Get ready for next Shabbat with your own made Challah (חָלָה)!
One of the Jewish traditions for Shabbat (שַׁבָּת) and holidays (ch'agim - חַגִים) is to eat Challah, according to the following prayer: “בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ” (Baruch ata adonai eloheyno melech ha'olam ha'motzi lech'em min ha'aretz) - Blessed you god, our god king of the world, who brings bread out of Earth.
Here’s an easy recipe for you to make your own wonderful Challah
Ingredients (Mitzrach'im - מִצְרַכִים):
1 kg flour (kemah - קֶמַח).
2 ½ tsp dry yeast (shmarim - שְׁמָרִים).
3 tbsp sugar (sucar - סֻכָּר).
3 ½ cups water (ma’im - מַיִם).
½ cup olive oil (Shemen za’it - שֶׁמֶן זַיִת).
1 tsp salt (melah - מֶלַח).
Instructions (horaot - הוֹרָאוֹת):
Mix together flour, sugar, yeast. Then, add to the mixer water, olive oil, and salt. Mix for 7-8 minutes (dakot - דַּקּוֹת).
Let the dough (batsek - בָּצֵק) swollen until it gets twice the volume (it takes about 1 hour (sha’a - שָׁעָה) ).
Roll the dough into 3 long (aroh - אָרֹךְ) ‘sausage’ shapes, and braid them carefully together.
Let the dough braids (tsamot - צַמּוֹת) swollen for half an hour (Hatsi sha’a - חֲצִי שָׁעָה).
Bake the Challah in the oven (tanur - תַּנּוּר), in 220C° / 428F° for 15 minutes (until it gets a golden-light brown color).
Get your Challah out of the over and cover the mold (tavnit - תַּבְנִית) with a towel (magevet - מַגֶּבֶת) so it will stay soft (rah - רַךְ).
Pro's Tip:
If you got more pieces than you intended (for example, you wanted 2 dough braids but got 4), you can put the Challah (after you finish making it) in a plastic bag and freeze it. Once you want to use it again, wrap the Challah in an aluminum foil and just warm it in the oven!
Bon appétit! - Bete’avon - בְּתֵיאָבוֹן!
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