. No matter \vhere the ingredients start tin pan instead ofmy old trusty challah bowl oft when put into a bo\vl, they come togeththat I've left at home back in Brooklyn. er in the center to become something more It was here, while mLxing. that I had my than when they began.

latest realization: It's not just the ingredients that make up the challah dough. The vessel that receives them and aJlO\VS them to combine is significant, as \veil.

Women contain a bo\\"l , ..; thin them. as \vell: the \vomb. \Vhich is the CQntainer of life. It receives all the necessary ingredients for life and nurtures them. creating indeBread has been mixed in bowls for thou- pendent life. sands of years. Try mixing the ingredients According to Kabbalah. the feminine enon a flat surface and you \Vill understand e~· is a vessel that recei\"eS. This recei'\ring why. The water starts sliding away from the is not a passive energy. rather one that ok-es center, the eggs go runny all over the place, in in order to bring forth. This recei\'ing is and the flour just sits there, inert. As you the \York \\'e do every da)' on this e:irth, \Ve can tell, challah bakirl!J in the Catskills has take the ra\v materi3ls of life. gather then1 into oursel\res, and shape then1 into somebeen a whole lot offun! True, many recipes call for the dough to thing wonderful. This \s thll challah bo''""· be tttrned o\tt onto a flat s\1tfuce for the And it is from here th3t ,,.e \\"atch our chalkneading stage, but until it is a solid n1nss, lah rise.

A RECIPE

~OR RlS\NC: THE INGREDlENTS ~ S3 ~

CHAPTER VI

THE RISING

''The nature of the soul is to rise." -Reb Schneur Zalman of Li.id1 (Tanya. Cl-::i;::!'Zl' !9)

Sometimes, we may find that our dough is too tough or too sticky, or just not coming together properly. However, when given t ime to rise, these problems mostly seem to resolve themselves. There is a method of allowing the dough to come together on its own, before starting the kneading process, w hich many professional bread bakers swear by. This resting period, where the ingredients are allowed to just merge naturally, is called the autolyse. The autolyse is most commonly done with just the flour and water, allowing for better absorption of the flour, as well as helping the gluten and starches align. And then comes the hands-on (or machine) kneading process.

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I like to think of this as a lesson in our own nurturing. There is a time for handson care, when we need to put our whole selves into the process, getting down into the trenches and "getting our hands dirty:•

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Washington State University's bread lab bakers think they may have solved 1 the niystery oftl1e lar9e recent increase in gluten intolerance. SIDE FROM THOS E WHO HAVE CELIAC DISEA SE A ND really can't process the gluten in wheat, most people should have no problem with it The main reason for the rnability to digest gluten today is the lack of rising time in industrial bakeries. Most industrial bakers allot only a few minutes for rising, resulting in a dough in which the yeast and bacteria have not had have enough time to digest all the gluten in the flour and the gluten structure does not have time to develop and strengthen. Th is creates a bread with an incompleted gluten process that is difficult for most people's digestive system to handle.

The rising tfme is crucial. Jn order to promote a healthy rising, we need to take a step backani:1 allow time to do its thing. 1 .Phllpou, Tom. ~Co uld Thls BakerSolve the Glut.en Mystery'" M th J 2015. · o er ones. N,p., 12 Peb. 2014. Web. 18 Mar.

Then there is the wisdom of knowing when to take a step back. So many of the things we spend so much energy on, both p'Nysical and emotional, will resolve themselves if given the time and spaoe to work themselves out. I like to call this aspect of our· caretaking "benign neglect." And, as my children have grown, I have come to appreciate this as a crucial aspect of nurturing.

Sometimes, we notice that the dough isn't rising. It is then that we need to troubleshoot and figure out how to get it to grow to its full potential. At times, we see that it is rising too quickly and we need to punch it down to bring it back to its proper form. Facilitating the rising process is an especially apropos metaphor for the adolescent stage. However, the act of stepping back and giving our children, or ourselves, some s pace to rise, is really something that applies throughout all our lives. In child raising this begins in infancy. In the early years, it may be that parents are rushing their children to toilet-train, or pressuring them to act socially proper before they are really ready. In this case, as nurturers, they are putting their children in a situation for which they are not fully prepared and this can negatively affect their rising. Allow them to be. This is the greatest wisdom. ln all our nurturing capacities, be it in friendship, marriage, or mentorship, this aspect of taking a step back to allow for rising is a deep and necessary truth. Oftentimes, we just feel like we want to do something ... anything, when the most effective thing is simply to do nothing.

This does not mean disappearing and checking out. On the contrary, this is just like rising a challah dough.

When we leave our dough to rise, we We keep a watchful eye on the rising, make s ure to put it in the most conducive environment, a place of warmth and establishing a conducive environment and moisture, yet we are also careful to allo'.\ "\

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THE INGREDIENTS

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, ucial ingredient in challah baktndg. t ~~s the dough rise. Sugar also makes Sugar 1s a er . 'd d alcoJ1ol an ma dd. · 't to carbon d10JO e an h .ts special golden crust. In a 1tion to 1 11 1 converts J n d gives the cha a d) d h the cballah sweet and yummy an fthe crumb (the inside of the brea an elps . roves the texture o those benefits,sugarun~ the challah from drying out. retain moisture, preventing f but not all of them will activate the d in place o sugar b . f When using artificial sweeteners, bear Other sweeteners may e use d a Jittle bit o sugar. d . . the final result. Some of these ifferences yeast for that you reaUY nee in mind that there will be some differences in may include: · · d 'th sugar substitutes tend t o b e l'ight in • A lighter color: baked goo~s ma ~dw~e same browning effect as s ugar. substitutes don t prov1 e coIor. Sugar h ot have the same volume when prepared • A flatter cbalfab: your cha11a may n

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\vith sugar.substitutes. h 11 h ade with artificial sweeteners tend to be drier Texture differences: c a a m , d . d 'th sugar because the sweeteners don t hol mo1sand denser than those ma e wt . ture. Besides bejog drier, the challah may become stale more quickly. . Taste differences: sugar substitutes can leave an aftertaste; some people find

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this more noticeable than others. . Baking time: you might need to adjust the time required to bake a challah with

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Water The optimal water temperature for activating dry yeast is 105-115°F. That said, this book is about challah baking for those of us who are not professional chefs; we are aiming for a challah made with love, not with thermometers and scales. In that spirit, when I balr large t1uantitles of tlaugh. Con: Cle.\11ing tll~ l\o\v\ ...\n\l its ato~hmen - s1:. ~m · ~ h-c lt11- ·'1e foT-some ofdl,e users, as. th~r~ ,\re c:r~vlr~s it\ \\l\li~h th~ d\'.\ugh ga .- '\t\\ 'k, ,,,.\~·\n.g \t h:ud to "'le3n. T~te is also

• L-arge flat serving spoon (such as a salad sr:r.ver) • Jee cream spade

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. less steel bowl (vs. the plastic sure to purchase the stain . Note· lf buying the Bosch, be . k ttachment. bowl) and the dough boo a THE MAGIC MILL . . r the "prettier" of the two Pro: This machine 1s by fa . Mill is powerful enough to handle the Bosch, tihe Magic .. fd h I Pro: While not as powerfu as ks ell for smalfer quantities o oug . Cd hand also wor w 0 oug . t the mixer's speed. It also has very slow extremely Ja17ge loads Pro: The Magic Mill allows the user to adJUSd avor. dd' flour a Jess messy en e settings that make a ~ng . I Lfft Stand Mixer is a very good option as well, but The KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7-Qt Bow ", is best-suited for mixing small batches ofdough.

Measuring Utensils 1 A LARGE GLASS OR PLASTIC MEASURING CUP for your water an~ other liquids will · · g cups have a 4- or 8-cup capacity. My recipe calls be very helpful. Most large measur1n . t. may wa nt to get the 8-cup size. Otherwise, you can tal\C You for 4.75 cups of wat er so . . · fi t h t that extra o75 of a cup looks like tn your 4-cup mcasur.ing the time to 1gure ou w a · cup and just go by sight from then on (that's what I've been doing for years).

2. A DRY MEASURJNG CUP for the sugar and flour. 3. Aset of MEASURING SPOONS 4. SMALL GLASS BOWLS for the eggs and egg wash are great, too, altl~ougll any pla~t c cup, bowl, or glass will suit the purpose just as well.

en scale. You can throw the dough on It and make sure all the plt!ces weigh the :;nrnc amount. S. BA Kl NG TRAYS for your braided challahs (and parchment paper or baking s pray tl7 prevent sticking). A fe1,v options for balecla/IY If using a spelt flour. No need to worr.x the tf!xtCJre whet1 baked Is Incredible/

3. Gradually add the remainder of the flour, eventually working the dough with your hands or stand mixer. Leave out the last cup or two of flour and only add In If needed to form the dough.

10, Place challahs In 9rec:ised challat1 pans or on greosed or parchment paper Unod baking sheets.

4 . Turn the dough out onto a hard surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough springs back when lightly touched.

12. Allow challahs to rise for ar1 additional 30-45 minutes.

s. Pour illl of the oil Into the large bowl and

13. Glaze challahs again and spr1nkre ~1fth topping of choice.

11. Brush challahs with honey glaze.

roll tho ball of dough in It. 6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a warm, damp dishcloth and place in a warm spot to rjse. AUow the d ough to rise fo r 1.5-2 hours, un til tt has doubled In bulk.

