By Miriam Szokovski
How does water challah differ from traditional challah?
Water challah is lighter, less dense and not at all sweet. It typically contains no egg or sweetener (save a tiny bit to help the yeast do its job).
People love it for its crunchy exterior and savory taste — perfect for dipping in matbucha, baba ganoush, hummus and other Shabbat dips or salads.
Water Challah | Pareve
Yields: 2 loaves
- 1.25 pounds (570 grams) flour
- 1½ cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- Oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- Sesame or poppy seeds
Note: This recipe yields 2 loaves and does not use enough flour to take challah with a blessing. This recipe can be easily multiplied; if you multiply by 4 you will be using 5 pounds of flour, which is enough to do the mitzvah.
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on slow until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium, and let the mixer knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the dough from the mixer and form it into a ball. Coat it lightly with oil and place it in a clean bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise for an hour.
Divide and braid the dough as desired. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush the loaves with a beaten egg (I used egg white only, which is why my challahs are rather pale) and sprinkle them with sesame or poppy seeds. Cover it gently and allow it to rise for another 30 minutes.
Uncover the tray and transfer it to the oven. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
Optional: For an extra-crisp crust, place a pan of water on the bottom of the oven when you put in the challah. This will create steam in the oven that adds a great crust.
Miriam Szokovski is a writer, editor and member of the Chabad.org editorial team.
