It is no wonder the public often thinks there is no way to enjoy a delicious slice of spelt challah or bread, as it always comes brick-heavy in stores: Mine is light and delicious, and I hope you make it before the austerity week sets in!
Spelt Challah Recipe
Servings
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 3-4 cups warm water
- 1/2 cup honey sugar or sucanat
- 4 Eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 12 cups spelt flour
- 1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup water
- Sesame or poppy seeds optional
Instructions
- Mix the yeast, 3 cups water and honey or sugar in a big bowl, and let the mixture bubble for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, oil and salt, and beat. Add the flour, and mix thoroughly adding more water as needed up to 4 cups. Transfer the mixture to a lightly-floured flat working surface, and knead for about 15 minutes, turning the dough a quarter of a turn every 2-3 minutes and punching it down often to eliminate any air pockets (or transfer the mixture to the bowl of a dough maker. Set for 10 minutes of kneading). Transfer the kneaded dough into a big mixing bowl (remember, it will expand). Sprinkle flour all around the dough. Let rise, covered with a cloth, in a warm draft-free area for 2 hours.
- Shape the Challah: divide the dough into 4 pieces. Divide each piece into thirds and roll each third into a long thin rope. Pinch the 3 ropes together at one end to hold them in place. Braid, and place the braid on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Place the loaves well apart in the pan (you might need more than a pan: Bake one at a time). Brush each loaf with the egg-and-water mixture, and top with seeds if desired. Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Raisin Challah: Served on Rosh Hashanah. Add two cups of raisins to the dough, shape it into 4 round loaves (for each loaf, make a long thin rope, and roll it into a coil)
- Source:
- Levana Cooks
Terrible recipe!!! Very dry and crumby challah
It is not necessary in this recipe, but you can feel free to try it.
Should vital wheat gluten be added?
How would I convert this recipe for use with 5 pounds of Whole Spelt flour?
There are a few opinions on the amount of flour you need to use in baking in order to make the bracha so it is best to ask your rabbi, you can also check out this guide https://www.star-k.org/articles/articles/1197/when-you-need-to-knead-a-guide-to-hafrashas-challah/
what would I need to do in order to say a bracha on seprating the challah?
Based on this recipe, but using 50% white spelt flour and 50% whole spelt flour. Still need to work to perfect the recipe.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/feee6c93d233ff6333a698a0728cc0403fefc71c401631140dd9d7ed1df17c3b.jpg
THANK YOU!!!!!
You don’t have to let it rise after shaping in this recipe
*Tamar Genger MA, RD | **Executive Editor *
Kosher Network International | JOYofKOSHER.com [email protected]
904.580.7050 ext 250
second rise after braiding or not? confused.
i would leave it out and allow the bread to have a nice long slow 2nd rise.
If you use a 2nd tray that means the 2nd tray will rise for another 45min should you put the tray in the fridge or leave it out
If you need to let the 2nd tray
Whole spelt flour is best
Tamar Genger MA, RD
Executive Editor
http://www.joyofkosher.com
http://www.facebook.com/joyofkosher
Twitter @joyofkosher
It is, and I make nice things from it.
Will try mixing whole spelt and see how it goes 🙂
Shana Tova
What type of spelt flour is recommended for this recipe?
I think she meant to say “didn’t HALVE the oil or sugar” i.e. it had twice as much.
You want the dough to be a little sticky. Too much flour and it will be dense and tough. For the seconds rise, be sure to let it rise, once braided, for at least 2-3 hours. Then egg wash and bake. Also, set your racks so the dough has room to rise in the oven.
Sorry, I’m confused. The dough did not stick to my hands at all. To the contrary, after it rose, it became hard to work with, as in tough. I had to knead it a second time to work with it. Why is that? I kneaded it for 20 minutes before letting it rise as well.
Spelt flour, like all flours needs to be re-hydrated to bake with and you may have added too much. There is plenty of water in the recipe. You should allow the dough to be TACKY and not stick to your hands…there is an in between stage where I is perfect.