7. Separate the challah with a blessing, See

page 320 fo r instructions. 8. Preheat the oven to 410°F.

14. Bake at 410°F (medium-sized chaflah; time wlll vary according to challah $ize), l he challah is ready whe n its unde rside· is brown an d It sounds hollow w hen t a,pped.

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SPELT CHALLAH

for her invaluable advice and time! kin th Hadassa h Ras k h A tremendous thank you goes to Es er llah and is actually the one I .ma e eac week for This recipe is adapted from her famous gallah they wait for each week 15 actually m _ade of spelt Shabbat My boys have no clue that. the a . b t who am I fooling? They are never going to read a · th cret 15 out now, u flour. I would worry that. e ;e .th you dear reader. cookbook! So, my secret is saie Wl ' l . In a large bowl, pour the very warm water. Add the sugar and then th e yeast. Allow a FULL RECIPE • HALF RECIPE •• few minutes for the yeast to bloom. Yield: 8 medium challahs

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7 cups+ 7-9 cups 1 cup

very warm water sugar

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2. Add the first of the flour and all of the salt and mix until a smooth batter forms.

Yield: 4 medium challahs

3 large

sea salt canola oil

3. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla and stir again until smooth. 4 . Gradually add the rema ining flour, m1x1ng with your hands or stand-mixer until the flour has fully incorporated into the dough Be sure to add only as much flour as 1s needed to fo rm a workable dough .

s. Turn the dough out onto a floured

surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough spri ngs back when lightly touched

vanilla extract

eggs

CHALLAH GLAZE: 1 egg, well beaten with 1 tsp water CHALLAH TOPPINGS:

6. Pou r 3 - 4 teaspoons of oil into th e bowl Turn th e ball of dough around 1n the oil until outer layer o f t he dough has been thinly coated 7. Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot to rise. Allow the dough to rise for 1.5-2 hours until it has doubled in bulk.

cinnamon sugar mix

8. If you are making the full recipe, separate challah w ith a b lessing. If you are making half the recip e, separate cha/lah without a b lessing. See page 320 for instructions.

savory suggestions:

9. Preheat the oven t o 350° F.

sweet suggestions: mini chocolate chips I pearled sugar

zaatar I coarse salt minced garlic poppy seeds I sesame seeds

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• Challah should be taken with a blessing. •• Chall.ah should be taken without a blessing. See page 320 fo r instructions.

10. Divide the dough and bra id or shape as desired. Place shaped loav es on baking sheets. 11. Brush each challah wi th th e egg glaze after braiding. 12. Allow challahs to rise for an ad ditional 30- 45 minutes.

13. Glaze again and sprinkle wi th topping of choice.

14. Bake at 350°F for 30 m inutes (medium challah; time will vary according t o challah size). The challah is ready when its underside is brown and it sounds hollow w hen t app ed.

132

THE COOKBOOK

•

• These recipes almost didn't make 1t into the cookbook. I didn't think sourdough could also be challah. But the more research I did about bread and the more I observed my own body's reaction to challah, whether whole wheat, spelt, or gluten-free, I realized I was missing an important piece of the challah puzzle. On page 66 I speak about the gluten mystery, and share how scientists 1n Washington University's bread lab discovered that it isn't actually gluten that most people are reacting to, but underdeveloped gluten. When flour and water are given sufficient time to ferment-as they do in a starter for sourdough bread-the gluten develops fully and most people have no problem digest ing it.

So, I turned to the experts: Expert #1 · Meet Estee Berkowitz, mother of five and all around super earth mama. This lady pickles lots of stuff in beautiful jars, grows things that stay alive (!), bakes a loaf of sourdough every day for her family-and they never eat any other bread. As you can tell, she is a bit out of my league. But hey, that's the idea behind experts!

I, •

Expert #2: I cheated a bit on this one. Mendy Pinson is a cousin but also a legitimate expert 1n sourdough bread

J34

THE COOKBOOK

• baking. He runs a small, artisanal "by order only" bakery from his basement in Brooklyn, and is properly obsessive about th ings like bacteria getting into his starter and measuring flour the old-fashioned way. You can track him down at www.fermend.com. With my team assembled, I was ready to embark on my sourdough journey! •

Mendy Pinson helped me d evelop a sourdough bread recipe that is sweeter and more "challah-like" t han the usual. And though he said it cannot be done, he humored me, tried it out, and discovered that It is even possible to braid a sourdough challah. Estee Berkowitz, G-d bless her, wrote up instructions that will make even the most timid home-baker confident in her ability to make a real sourdough challah from scratch. She also shared with us her own sourdough recipe, which is more of a bread than a challah. Estee recommends that you use her recipe as a base and then add in eggs, honey, or other yummy additions to make it even more festive and "challah-like." So, now you've met my team. I do hope you try this out. Besides for the incred ible taste of a sourdough challah, you will be able to eat your challah and feel great, too. Now, that's a recipe worth keeping.

•

•

RUSTIC SOURDOUGH LOAF This recipe and the sourdough write-up is by Estee Berkowitz, a real earth mama who makes pickles, breads, and all other things from scratch. I enlisted her help in teaching us the easiest- and best- way to start our own sourdough challah tradition. This is more of a bread than a ch allah, but for those who want to keep it simple and healthful, this is a good place to start.

FULL RECIPE • ~ HALF RECIPE ••

Yield: approx. 4-6 loaves

~

Yield: 2 loaves (8"x4" each)

~ • •

• • ••

1112_2 cups Sib .bag 3 t sp

~

314

-1 cup starter

.•• : 6 cups .• ~ 112 tsp .• • ••

.

8 cups

a few Tbsp

:• 3 cups

whol e wheat flour unrefined sea salt water

•

• •• •

• • •• •

olive oil t o coat the d ough

RISING TIME:

I usually make my dough in the evening and let it rise overnight. Sourdough bread with a real starter takes a long time to rise (do not fear letting it sit out overnight-this is when the sourdough magic happens). In the summer months it needs 8-10 hours to rise and in the winter months it takes 12-plus hours to rise.The rising time in each place varies, depending on the weather, sea level, air quality, air conditioning, and heating, etc. The rising time in California will be different than the rising time in New York. Tune in to what works for you and keep notes about your rising time.

-*• Challah should be taken with a blessing. •• Challah should be taken without a blessing. See page 320 for instructions.

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except for the olive oil. 2. If adding any extras-eggs, additional oil o r other fat, honey, nuts, herbs, o r anything elsenow 1s the time to do so. Mix until all 1ngred1ents have been well-incorporated . 3. Knead the dough by hand or with a mixer until dough is smooth. uniform , and elastic .

4 . Cover the dough with a towel and leave 1t to rise overnight (see " R1s1ng Time" for more precise r1s1ng instructions) . 5. In the morning (or whenever the dough has risen to at least double its bulk), oil the surface of the dough with the olive 011 so tha t it is easy to handle and doesn't stick to your hands. Separate the challah as per instructions on page 320. 6. Divide the dough. Braid or shape each piece of dough and place into an oiled or parchment-papered loaf pan. The dough will be quite floppy so don't attempt any master level bra1d1ng techniques. 7. Place dough 1n a very warm spot to rise for 2-3 add1t1onal hours. 8. lmmed1ately before placing the loaves into the oven. score slits across the top of the dough with a very sharp knife or a lame.(see below) This will control the splitting that occur s when the bread hits the high heat of the oven . 9 . Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minut es, unt il crust 1s golden b rown. Remove from oven and loaf pans and place on rack to cool.

Professional bread bakers-or for that matter. all people who take their sourdough making se11ouslyuse a lame (pronounced LAHM) This ts b as1cal1y a razot blade with a handle, designed to make the scoring process s mooth and clean.

' • 1 -' •

CLASSIC CH ALLAHS

\j .

I

SOURDOUGH CHALLAH This is a sv.reeter, eggier, and more ch~­ lah-like sourdough, v.rhich can e\ren . e braided (keeping it to a simple three-braid is recommended; the dough is far too soft for anything more complicated. I also recommend baking it in a loaf pan. to help hold the shape).

f

I

Mendy Pinson, my cousin and Expert ::~, helped me develop this recipe for this book. You saw it here first! . h ') I told you he was a serious baker. ng t. Well, I wasn't kidding. Here's ho\\' yo.u know a bread baker 1s serious about his an: he or she doesn't give you measureme nts in cups and spoons it's all in grams. Measuring by weig~t. is far n:iore precise than by volume. This 1s espeoally so with regard to flour, whose volume ~e­ pends on whether or not it has been. sifted, what type of flour it is, and how ng~t­ ly it has been packed into the measunng cup.

f

'

Since J measure my baking ingredients by volume (in cups and spoons}, I can't ever give you an exact amount of flour and am therefore required to add in the last bit, as needed, gradually at the end. Measuring the ingredients by weight eliminates this guessing game, as the measurements are always precisely proportionate to the rest of the ingredients So, here it is in grams. And for those amongst us (here's looking at me) who can't be bothered to take out a scale, T've also given you the measurements in cups and spoons.

