Recipe By Blends By Orly
I've gotten great feedback about this challah over the years. Using Blends by Orly Manhattan Blend to bake gluten-free challah gets you a perfect result every time.
This recipe has a percentage of oat content so that you can wash your hands and make a Hamotzi blessing on the challah. If you want to be able to say Bircat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) too, you have to make the flour content over 50% oats. See note at the bottom of the recipe for how to modify.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Cover a sheet pan with Gefen Parchment Paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine one tablespoon of yeast, one cup lukewarm water and one teaspoon sugar. Let sit for about five minutes. Add honey, egg, oil and mix together.
In a separate bowl, mix together Manhattan Blend, oats, baking powder and salt.
Add the dry flour mixture into the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed for three minutes. Gradually add another quarter cup of water and mix on medium speed until the dough is fully mixed. The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky, but not like a batter. Add more flour if the dough is too wet.
• If you don't want to use oats, use 3 and 2/3 cups of Manhattan Blend instead.
• To recite the Grace After Meals on this challah, the oat content must be greater than 50%. Use 1 and 2/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon gluten free oats or oat flour and reduce the amount of Manhattan Blend to 1 and 2/3 cups. Increase eggs to 2.
Turn the dough out onto a surface floured with Manhattan Blend or rice flour. Divide dough into three equally sized parts. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough to prevent it from sticking to your hands.
Carefully roll each portion into three long ropes. Add more flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Place each rope parallel to each other on the pan.
Pinch the top ends together and braid the dough into a plaited loaf. If the dough sticks to your hands, you can dip your fingers in oil to help stick the ends of the dough together. Let sit in a warm and moist area for 45–60 minutes covered with a warm wet towel to let the dough rise.
• If this is your first time baking gluten free bread, start by making the rolls. They are really easy to make and are a good stepping stone towards your mastering the plaited loaf.
• If you prefer to use a mold, you can spread the dough into a challah-shaped silicon mold.
• For letting the dough rise, I like to set my oven to warming mode (about 90–100 degrees Fahrenheit or 40 degrees Celsius) and let the challah dough proof for about 30–45 minutes, until it almost doubles in size.
If you want to make rolls, scoop up some dough with a large ice cream scoop and wipe on the side of the bowl to flatten. Release dough directly onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you prefer to use a mold, you can spoon the dough into muffin tins.
Egg wash the top of the risen challah with a lightly beaten egg and bake the the challah for approximately 30 minutes, or until the color is a golden brown and the outside is crispy.
For more gluten free recipes, videos, and baking tips visit blendsbyorly.com.
