Challah Hooray, sort of

[donutsweeper]

So I made challahs again today.  This time I took photos of them before going in the oven in case the cooking erased all trace of the braiding effect like it did last time.  I took the suggestions from the thread I posted earlier and put the bread in a hotter oven (400) for 5 minutes before lowering the temp to its normal baking temp.  It worked, to some extent.
as dough (all three loaves this time- one in a traditional 3 braid, the others in a 4 braid)
and


as bread (also all three)

and

the first in the photo didn't have as distinct braiding pattern as I would have liked, but the other 4 braid came out beautifully and the traditional one is pretty good too.  So I'm going to wrap them up and freeze them for next friday!

Comments

Rock on, baker

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

Woo! Those look beautiful! Thanks for posting the pictures.

I've been really wanting to try that six-strand technique since you showed it to me. Hmm, maybe this weekend in my mom's kitchen, where there's actually space to work...

[tintop-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Hmm, wide short braid or long thin braid? The answer is , how many people at table... I thought you had to let them squish together a bit at the sides as they baked so they were a pair together, or am I quoting a wrong traditional thing here? Dunno, your thoughts welcome.

Re: Rock on, baker

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

I debated doing the six- I've done it before and the loaves do come out beautiful. I do recommend doing a 6 strand test run with yarn or socks or something first.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

traditionally, challah is a braided egg bread. the braid differs according to who is making it. For services (what I'm making this for) one loaf is put by the bima (where the rabbi stands) and the motzi (prayer) is said over it and then a pieces are torn off. Another loaf is put on the oneg table (treats and coffee served after the service) and the motzi is said again as a congregation and anyone who wants challah is welcome to tear off a piece

Re: Rock on, baker

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

If I manage to braid six tube socks I will definitely post a picture! :)

Re: Rock on, baker

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I bet you can do it! :)

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Look nice.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

thanks! :)

[tintop-lizzy.livejournal.com]

My mum-in-law just used to get us to mop up the gravy with it *ignorant shame fuels sideways shuffle to next room*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Oh no, it's okay- the only reason I care what it looks like is that I'm making it for my daughter's Bat Mitzvah. Otherwise, I tend for smaller loaves that fit my family size better.

[tintop-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Long life!

(I have zero appropriate icons for this)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

thank you! It's rare I have appropriate icons myself. Mine lean toward silly or weird

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

They look really lovely!

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

Remember me asking you if you were cooking them in a tin/pan? To me those pans look a bit too wide - there's enough room for the dough to spread sideways...

And I cannot believe I didn't mention how yummy they look!

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Those look pretty good...and very tasty.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

yeah- they're done on a cookie sheet so they just splursh out to the sides like that. I've tried doing them in pans before but they totally lose the braid effect then

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

thank you! *phew* finally got them to work!

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

thank you, luckily they taste as good as they look :)

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

*pokes them*
-oo! Yummy -
that's weird...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

maybe I'm just the weird one...

[phoenix64.livejournal.com]

They look wonderful!

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*bounces* thank you! My last attempts came out weird looking so I'm glad it worked this time!

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

I'm having a moment of dissonance:
I'm in here talking to you about baking (and reminding you you haven't shared the recipe yet).
and
I'm in fajrdrako's lj telling her I don't much like cooking.

Baking isn't cooking - I just decided - it's a category of its own.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I totally agree- cooking and baking are two entirely different things. I spent all damn day making the bread (well, on and off) and was happy. Ask me to chop veggies and stir and stand in front of a stove for a similar ammount of time to make dinner and I'm a very annoyed camper

besides baking=dessert usually. YUM!

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Even better :-)

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

Yes. that. exactly :D

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

also there's the baking= chocolate of some sort or the ability to lick the spoon.. and that makes it that much better

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

I get so excited when stuff finally comes out right.