' r I

I

FULL RECIPE:' Yield: approx. 6 loaves 14 _16 cups (1950gr) Baker's Flour,•• sifted*••

3 eggs 3 Tbsp (50gr) honey .: cup (50gr) oil 2 Tbsp (25gr) coconut oil 6 cups (1200gr) water ( room temperature) 2 cups (SOOgr) starter••••

7 tsp (35gr) sea salt , 4

cup (SOgr) water

• Challah should be taken with a blessing. See page 320 for instructions. •• Baker's Flour is high grade or "strong" flour. It is also known as ''bread flour." It is made from semi-hard wheat and has a medium to high protein content. ••• Sifting the flour helps to ensure that the measurement is precise. This is an optional step. If your flour s.ee~s very dry and smooth, you don't need to bother s~ng . it. However, if you live in a more tropical area, sifting ts required to ensure there are no bugs in the dough.

•·•• See page 136 for instructions on making a sourdough starter.

''

J Professional bakers put their loaves into special proofing boxes for the final rise before baking. The benefit of this box 1s that 1t maintains the perfect temperature for rising the loaves, as well as preuencs chem from drying out. The good 0 news 1s that you can easily create your own"proofing box" at home Here are two ways to do so. 1 Set your loaf pans on a tray and cover with a floured dishtowel Sltde the tray into a large (unscented!) garbage bag. Knot rhe bag to secure, and leave the loaves 1n there co ri~e When ready to bake, carefully slide che tray out of the bag so as nor to disturb the loaves and d1Srupt all the lovely holes that have formed 1ns1de the bread. 2 Warm your oven to 70-80°F (or the warm setting on your oven), put the loaves inside, shut the door, and turn off the ouen Keep the loaues 1ns1de to nse until they are ready to bake. Just be sure to remove the loaves before preheating the oven for baking'

138 / I

I

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THE COOKBOOK

APPLE & HONEY CHALLAH •

: "" _ t"a1 1 RosI1 Hasl1ana11, as 1s round, sweet, a n d hon DJpping an appli? mto hc:;e)' lS ~U!..'lt:~st:"n ·ne a s,,·ee t year ::il1ead.

e\·-dipped cl1ail~h~ in me na~~e 0 1 t:"nsun >;> • ' h 0 . ·u:i challah all rolled into one. And yes, this tastes as good .' ,.e , sweet indeed. . ·o\\' •cu can haV'e )'OW apple. ~"' · n. a:. Al sou1lds. l\-favbi= br.ta:r. :-he con11n& year .s loolang I) #

APPLE FILLING:

WW. :REClPE' i re'd e .x lib dtaiiw

r·1el.l enou&h filling for 2 challahs, mult:iply as needed

2 medium Granny Smith or other baking apples, peeled and finely diced

4 ·~cups • •? • warm watei

1 ~ cup:,

honey

7 tsP

granufated yeast

11 • tsp

6 cops

11 •

+7-9 cup:.afr-purpos. unbfead'led white flour

2 · 'fo· .P sea ult t~p

cinnamon

cup

canola oil

7. i

2 tsp

vanilla extract

2 l rg

~gs

t sp

cinnamon ground cloves

1 Tbsp

sugar

2 Tbsp

walnuts (optional) coarsely chopped

l egg ~·.reU bnaten nth l c~p water CHALLAff1TOPPn G.

sugar

l rsp

cinnamon

Note: I have included wa111ur~ as "opria ial" b · 1 t1uts o,1 Ro""li Jia('. hanah 1 rll~r · ' ecause n any people follow the tradition to refrain from eating r>1ak1119 clri; cl1allah for Jh Ha~~ you~ cusr.o~n, ledaue rhe nuts our If this rs not your tradition, or if you're not ->

11111

a t, 9° a Jf'a and add them in-the walnuts add a really nice toucl1.

•

9. 'N'"' e ~"e do..ig" s r s. r-g o·eoare ~rte : . -ig

• Dee. core. a"d f."'!~) d :e of ere ce

4 . Gradually add the final 7-9 cups of flour mixing with your hand s or stand-mrxer unt 1 the flour has fully incorporated into the dough. Be sure to add only as much flowr as is needed to fo rm a non-sticky workab'e dough.

10 Pre--ea:

1~

:'"'~

aop es

350 ~

=

g..., • :

_

s:--a~ds.

.::..:l>~ "a·,""' ""'- =.......... ... ::: ·... ~.._ _- •............ ~'"'' """" ~ ; ........ ,.... ~~ -'-'

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t"e st"'a""as .:>- d.o ... ~"e ape :e :; '""'g ? 3Ce 0"3 j~ loa\ es .:-n "'e.:i oa...: .... ~ s'1ee~s.

... sn ea.::

1

6. Pour 3-4 teaspoons oil into the bo.." I. Turn the ball o f do ug h around 1n the 011 L.nt · the outer layer of the d oL1gh has been tht ~I) coated.

l ~ ~ .:> \ c~a

8 Allow tt1e d o l19t1 to r1 ·t: to r 15-2 h t11s t1nt1l 1t tla~ ciot1b1\..~",1 1n bt1lk P1.111~ t1 1.: l1t ' Om' ...11r a11cl alh.1w to r 1 ~ to r ()11 ~ ci\.lll1 n.:ll h-.1l.1r.

o .. en tc

::' \. de :"'e .:10 ....g~ a .... d ·o "':o

5. Knead for abo ut 10 m inutes or until the dough springs back when l1ghtl~ touched.

7. Cover the b owl with p lastic \\ rup or a \\3"m, damp dishclo th and plac~ 1n a '" arnl 'POt to rise.

,o~ ·

• In a s-ia' bo ..... . """x ~ ....~ appl es. cinnamon, ground clove~ a"'o sugar.. • '~ t.s "9 walnuts C""O:} ~ .... a-. coa·se'1· a"'d thrc ..·• t""em •"'tO rr-e rn.x as ••. e

2. Add 6 cups of the flour. Then add the salt and cinnamon and m ix until a smooth batter forms. 3. Add the eggs. oil, honey, and vanilla and stir again until smooth.

CHAL!.Alff GLAZE

2 Tb_p

1. In a large bowl, po ur t he very warm water. Add the yeast and t hen the honey. Allow a few minutes for the yeast to bloom.

3

s~

c a a" ~ rnmed atel) a- er ,...,...,....

30-.!S

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.

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ah5 to ' se ior an ado. r O'"B

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""g t0 ct\.. .3. s :: T"'c' C°'3 .J~ .s reaa ''~en lt5 j .: ...... ~ ;:; l' · "' ~ :1 ar. .t S..),_ "'els ho !o ,, ~h ) t) ... C'J t

·challah should be taken with a blessing See pa fi . 320 · ge or 1nstrucr1ons.

J44 ·

THE COOkBOOk

HOLi DAV' SPEClQLTV CH'ALL~HS

' "

DAIRY

• • •

• •

.• .••• •. • • .•• 1· ·cups .•• .•.• l .J cup . ..• 4· · tsp •. •

3' cups 2

1 ;. cups

7tsp

• • • •

4 cups+

• •

.•••

9-11 cups

••

2

1i •

.

• •

Tbsp

2 tsp tsp

·' tsp

3 t sp 3 large ~!cup

2 tsp 2 15-oz cans

+ a few smaller rolls or challahs

.•••

a x llb challahs

2

HALF RECIPE•• Yield: 1 iarge \vreath challah

•.

FULL RECIPE • Yield:

• ••

.. . • .• .•• •• ... ..•• ... .. ..• . ..• .••• .• . •. • .•• •

.• •

••

or p AR.EV£

very warm water sugar granulated yeast

2 cups+ 5- 6'' cups all·purpose unbleached white flour 1· 7 Tbsp

sea salt

1 tsp

cinnamon

dash

nutmeg

dash

ground cloves

1· =tsp

pumpkin pie spice

2 large

eggs

· 3

cup

1 tsp

canola oil vanilla extract

115-oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin p ie filling)

CHALLAH GLAZE: 1 egg, v-1ell beaten with 1 tsp water

1. In a large bowl, pour the ve ry warm water. Add the sugar and then the yeast . Allow a few minutes for the yeast to bloom .

8. Allow the dough to rise for 1.5-2 hours, until dough has doubled in bulk. Punch out some air and allow to rise for an additional hour.

2. Add the first part of the flour, the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and pumpkin spice mix and mix until a smooth batter forms.

9 . Separate chal/ah with a blessing. See page 320 for instructions.

11. Braid or shape the dough as desired and place on lined baking sheets. lf using the "half recipe" to create a wreath. use most of the dough for the \vreath, saving a small 4. Gradually add the remaining f lour, mixing amount for extra rolls or small challahs. For with your hands or stand-mixer until t he flour the wreath braiding technique. see page 294. has fully incorporated into the dough. Be sure to add only as much flour as is needed 12. Brush the challah \Vith the egg glaze after to form a non-st icky workable dough. braiding.

3. Add the eggs, oil, vani lla, and pumpkin puree and stir again until smooth.

5. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or CHALLAH TOPPING: cinnamon-sugar mix pepltas (pumpkin seeds)

10. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

u ntil it springs back when lightly touched.

6. Pou r 3-4 teaspoons of oil into the bowl. Turn t he ball of dough around in the oil until the outer layer of the dough has been thinly coated.

7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a warm. damp dishcloth and place in a warm spot to rise.

13. Allow the challahs to rise for an additional 30 minutes. 14. Glaze challahs again and sprinkle with toppings.

15. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes (medium-sized challah; time wi\I vary according to challah stze). The challah is ready \Vhen its underside is bro\vn and tt sounds ho:·ow when tapped.

·challah should be taken with a blessing. ··challah should be taken without a blessing. See page 320 for instructions. HOt.lOAY &

148

,

THE COOKBOOK

SPEC~AL.TY Cta.:J.

