Let’s get back to the basics of challah baking! The once-intimidating task is now daunting no longer with Esty Wolbe guiding us through the process using the challah recipe thousands of women make for Shabbat every week. Stick around for easy-to-follow directions for braiding beautiful 4-strand and 6-strand challos.
Get the recipe:
4 tablespoons Gefen Dry Yeast or other active dry yeast
5 cups warm water
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar, divided
5 pounds Glicks High Gluten Flour, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons salt
3 eggs plus additional for egg wash
1/4 cup Gefen Honey
1 and 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Your favorite toppings (I love to use everything spice)
For the full recipe, click here!
For more with Esty, watch Easy Does It.
Photography and styling credits: Adena Loboda
looks like the best
Thank you Esty for this amazing video, I just used my regular recipe but the braiding demo really helped me! My challos are in the oven now and they look nicer than ever (and I’ve been doing the 6 braid for about 12 years but never looked so nice…)
Hi Esty, i would love to try this challah, but it has WAY too much sugar. My husband does not like sweet challah. what is the minimum amount of sugar I can use that will still give it a good taste? (I don’t know if it is possible to give me an answer….)
You can try using 3/4 cup sugar.
Thank you Esti. I’ve always had a problem braiding 6 and today I followed your instructions and yes my challah look better. I also put the ends underneath so we shall see how they look when baked. Thanks again.
Thank you for the informative video. Since my time is limited can the dough be prepared ahead of time and either frozen or refridgerated and if so, what is the time frame suggested. if frozen, how should the dough be thawed?
Thank you
you may have an issue with saying the bracha on dough that you freeze without baking… make sure to aks your LOR
We’d recommend freezing the challah once it’s baked and cool. Place in an airtight bag and freeze! Then you can have challah that you pull out whenever you need it.
Thanks for the tip of cutting off the ends and putting them underneath for height! I never heard of doing that before!
Just FYI, if you start a 3- or 4-strand braid from the middle, instead of either end, you don’t get that mushy-looking first end
Thank You for making challah making- a big part in a womens life seem so simple. Is there any way to make it sugar free?
Great show! Just a tip from someone who’s been baking challah for some years, a stainless steel bowl should be fine and is actually recommended (do your own google search!) Materials you should be avoiding are copper and aluminum. Good luck!
I used to think that you need a bosch in order to make challah. And that it was a drop complicating. I
ve never made challah before since we dont have a bosch at home. Thank you so much for showing me how I can make without a bosch, and how it`s simple!!