I love spelt flour and make spelt challah, cakes, cookies and more. It is a finer and higher quality flour. Good luck and don’t give up.
This was really interesting. I didn’t have the problem that most people here are taking about. The dough wasn’t sticky or anything, but the opposite. The dough was difficult to handle after it rose for two hours because it became tougher. I had to knead it to get a softer consistency. Is that normal? I think it turned out good. The dough really rose in the oven (ruining my pretty challah braids). Other than that, its a nice recipe. I’ve never worked with regular flour, so this is uncharted territory as well and I have nothing to compare it to.
Somehow they came out very tasty even though I couldn’t really shape them. Yes I think the key is to add more flour also maybe I should do it by hand instead of in my kitchen aid. Thanks carol-ann
Here is a message from Levana: Carol, practice practice. That’s all it takes. The realm of low gluten, just like the realm of gluten-free, takes getting familiar with.
You might have kneaded the dough less vigorously the second batch. Add a drop more flour, only when absolutely necessary.
Gmar Chatimah Tovah xoxo
Just made for the 2nd time. Came out very loose. Don’t know why first time was perfect. What could I have done wrong?
No, not for this recipe.
I don’t think rice flour would work as a sub cause it has no gluten.
I am not sure Jennifer, have you tried it out? I think it would be less challah like without sweetener, but could be good bread.
Are you saying that this recipe minus the oil & sugar came out fine?
After I braid the challah am I supposed to let it rise again?
I made half the recipe and by mistake didn’t have the oil or sugar and it was so easy to handle- barely had to knead and it was enjoyed by all!
I made half the spelt challah recipe for Shabbos and it was amazing. My guests were quite impressed. My loaves looked just like the photo. I have tried using spelt in the past, but I was never able braid the loaves because of the loose consistency of the dough. Thank you, Levana
Can I substitute and use rice flour instead? I can’t have spelt.
About 4 lbs.
How many LBs of flour is 12 cups?
Sorry about the typos. I meant I had to add two cups of flour.
I agree with Rachel G. It Wash impossible to handle and knead the dough if I had not added the flour. The recipe needs to be modified.
I had to add two morte coups of flour!!!
Amazing. I made them today… First time I have been able to have challah (wheat allergy)but spelt is fine. They are amazing they look, smell and hopefully taste exactly like real challah. I am in awe, thank you so much for sharing :)!
I cut the recipe in half and used whole spelt. It came out great.
Rachel, I am so sorry I must tell you, my spelt challah recipe is tried and true, I can’t tell you how many peoople make it every week. I’m afraid you are outnumbered. If you put 20 cups of flour, it must have felt like a ton of bricks. I highly recommend you use the amounts listed, adding just a little flour if you must, always using the golden rule of bread making as your guide: RESIST the temptation to add flour!
Is it possible to do this recipe successfully without any sweetener added at all? and is it possible to do a water challah recipe with whole spelt? I have a wheat allergy so this would be great since now I eat spelt matzah for shabbos. thanks so much!
I made this challah this past Shabbos and it came out perfect! I took the advice to resist adding flour, and I used organic lite spelt flour. It rised so beautifully and came out delicious, one of the best challahs I ever made. thanks so much!
You can probably grind the whole spelt into flour.
How can I make this using whole spelt?
am very interested to learn more about holy meal. thank you. Shabbat shalom
I made just one loaf. I used my mixer so I used the exact amount of flour. I will do this many times in the future. Thank you for sharing this with us. Blessings!
If you check Levanna’s website, you will see that she explains that making bread with low-gluten spelt requires different rules. It will be sticky, until the end when it bakes into a light, well-formed loaf. Her advice: Resist, Resist, Resist adding more flour.
THis was by far the worst recipe I have ever followed. 12 cups of spelt flour was NOT ENOUGH to get a consistency going. I had to put 20 cups + to be able to knead the dough. I had to keep adding flour throughout the kneading and shaping!
Is 12 cups of spelt enough to make a bracha?
Of course :-)))
would it taste the same if i made it with half of everything?