2l"'. Pl.:lCt."' \,,: :1 c .,I . ng

.._3'

r ac~

to c0

1

H O LI ORV & SP ECl~LT¥ C>"~ .... ~'4.S

154

o~

rosemary leaves red chili pepper flakes, a"'o coarse salt for garnish Go ea~) O'."\ ~ne c~

7. Knead th e doLJgh for abot1t 10 1n1rlutes. The dot19h will be some\vhat st1~l 1er and m ore craggy-lool,ing thJn L1sual. due' t al thee t ra 1n9red1er1ts. 8. PoL11 3- 4 teaspoor1..:; of oil into th\? b \\I Tl1r 11 tl'lt"' b.::ill of c.ioL1gl1 Jrot1nd 1r1 tl'\e. 01t Lint.! t lic oLrtl'r layer ot tl1~ dol1gl'I t1:1s L)1c"'e11 th,nl

a"'\'. ~~ o live o il afte .. b ...a d "'9

15. B"t...S'°' eac"' .:"la

l~ .:>la:!~ ~"la

co..1t , ,.. 0 013 ros

oo

ex1r virgin ol1v 0

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Ur

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r P

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r

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.;;,

••

I

..•

~

TU B'SHVAT f IG CHALLAH SEVEN SPECIES IN ONE PERFECT LOAF On Tu B'Shvat we celebrate the birthday of all growing vegetation and give thanks to G-d for the seven species \vi th which the Land of Israel has been blessed (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, Pornegran ates, olives, and dates). At one point I thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be am~zing if ~e could put all th e seven species into on e incredible ch allah?" Well, I tried. And it is. A n1azing, ~h~t 15 • You m ay want to find other excuses to bring this challah to your Shabbat table on ce a year is JUSt not often en ou gh .

Requirements: 1 small saucepan food processor rolling pin HALF RECIPE• .i QUARTER RECIPE"

Yield:

:• Yield: : 2x •

4x

1lb challahs

:. 1lb challahs .•

1. In a large bowl, pour the very warm water. Add t he sugar and then the yeast. Allow a few minutes for the yeast to bloom .

• • •

2 cups

~ 1 cup

very warm water

..i 2tsp ! 2tsp

sugar

.

V4cup

4 tsp

2. Add the fi rst quant ity of f lour and the salt and mix until a smooth batter forms.

granulated yeast

9 . Separate the challah w ithout a blessing . If making the quarter recipe, no challah separation is required. For more detailed explanations see page 320 .

10. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

• •

.•~ 2 cups . .•. .~ 2 tsp

whi te whole wheat flour

3. Add the eggs, oil, and Silan date syrup, and st ir again until smooth.

sea salt

~ 2 Tbsp

extra virgin olive oil

~

Silan date syrup

4. Add th e raisins. Then gradually add the remaining flour, mixing w ith your hands or stand-mixer until the flour has fully incorpo rat ed into the dough. Only add as much f lour as is needed to form a workable dough.

4 cups 1v 2 Tbsp i12 i12

•

cup

• •

cup

11~

cup

••

~ 1 large

2 large

•

~

eggs

+ 1 yolk

I

11. Divide the dough and roll into strands. Fill each strand w ith approximately one tablespoon of fig paste (see following page) and braid as desired. Place shaped loaves on lined baking sheets. 12. Brush challahs w ith glaze after braiding and allow challahs to rise for an additional 30-45 minutes.

•

11..c c up

2-3 117 cup s

•

: 1 Tbsp

•

•

ra1s1ns

•

: 1-1v1~:-1t.r n'J rr 7-~1 TI'1e c!:-::=t . . ... ~ ore go.ng in+ 0 th . • dipped into some water with lye, but that stuff • .e oien. Tra~~cnL/ p:-:.:zr:.•.:l tt=€1 · -:.. ....>Fit: with baking soda! And Wlth the add .., f b pretr/ dangeroi.J.S He:e's arr:._~ s.c:fc::; ·1·-;...1 ·-:. -;:.:, •u 0 n o some br'..Jm S' .. .... lightfully chewy and sweet-tangy crust C , r. '"' -6ar, 'JJe er.·.A up ·;:-.th the ID'.--· -:e . an t wait Jor yo1..1. to ta.."'te thC?~e~

1. Choose a pot or roast ing pan that 1s large enough and deep enough to contar"l enough water to fully immerse your largest cha ah. Fill it approximately halfway with \vater and bring to boil.

4 P•ar-0 or 0 br-::i ..

I

--

3. Lay an unfolded clean dish to .vel on the countertop near the pot o r pan Prepa•e a good spatul~ o r t\•10 nearby.

~=-d V-

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c'-· -=-·--.-t::"

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i...-

...

2. Pour the brown sugar and baking soda into the boiling water. Lower the flarne but keeo it high enough so that the water stays at boiling temperature throughout the bath process.

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=>

P .39 e

HOUO~Y & SPECIALTY C~ALLAHS

MARZIPAN CHALLAH Requirements:

.

.

Growing up in Vanco~ver, B.C., we didn't have many options wlJen it came to kosher canrly.

. k sJallet for the candled almond topping Non-st:Jc

And so, our Shabbat guests, eager ~o bring something sweet for the _children often tended to buy marzipan, one ~f the few kosher treats in town at that time.

HALF RECIPE •

Yield: 4 xllb (medium) challahs or 2 x2lb Oarge) challahs

•

As such, my first exposure to marz~p_an

was those beautifully boxed uuruature fruit-shaped treats that looked so pretty, each nestled in its own compartment and rustling in its pretty little tissue-paper bed. But then, horror of horrors, when I bit into them, they all tasted exactly the same. Like almond paste. All of them. Even that beautiful red one that looked just like a real tiny apple!

So, me and mqrzipan, we got off to a rough start. This chaliah will cure all of you out there who suffered similar marzipan trauma! While marzipan (which is essentially a paste made from almonds and sugar) is c!oyingly sweet on its own, when paired with challah it becomes the n:cst del:ghtful treat! The nuttiness of the marzipan with the breadiness of chal!ah lS j:.ist perfect. I've put a lot less sugar ir.to this challah recipe to prevent a sugar overload and added some cardamom and almond extract for an Extra h1t of flavor.

2 cups

ver y warm water

v2cup

sugar

4 tsp

dry Instant y east

3 cups+ 3-4t 1 cups all·purpose unbleach ed whito flour

1t 2 Tbsp

sea salt

pinch

cardamom sp fce

2 large 1

") cup

1' ,• tsp

eggs canola of I almond extract

9. If making o singlo batch or tht!; roc;ipc, rato chal /Dl1 without a bln~'.Jirtg . Soo poge 320 for tnstructlor.~.

2. Add the first quontity of flour, tho salt, and a pinch of cardamom, and mix until D smooth

10. Prohea t th e OV(Jn to 350'•F.

batter forms.

FILLING (per mediun1 challah): 1

8-oz can marzipan fllffng

CHALLAH GLAZE: 1 beaten egg with 1 t sp water

TOPPING: candled slivered almonds

see following page for recip e and 1nstruct1on s

:ri7s cl:ailah is .going to instantly de-

!lg:-.: ~E almo:-ia 1overs in your life and ~ ~c£..; ' ..N1th poppy seed'> or sesam~ !)ecd::..

15 Bak(\ nt 375°F for 2';--30 m\nutes, l1nt1I thC' bc1rbar1 is n1cel; bro'l1noct nnd bottom

01)

top

CHAUA H S S::AQM AROUKl> ilii

2fi,

I

THE COOIC80 0K

IRAQI STONE-BAKED PITA - -

-

Do you know a nything about Iraqi Jewry? 1.cert~inlY_ di~ n ot-until the Gazal family b ecam e Part of our community, that is. Lucla1y, they am ved JUSt m tim e. We were doing a series ofuSephardic shabbatons," introducing Sephardic cuisine a nd Torah into our shul, and had slotted one Sbabbat as "Iraqi Shabbat." Sounds exciting, right? Except it turns ou t that nobody in our sh1;11 kn ew anything ab out traditional Traqi cuisine. Nobody, that is, except for Victor Gaza!, who JUSt ha pp.ens t o be a n Iraqi Jew. His wife, Revital, took over the cooking for that Shabbat and, for the first time, w e all tasted a tlu Iraqi cholent (AKA tabeet} which, incidentally, is insan ely good. e

An~ so, of ~ours_e, when it came time to find an au~e?ti~ Iraqi ~hallah recip e, .m y first call was to Revital. This reape was adapted from one that Revital s sister kindly sh ared with m e. Developing this recipe was truly a cultural adventure. From emails t o the Gaz a! fa mily to the search for a perfect bread baking stone on which to bake it, every s tep of the way w as a learning experience. I'm so happy to share with you wh at I've glean ed along the way. Enjoy!

Requirements: pizza/bread stone bread peel or long-handled heat-proof spatula

Yield: approximately 12 pitas• 3 cups

warm water

1 Tbsp

sugar

2Tbsp

granulated yeast

2 cups

whole wheat flour

1. In a larg e bowl, pour t he very warm water. Add t he sugar and t hen t he yeast. Allow a few minut es for t he yeast to bloom.

9. Place the balls onto a floured surface, covered with a damp towel, to rise for another 30 minutes (b).

2. Add the whole wheat flour and 4 cups of the white flour and the salt. Add the oil and mix until th e d oug h comes together. Add the remain ing white flour gradually, using on ly as m uch flour as is needed to form a non-st icky workable dough.

For steps 10- 13, work with a maximum of 3 - 4 balls at a time so that they don 't have too much rising time once flattened.

4 cups+ 2 cups

all-purpose unbleached white flour

l Tbsp

sea salt

3. Turn out the d ough onto a floured surface and knead for ab out five minutes; no need to work the dough fo r too long.

3 Tbsp

oil

4 . Pour 3-4 teaspoons of oil into the bowl.

r

Turn the ball o f d ough around 1n the oil until t he outer layer of the dough has been thinly coat ed.

SERVE WITH DUKKAH DIP

Recipe 0 >1 following page

I

5. Cover t he b ow l with plastic w rap or a warm, damp dishclo t h and p lace in a warm spot to rise. A llow the d ough to rise for 1-1.5 hours. until it has doubled in b ulk. 6. Place the pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven, or o n t he oven floor. Preheat the oven to 475°F.

'

7. Separate the challah without a blessing. If d oubling recipe, see page 320 for instructions.

·challal1 should be taken without a blessing. . See page 320 for instru,...;

~1.1ons .

210

THE COOKBOOK

8. Divide the d o ug h into ap p roximately 12 balls. Each b all should be larger than a ping Pong b all but sm aller tha r1 a t ennis ball (a).

10. With a rolling pin, roll out 3- 4 dough balls into rea lly thin circles (pitas) (c). 11. Poke each pita a fev1 t imes w ith a fork to let out excess air (d). 12. Open the oven door and, using a floured baker's peel or a long spatula that is floured so the dough doesn't stick to it, immediately slide a rol led out pita onto the baking stone. Bake for approximately 5 minutes at 475°F (e). Do not overbake as this w ill quickly dry out the pita. 13. Remove the pita from the baking stone and place on a rack to cool. Cover it with a dtshcloth while still warm to prevent it from drying out Repeat Steps 12-13 w ith the remaining pitas.

14. Once they have completely cooled. the pitas should be stored at room temperature 1n a paper bag or \Vrapped 1n dishcloths tr not using w1th1n 24 hours. pitas shou d be frozen until the day of use.

CHALLAHS S:ROM AAO UN O T"iE WOil

DUKKAH DIP And if you want to add in a little bit of cosmopolitan flair ....

Great fo r d~pping your pi~a. into, this dukka~ recipe is a crumbly nut-and-spice blend typic~lly associated with Ezypt.1:ad1t.J.onally ~er:red Wlth olive oil on the side. Dip your pita into the 01l and then into the spice rrux for an addictive experience!

1/2 cu p

hazelnuts

1/4 cup

coriander seeds

3 Tbsp

sesame seeds

2 Tbsp

cumin seeds

1 Tbsp

black peppercorns

1 tsp

fennel seeds

1 t sp

dried mint leaves

1 t sp

salt

Blend all ing redients in a food p rocessor j~st unt il c rumbly. Serve with olive oil on the side.

CH~ LLArtS

S:ROM AROUND TriE \'.iORLO

DAIRY

or p ARE VE

BUKHARlAN LEPYOSHKA -

-

Did you al\vays think Bukhat"a; ~

a country? Well, if you did~you rem good company!

The Bukharian community has always been a strong and vibra:it on_e v:ith a continuously proud i~en~­ ty, leading people to assume tha_t it hails from a large country. Imagine my surprise when I looke~ a~ a map and found that Bukhara is, m fact, a tiny little city in Uzbekistan. I~'s pretty incredible to see \V~at this geographically small place .nas accomplished in terms of Je~vish co.ntinuity and the preservation of its unique culture. There is a tradition that Bukharian Jews are descendants of the Tribes of Naphtali and Issachar and ~at they were exiled to Cen~l. Asia, today's Uzbekistan and Ta;1kistan. during the Assyrian conquest of Israel in the 7th century B.C.E. Essentially cut off from the rest of the Jewish world for more than 2,500 years, they d eveloped their own ~­ tinc t Jewish culture. The Bukhanan Jewish community is considered to be one of the oldest ethnic groups of Central Asia

.,, d ·ry ingredients or pareve equivalents. Can be made w1u11 at

nr c JPE • : QUARTER RECIPE ••

FULL I " "

:

•

•

hka s :: or 2 large lepyos

or 8 large lepyoshkas

i •• • •

' 'L

cup

7 t sp

8 cup s

cup+ very warm water :• 1 Tbsp .• :• 2 Tbsp sugar ; i 2

••

~ 1t sp

granulated yeast

:• 2 cups

white flour

• •

: 112

• •

•

1 cup

~ J/4

.•

t sp cup

• • • • • • ••

3 14

cup

2. Knead f or 10- 15 m inutes. If using a mixer, you should only need to knead for about six m inut es. The d ou gh should be quite soft but not t oo sticky.

8. Further flatten just the inside of the circle by pushing some of the dough's thickness toward the perimeter of the disc with the heel of your hand or fingers, leaving a nice "crust" on the outside.

3. Cover t he b owl w it h p lastic wrap or a warm, damp d ishcloth and place in a warm spot to rise. Allow the dough to rise fo r 1.5- 2 hours, until it has doubled in b ulk .

•

•

2 t sp

to make. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place 1t on a greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball with the heel of your hand to create a disc about 3/4" thick .

i Yield: 6 small

Yield: 24 small

2· 2 cups

1. In a large bowl, com bine the warm water, sugar, yeast, flour, salt, sour cream, and butter, m ixing well until the dough pulls away from the mixing bowl.

;• 3 Tbsp

sea salt sour cream or pareve a lternat ive such as Tofutti brand sour cream

butter or margarine

CHALLAH GLAZE:

9. Poke evenly spaced holes throughout the center of the dough, using a bread stamp (see below). fork. bamboo skewer, or toothpick.

4 . Preheat the oven to 350°F. 10. Brush lepyoshkas with beaten egg yolk.

5. Pulilch d own the doug h, dispersing the air pockets.

11. Cover with a dishtowel and allow t o rise for 30 minutes .

6 . Separate the chal/ah w ithout a blessing. If d o ubling recipe, see page 320 for instruct ions.

12. Bake for 20-25 minutes. or until golden brown.

7. Divide t he dou gh into equally sized pieces, depending o n the size lepyoshka you wish

3 eggs, well beaten with 1 tsp water

CHALLAH TOPPING: sesame seeds

Today there are approximately 150,000 Bukharian Jews around the world, with just 100-1,000 still rem aining in Uzbekistan.

rt is my hope that with this recipe another small piece of the rich Bukha rian tradition will remain alive and well. •

The unique texture of this bread-aside from the richness of the sour cream and butter-is in the chewy crust that is formed around the edge. This is achieved by poking h oles in the center of the lepyosl'\ka, causing the rising to happen mostly in the bagel-like ring arot1nd the circun1ference. The holes are made using a special bread stamp (see image on the left). Each baker in Bukhara typically has his O\vn un1qt1e stamp \vith which he brands his lepyoshka w ith the most beautiful desigt1s. If you ~ike n1e, who could not - for tht? hfe of nu? - manage to procure an actual stamp) don't have a lepyosbka stamp handy, go ahead and use whatever you have in the h ouse A ban1boo skewer works \Vell here even a sharp fork \vill do-to n1ake evenly spaced holes 011 the indentation you've created in the center. Haue jun creating your ou.1n unique des1gns 1

• Challah should be taken without a blessing. ••No challah needs to be taken with this amount. See page 320 for instructions. CHALLA HS FROM AA.OUNO TH E WOA 1;.p

2f6

THE COOJCIOOK

".:7

CHi::lLLi::lH EMBELLISHMENTS I know, I kno~v, every challah is beautiful. I say that many times throughout this book. And I mean it, I really do. It's si mply that ... sometimes we can take an already beautiful thing and make it just a little more special. And that is what I've done for }' OU in this section. The common denominator in all these challahs is that th ere is no specific dough recipe involved. You can use whichever dough in the book you're in th e mood of. You can even just take a piece off the dough you've already made for Shabbat and just embellish that one challah ... The options are li mited only by you r imagination. When preparing this section, the challah ideas just kept on corning and I knew that if I didn't stop at some point, this book would never see the light of day. Use these ideas as recipes or simply as inspiration-who knows what challah concoction you will come up with? And if it's really super delicious ... would you please share it with me?

HALACHIC NOTE

When a ch~llah becomes ~lied to the point \Vhere the filling takes on at least as much importance as the dough itself. or there 1s a larger quantity of filling than dough. the challah takes on the halachic status of pastry and ~e blessing of mezonot Is recited upon it Such a challah should not be used to open a Shabbat or hohday meal, at which time it is Important to use a challah or bread that re uires the homot:z1 blessing. q •

The Fishy Challah and I.he Spinach Ricotta Challah in the followlng section should not be used as the m:un liamotz1 bread. All the other . to most . cJ1allahs In this section still qualify ashomot:z1· accord1ng op1n1ons. If 1n dou bt, consult with your local halachlc authoMty.

22D

THE COOICBOOIC

FISHY CrlALLAH As a staple of Shabbat enjoyment, fish represents strongly at the Shabbat table. Here I offer you a gorgeous presentation that combines two fundamental Shabbat foods-ch a11ah and fish-all in one beautiful dish.' Stuffed with your choice of tuna or salmon, this challah can make for a lovely large centerpiece but works just as well as "minis." It's a great concept for individual pla ting, or just as an alterna tive to your children's tuna sandwich. Fishy challah can also be used as part of a lovely n11shloach manot gift, as the fish recalls the zodiac sign of Pisces, which represen ts th e p osi tive mazal that influences the month of Adar. 1 I dare you to resist a mini fish ch all ah stuffed with your favorite tuna or salm o n

Reqttirements: 1 saute pan, 1 medium mixing bowl,

rolling pin for shaping tl1e challah

Dough.

1 Lrghtly olf a s kill e t and ~du t1 ti l ' onion fo r 3-5 nunutes or unttl JU' t tr.Jnsh.:c r t recipe section. For a large, centerpiece challah, Then add in tl1e carrots. celctrv. , n d use 2 lbs of dougl1. For smaller, individually sized mushrooms. a11d saute unti l · o t t, ou t fish cl1allahs, use approx. 7-8 oz of dough per "rnini." 7-10 rnorc minutes FISH FILLING 2. While the veggies are saute•r"g , o p n ti • Yield: fills one large fis}1 cha}lah or 4 minis cans of salmon o r tuna and c 1npty In o m1x1ng bowl onion, finely diced 1 med

I

Use your favorite recipe fr-0m the classic cl1allahs

I

large 2 ribs 2 6-8 med.

carrots, grated

eelery, finely diced mushrooms, coarsely chopped olf ve oil, for sauterng

4

cans

3. Add the eggs and mat.zah meal and st r until well-combrned

tuna (5 oz each)

4. When tl1e veggies are soft and have s'ight ly caramelized. drain all l1qu.ds fro m t he p an and pour the vegg1e-s into the fish m ixture

or 2 2

cans

salmon (14.75

large

eggs

1/ 2 cup

oz each)

5. Add salt and pepper U:> taste and mix ~ell

6. Squeeze excess liquid out of mixture and

matzah meal

place on prepared challah dough. Shape the mixture into an oval dome. centering 1t on the rolled out oval of dough.

salt and pepper, to taste

7.

~or fish

challan shaping and fill ing

1nstruct1ons, see page 303.

™ mllln hamotzi blessing for. the me I n ld . "fillrd chullah •· Se~ page 317 for. more information. a s au not be TeCtted on this challah, a.s ft ts considered

• RAl.ACHIC HOTI:

f.HE

.COO~IOOllC

I

., .

'' .J

\

\

BRIDAL HENNA CHALLAH ·nnn· g on bread my challah obsessed brain lit upl en I came across th e i ea o pal ' 11 h d · Wh Wouldn't it be amazing if we could paint a henna pattern on a cha a an make a bride's Shabbat Kallah or cheenah even more memorable? The cheenah (henna) ceremony is a Sephardic tradition in which the1 upcoming wedding is ·d

f

celebrated with the bride-to-be decorated with intricate henna des gns and dressed in elab costumes and headdresses. Of course there is singing and dancing and feasting as well. orate The letters of the word cheenah are an acronym for the three mitzvot that are unique to wo challah, niddah (pertaining to the immersion in a mikvah), and hadlakat hanerot (lighting the men, Shabbat candles). As the bride readies herself to enter the covenant of mamage and immer

for the first time, the cheenah celebrates her power as a woman to connect to G-d through t;es m1tzvot and bring G-dliness into the world through her personal connection. ese Though this challah would make a most special gift for a bride-to-be for the Shabbat befor h

wedding, a painted challah can be used to mark any momentous occasion.'

l

egg yolk, beaten

l

egg white, ltghtly beaten

caramel powder mixed with a fe-..v teaspoons of water to form a paste ,

e er

1. Braid or shape your challah. Be sure that the challah has a lot of surface area for painting your henna. A simple three-braid or boule works well here. Allow t 0 rise for 30 minutes. 2. Do not glaze the challah. Bake it at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until just before the top is browned. 3. While the challah Is baking, prepare your "paints" in three small bowls. In one bowl, place one egg white In t he second bowl, put the egg yolk. In the third . bowl, create t he "henna1' paint-a paste made of caramel powder and a little water. 4. Remove the challah from the oven and place on a sturdy surface. Keep the oven at 3500F. 5. Usin~ new ~aintbrushes and working as quickly as possible, paint the henna design. (I find it helpful ~~o~~veffa sketch prepared beforehand that I can brownoan~f-~hUse the egg yolk for a lighter shade of

only used a d=r~a;~~:~;~~°:;or _a d ar.ker shade. (I es1gn p ictured here.)

6. Return the challah to th tional five minutes Th. e ~lvl en and bake for an addi. is WI set the color. 7. Remove from the . whrte for a nice gl~ve~and light ly bru sh wit h egg 5-10 final minute ss. eturn t o t he oven again for

Hmna ,c:.

d~gn on dial/ah was >uzr.d·pamttd . by MuSSJt Naparstti

•HAL:ACBIC NUJ E; If planning name- on the challah beca to use. the chaUah for shabb

•

s.

... ~I

-n· -~

( /i :;...

-

3-STRAND CLASSIC BPAID page 269

. letters- such as a person's use ttanng apart the lttters isa~~~ not pa_rnt ct that IS prohibited on Shabbat. CHRLLAH EMBELLISHMENTS

DAIRY

or p ARI:VI:

. ti n Because ch ocolate. 0 Okay so I'm putting this recipe first in this sec · 'an go ahead and make a big batch of ' .th th 1·dea that you c . 1 th . · the "leftover'' section, w1 e . dough or challah but, senous y, is 1s so . away any precious I kn O\V thls is dough and not worry abou~ throw~~h of dough just for this! good, you may end up m aking a ba . page 1 10 but feel rree to use any of . . Cl .c CbaUah recipe, ' . d . 11 k This babka tastes amazmg w ith my ass1 10 t ') The recipes with fat an eggs W1 wor the sweeter dough recipes in this book (there are s. ·170 makes the absolute best babka dough . d . b bka the Butter Challah . page , best. If making a auy a • . or a shiny sugar glaze Either v1ay, you 1•m offering two top ping options here: a ~~b topp~~~ecommend you never make JUSt one! can't go wrong. They're both incredibly del1c1ous an Someone may be sad.

See both topping recipes on following pages. Can be made with dairy ingredients or pareve equivalents.

Dough:• Use Classic Challal1 recipe (page 110) or any sweet c1"1allah recipe in the book. Use approximately 24 oz of dough per babka.

MAKE THt CHOCOLA"l'l: f'ILLING:

CHOCOLATE FILLrNG: Yield: filling for 1 babka

1 Ore k up the chocoloto into smilll p1ococ. (unlcc:.s using chocolate ch1pc;).

S oz

2 Melt the chocolate 1n o microwave or doublo

1cup 1

good quality dark chocolate or chocolate chips

cup unsalted butter or margarine

• -=cup confectioners sugar ' 7

tsp cinnamon

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS TO FlLUNG: extra chocolate chips, not melted rouglily c ho pped pecans

zest of one orange

bo• er

I

Mi crowave directions: Pl;1co chocolntc pieces and butter (or m11rgar1n£·) into n m cro 11a 1e-safe bo 111 t'11cro 11a 1c• on high for one minute and the:n ~t1r. Return to m1crov1a 1e fo r 15-20-sccond inter 1ing five strands, you \... ill be braiding three strands. on one side. then S\\'itching to braid three strands on the ot11er side, and then repeaung the pattern until you end up vvith a gorgeous

• • • •

challah. I. Lightly pinch the tops of five strands together and arrange as

• • • •

depicted 1n Illustration 1.

Begin b)' bra1d1ng on cM right side.

2. Bring Strand 5 over Stran~ 4 (Illustration 2).

•

•

Strand 5 now becomes part of the "3·strund b~.on the left side.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Now work on the ·1-suand braid" on the right Jltlt

Then bring Strand 1 over Strand 4 (Illustration 6).

Now w.!' re back lD the lljt side. 1

7• Bnng Strand 2 aver Strand 5. Then bring Strand 4 over Strand 2 (lllusntio117).

•

• \

Ptndt thtt ends of1"' strands tDgether and tuck "" dlallGli'.

•I I

I

• • • •

l

.

I

+

.,

o 0 o • o o o o o o 0 I 0 0 0 0 o 0 •

o o o o 0 o

•• •• •

•

3

•• •

3

·•··•····•· ··•· •·· •· ......•.... •......

5.

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.....................'' ......................... .

4.

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6.

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•

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• ••• • • • • • • • • • • •

•

••

•

Conanue rep«itilllJ this pattern, working ont s#dtt aad then the other unal you reach the end ofsome or an oftht ltlcrntk

'

••

I

I

••

o

•• ••

I

.•• .•• • •• .•

L

•

• • • • • • • •

••

•

• •

•

•

• • •

••

•

6. Bnng Strand 4 over Strand 3.

••

• • ••

I

• •

3. Bring Strand 3 over Strand 5 r1ousqa'J!.b V·

2•

•

• •

• • •

••

••

• • • • • •

•

5· Bring Strand 5 over Strand 1 (Illustration 5).

I.

• •

•

4- Bnng Strand 1 over Strand 2 (lllust1atto~).

.••• .•• •• .••

•

•

•

•

. ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . - .... . . .. . . . ~

,.

.. . . .

•

•

... ... . . . . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . .. ..' ... . . .. . . .. ~

•• • •

• •

•

'

FIVE-STRAND T OP TW lST CI-iALLAJ-1

• • • •

• •

STP..AND

•

• • •

OF Tw1s·r CHALLAH

•

• • •

• •

•

. . .. . {lour·or six·strand) challah 1 f.tiis braiding method is similar to a htg1l c ass1c

•

3.

2•

I.

• •

•

• •

-but \Vith a twist. literally!

One of the most ortginal braids I have ever seen. it n1akcs for a stunning presentation. I sho\v it hl're \\'ith five strands, but the same method can be applied using ix stJands. as well.

• •

• • •

•

• • •

•

• • •

•

•

•

•

I. Llghtly pinch the mps of five strands together and arrange

·•~ depicted

• • • •

2 . Take the outermost st1wnd on pie right (Strand 5) and bring jt all the \Vay dcross. Take the outermo an \he left (Strand 1) and bring tl over Strand 5 and Strand 2 (Illus

2),

3. Now comes the twist! Take Strand t.ld

t

tt over Strand J (lllustra-

I

............................................................................., .

• • •

t t

•

I

t

• • 'f I .

e •

t •

t

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.... .... .... . ~

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•

• • •

6.

5.

4.

•

•

•

. ..

•

• • •

"• •

• •

non 3).

• •

Repeat the pattern: Take rhe outermott.sp-and on the right (Stra11d 4) bring it all the way acl'oss. Bring the outennost strand on the left (Strand 5) over tt and OYer Strand 1 (Illustration 4J.

• • •

•

• •IO

•

•

•

• • •

2.

• •

5• Now comes the .mt again! Take Strand 1 and tw1st It over Strand

S

3

'2.

• • •

5

5

6. Third round! StrwJd 3 (on the right) goes over and aaosstStrand 4 cross-

•

•

7•StJwad 5 tWllts DW!I' Strand 4 (llJu.stranon 7).

"

•

•

8.

7.

•

9.

•

• •

• •

• • • •

•

•

• • •

•

Tblosettbe

•

•

•

many angle,

••

• •

C.-., Olftiand) 1Dtlte the cballah along Its axis .--S lwilt lwWd (• K Illustrations 8 and 9

see.the full effsctdtlhis tepage).

•

•

•

*

.............

..... ....... . . ...

• •

ch•ll•b is that jt Uodl )IOU ftnd your

········ ··················· · ········ ····················~······················

• •

•

Colll:iJNM l'llfMOtilt/J tlm pa~rn until st.rand b«omt tDo .mart mbraid. Talce m1101nllfil bft.:r alld. pinch them together.

._tills

•

•

• •

es 8'1Vand comes down over Strand S (lllustralion

• • ••• • •• • • • •• · · · ······ · ··· · ·········

•

'

• • • •

• • •

3

•

(Illustration S).

1'e

3

2.

1

•

in Illustration 1.

4-

,

• •

• '•

• •

• • • • •

3

•

• • • • • •

•• ••

4 • • • ••••

. . .. . . . . . • • •

•

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•

•

• •

•

•

. . .. . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . ~

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The Source The word challah, though used to connote the bread we eat on Shabbat, is really the word for the piece ofdough that is separated and given to the kohen, or, In our day and age, burned to be rendered inedible. This can be can/using, as the piece that is separated is actually dough, not the baked cha/Joh. Yet it is called "cha/Joh" as per the directive in the Torah.

miluhem ha'aretz._ Reishlt arisot.elchem

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316 ,

By Torah law, cliallali Is taken only w1thjn Some other m1tzvot that are t'luyoL the boundaries of the Land of Israel. ~l ow­ ba 'aretz include bikkurim, terumah, and cver, the Sages Instituted the taking of chu lma'aser. Bikkurim, the First Fruits, were lah outside the 1loly Land so that people brought to Jerusalem by the landowner as livi ng in the Diaspora would not forget the an offering in the Temple and given to the mltzvah. kohanim. Terumah and ma 'aser, portions of In order for the mltzvah of challali to have produce, were given to a kohen and a Lev- the force of a mitzvah d'oralta (a Biblical ite, respectively. commandment), all (or a majority. accordThese other mitzvot were not applica- ing to the Sefer HaChinuch) of Jews must be ble until fourteen years after the Israelites living in Israel. Ever since the forced disentered the land (seven years to conquer persion of the Jews at the end of the First it and seven yea rs to divide It amongst Temple era, this criterion has not been meL the tribes). However, the mitzvah to take Therefore, chal/ah today, both inside and challah applied from the moment that the outside of the Land of Israel, Is a rabbinic Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the rather than a Biblical m1tzvah.

The Laws of Hafrashat Challah A Digest

Hafrashat Challah

The Torah states: ·vehaya b'achalchem

Promised Land.

1

_.1111-~

Chai/ah, the separation of a portion of dough to be gifted to the kohen, Is among ~e Torah commandments that are c:ategonzed as t'luyot ba'aretz (directly connected with the physic:a.I Land of Israel).

to the kohanim, the priests \\lho served in the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple).

chal/ah tarimu terumah ...." And it will be when you eat from the bread of the land ... the first of your dough shall be "cha/Joh," separated, and given as a gift (Bamidbar 15:19, 20). This challah gift is among the twenty-four gifts that we were directed to give

The Grains Upon Which a Blessing and Separation of Challah is Required Wheat, barley, oat, spelt, and rye. These are also the only grains from which a bread that requires the blessing of homoczi can be made.

Who May Separate Challah? The mitzvah of challoh separation applies to any Jew over the age of bar or bat mitzVah

who makes a dough that meets the requirements for separation (see below). However, this mitzvah has become known as one that is specifically \...Oman-centric and one of the three mitzvot unique to women. As part of her preparation of food for her family, the mitzvah of challah becomes symbolic of the practice of keeping kosher. a practice in which the woman of the house plays a pivotal role. lf there is no woman available to separate the challah. a man may perform this mitzvah, If, however, a man and woman are both available. the mitzvah should be perfonned by the ,..,oman.

1 For a complete overview of che laws of hafrashac cha IIah (the separoaon of chollah), please stt Kltzur Shulchan

Aruch. Chapter 35

HAFllASHAT OIALLAH

THE UIWS & CUSTOMS OF CHALUIH

31]

Flour Requirements for Separation of Challah • Less than 2 lb. 11 oz. (1230 grams) of Oour. no separation ofcha/lah LS required. 2 lb 11 oz. and 3 lb. 11 oz. • Ben,·een · h be (1666.6 grams) of Oour: cha/lo LS to separated but " irhout reciting the bless· Ing.

• Over 3 lb. 11 oz. of flour. dwllah is sepo· roted with o blessJng.

Liquid Requirements for Separation of Chaflah To separate challoh \\ith a blessing, the maiority of the Uquid content must be \\13· ter. If the ma1onty of the hquid is not \Vater (i.e.. honey, od, eggs. milk. juice. etc.), chal· loh 1s to be separated v.ithout a blessing so tong as there is at least one drop of water in the dough.

Burning the Challah Piece The piece of cha/Joh that was separated should be burned until it is rendered inecli· hie. The cha/Joh should not be burned while anything else ts being baked in that oven. If, however, it is well-wrapped in aluminum foil or the hke, It may then be burned in the oven together With other food that lS bak· Ing.

that it doesn't come In contact with anything else In the crash. This, ho\vever. is not the preferred method. Burning is always ' considered the best option.

Combining Dou9 J1s ~tultiple doughs t~at are each too small

to separate on their o\vn: If )'U are simultaneously making multiple doughs that are each too small to require challah separation (such as if your mi.xer is too small to contain a large batch of dough and you are therefore making multiples of the same recipe), the doughs may be combined once kneaded to allow for the separation of challah. Simply place all the small doughs into one container and cover the container with a cloth. Separate the challah from one of the dough pieces and make the blessing as usual If, ho,vever, you are making many small doughs at once but they will each be baked in another person's oven (such as if a group of friends gather to bake challah together but each participant makes a small batch of dough and will take it home to bake), the doughs cannot be combined to separate challoh \vith a blessing.

meets the hafrashat challah requirements), all of the dough should be in close proximity to each other at the time of the declaration. If the dough is not in a bowl or container, it is sufficient for all of the dough to be in the same room as the person who is sepa· rating the challah . However, if the batches of dough are in bowls or containers, it is im· portant that the bowls be open and touch· tng while separating the challah.

gan, the challah may still be eaten on Shab· bat, provided that this took place outside of the Land of Israel. A slice of the challah loaf from which challah can be se parated after Shabbat should be set aside. This slice should be large enough for the chaff ah to be separated from it while still leaving over a portion of challah to be eaten thereafter.

Separating Challah From Dough that is Not Being Used

Separating the Cha11ah Afte r Baking

for Bread

For large quantiues of cakes, cookies, If a person forgot to separate chaffah be· and desserts that meet the requirements fore baking the dough, or the dough was too for challah separation, the laws of separat· "runny" to separate while it was raw (such ing challah apply. However, since the \vater as in a gluten-free oat challah batter), or content in baked goods is generally the mi· a person baked cakes that require challah nority of the liquid, chaI/ah should be sepa· separation, challah may (and should) still rated without a blessing. be separated after baking. When the dough is intended for cooking Combine all the baked challahs or cakes together in a container and cover them with a cloth. Remove a small piece from one of the loaves and make the blessing as usual.

or frying (rather than baking). such as do· nuts or dumplings. challah should be separated without a blessing. However, if even a small portion of the larger dough \Yill be If a person forgot to separate challah on baked, a blessing may be made over the Friday and only realized once Shabbat be· separation.

Similarly, if a person bakes several small batches of bread or cake and then puts them all together in a bag, container, or freezer, he or she must separate challah if the combined batches meet the hafrashat cha/Joh requirements. For example, if a person bakes cookies in three separate batch· Once the piece of cha/Joh has been burnt, es, with each batch containing two pounds ft should be discarded but does not need to of flour, and she then combined all of the cookies Into one container, such as a cooki e be disposed of In any pamcular manner. If lt is not possible to burn the piece of jar, she must separate a piece of "chat/ah" dough, there are some opinions that say from the cookJes. that Ir is also acceptable ro discard it in the Multiple doughs that are each large garbage. Care shouJd, however, be taken to enough for challah separation: ensure that the piece of dough is properly When separating cha/lah for several batch· wrapped-preferably double-wrapped-so es of dough at one time (when each one

,

318 ~

THE LAWS & CUSTOMS OF CHAUAH

HAFRASHAT CHALLAH

3l9

•

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THE CHf:lLLf:lH BLESSING

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Separate a portion of dough- cha//alr- rron1 dough that has been n1ade with at least one of these five grains: wheat, barley. oat, spelt, and rye. Separate it after the dough has bee n kneaded but whil e the dough ls sti ll \Vhole. before dividing and shaping Into loaves. Befo re scpar~1tlng the piece of dough, recite the follo\vlng blessi ng:

•

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A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE EPARATION REQUIREME NTS CHALLAH S •••••••••••••••••• •••••• • • • • ................................ . ........ •·····•····•······· •

••

: THE AMOUNT Of nouR THAT IS • : REQUIRED FOR SEPAR.ATlON OF

THE GRAINS UPON WRICH A ILESSfNG AND SLPAJ!.ATION OF

..

•

bread that requires the blessing of harnotzi can only be made from these grains. A

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·• CHALLAH:

CHAUAH IS REQUIJlE.D:

1

i There are three categories in the i separation of challah: i 1. Separation with a blessing i• 2. Separation without a blessing i 3. No separation required at all

Ba-ruch A-tah A-do -nai Elo-heinu Me-lech ha-o-lam a-sher kid -sha-nu b' mitz-vo-tav v'tzi-va-nu l'haf-rish chal1ah (some add: min ha-i-sah) .

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• • ••

SPELT WR EAT

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You, ADO-NAI, ARE THE SOURCE OF ALL BLESSINGS, OUR G-D,

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LB. I I OZ / I

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MAsTER OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO HAS SANCTIFIED US WITH HIS GRAMS

COMMANDMENTS AND COMMANDED US TO SEPARATE CHALLAH

(some add: FROM THE DOUGH).

When using the above amount or more, challah is separated with a blessing. -+----iJn between these amounts-s---

requires separation of challah

Then, remove a small piece. approximately one ounce. from the dough. Immediately after doing so. hold the piece of dough aloft and say: "'•

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without a blessing.

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Ha -rei zu challah. BEHOLD, THIS IS CHALLAH.

2 LB. I IOZ / 1230 GRAMS

Si nce we cannot give the cha/lah to the kohanlm, nor use it ourselves, the prevailing custom Is to burn the piece of dough. It may be burned in an oven (or by any other means), though not while other foods are baking in it.2

If using less than the above amount of flour, no •• '• • ••

•

separation of challah is required.

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If a person forgot to separate challah before baking, the cha//ah may (and should) still be separated afterwards.1

1 For meditations and inntions dunng numtnc volut> af tht word cha/Joh It Lr also IM numenc volut of tht word pm (also), lnd1eoung 0 completion and Ind As such. It IJ a 'Vr'1 "IJnl{icant numba 111 wion. flndl"IJ OM'• soul-mate tmru of

THE &AWS I CUSTOMS OF CHlt• L"»4

ninth n1onth of pregnancy.

• According to our sages, the mit'L.vah of separating challah brings a blessing for prosperous livelihood into the hom e. "You shall give the first yield of your dough to the kohen to make a blessi ng rest upon your home" (Yechezkel 44:30). An early German and Central European name for challah was barches, an acronym for the phrase "Birkat Hashem hee washeer," lfashem's blessing brings riches (Mish/cf 10:22). Another name for challah that relates to this verse. used in the same part of the world, Is dac/Jer. • Shllsscl Challah: A very popular tradi tion related to challah, this takes place only once a year, on the first Shabbat Immediately following Passover. It is a tradition that relates to sustenance and there are various explanations given as to why this is done. The name given to this tradition is "Shlissel Chai/ah," or "Key Challah." It is customary to either bake a key into the challah, make a key shape with dough on top of the challah, and some even form the entire challah in the shape of the key. The premise of this custom is that this particular Shabbat is an auspicious time for sustenance prayers, and the key on or in the challah represents the opening of the gates of sustenance for the coming year.9

8 :lshnah Shabbat 2:6. Women may be judged

urtng childbirth according tht- thrte mltzvot of womtn.

co their observance of

9 The tarlitSt r«orded source for chis custom seems ~ bt the ~/tr Ohelv Ylsrael b)' Rabbi Avraham Ye· oshua Heshtl, tht Apur Rav. He refers co the cus· IDm of shl~J challah as ·an ancient custom • and

oners numerous Kabba/1sc1c lnurpretaoons f~r this

• Because of the tren1cnd ous zccl1ut (nicrit) that Is attributed lo th e mltzvnh of separating challal\, It Is rccon101cndcd to bake challah, prln1arlly for the purpose of fulf\lllng this nlltzvah, at least once a year. Ideally, one should separate challal1 dt1rlng the Ten Days of Repentance.'" • Our sages Instituted that we pcrforn1 th e 111ltzvah of hafrashat cl1a//ah outside of tl1c Land of lsrncl so that we do not forget "the Torah of cl1allah:·11 It follows, tl1crcfore, tl1at pcrformlng the mi tzvah of cl1allal1 Is a special scgulah for rc111c1nbcrlng ar\d ltnproving memory. • Challah Is a special segulah for tcshuvah In general a nd, even more specifically, for the baa/ tcshuvah (returnee) or a co nvert to lu tlals111.

This Is because cvt·n wh1•at lhat w.,o; lnl ported Into the Land of lsrJcl was considered to be \-Vhc.1t of the Iloly Land. Therefore, we were required to tt1kc challah fro1n It even at the time when challah WJS only separated frorn wheat of the Land of Israel. ·rhlallalt •Pd''

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Summer.97

sourdough challah recipe: 138 h0\'1' ro create a starter: 136 rising time: 137 rustic loaf recipe: 134

challah recipe: 130 gluten dcvelopn,ent: 77

Spinach RJootta SrulTed Challah l't'cipc: 224 Starter

aosem•ry-Garlk on ~: 156

ho,.,. to create: 1J6 Rustic Sou rdough Loaf recipe: 13 4 Sourdough ChaJlah recipe: 138

Round Oaallab (Stt also Challah Rolls/ Cut Rosette Roll: 301 0

Filled Rosettr Roll: 301 Four-Strand Round

Basket \Veave: 143. 169, 292 Wreath: 14 7, 294 ~ignlfican~ of; 326 Stx·Strand Round ~t \Veave: 181. 297 "'\Vlnston Brot": 298

Sall

rorgorto use: 102 function in chaJJ.:ib· 56. 82

mediatJon while addl~ 335 proportion to Oour: 82 rq>resenong disophne: SS rep~nung gewrah; 54

vs. sugar: 48 what type to use: 82 when to add: 82 sta-Sbaad Braid Oasslc 127, 227. 280

Sugar

as a parallel to In fancy· 49 meditation \'1hile adding: 334 vs. ot11cr S\Veeteners In challah: 78

vs. salt 48 yeast activation: 78

Tbrtt·Strand Braid Classic 235, 269 loaf pan: 135. 269 Twelve-Strand Octopus Braid: 290 Toppinp, Glazes, and Accompaniments Candled Almonds reo pe: 185 CJnnanlon-Maple Butter Spread rectpe: 150 Cinnamon Streusel Topping recipe: 1 73 Dukkah Spice Mix reape: 213 Everything Topping recipe: 120 Fig Paste Filling recipe: 162 function of: 99

Garlic-Parmesan Top!Jing recipe: 172 Rosemary·Garllc Oil recipe: J 56 Shalom Bayit Topping recipe: 132 technique: 99 tools to use: 86, 173 when to add topplngs: 9 9 when to glaze: 99

Slx·Rrand Round Basket Weavr; 181, 297 -Winston Bror": 298

..... el (JaeDeh; 308, 330

as a n1cans for purilh.,1tlon· 4 l ,cdlt.il.lon \'1hllc 11tld1ng: 334 0 rclerrin~ to 1'orah: 40 rcprC?scntlng chc!il'd· 54 tcn1per..iturc for actlvallng yeast. 7tJ tcmpcroturc for (crmcnt.,itlon (rlsln~): 79

\\'bole Wheat challJh

flo ur fun ction In challnh: 78

Cnw;ovcr Weave: Z84 Flsh~U: 159, 227, 283 Fial Weavr. 232, 282

Se•ea«»ud Flal Waw!O•ll1b: 229. 285

water

Stirring Utensil what typ