Lion’s Bread Cinnamon Raisin Round Challah bread, filled with warm cinnamon-sugar and sweet raisins – just in time for Rosh Hashanah, but perfect for ALL of the holidays
WHAT IS CHALLAH BREAD?
Here’s a little context for you. Traditional Challah Bread is a really special traditional Jewish bread that is usually braided, and served on Shabbat (Sabbath) and most Jewish Holidays. It is enriched with eggs and oil, and is kind of like brioche’s Jewish cousin.
I’ve learned almost everything I know about Challah bread from my Mom, who has been baking award-winning Challah for about 25 years. This bread is the namesake of the blog, guys! I started baking and selling it on Martha’s Vineyard during the summer high season when I lived and worked there. The name of my business was “Lion’s Bread.” My nickname was Lion, and this was my bread.
Why do you make Round Challah for Rosh Hashanah?
For the Jewish High Holidays, starting with Rosh Hashanah, I LOVE to take my Lion’s Bread Original Challah Bread recipe, and shape it into a perfect round spiral to symbolize fluidity, continuity, and sweetness in the New Year, the way my Mom has been doing for decades. She walked me through this method step-by-step a few years ago, and I’ve been shaping the dough into this charming spiral every Fall ever since.
How to Shape Round Spiral Challah
Instead of shaping (then braiding) 4 ropes of dough, you roll out one long rope, then spiral it around itself until you reach the end. Before spiraling, I use my rolling pin to flatten out the rope a bit, and create a long trench. Then I fill the trench with a cinnamon-sugar mixture and sweet raisins. I pinch the dough tightly together, around the sugar and raisins, then roll it up!
You want to be sure to pinch the end of the spiral in tightly to the spiral, so that the “tail” stays in!
HOW TO KNEAD BREAD BY HAND
It’s great if you have a stand mixer, but I love giving you recipes that don’t require any fancy or expensive equipment. Kneading this Challah Bread dough by hand is actually super simple.
After your dough has risen at room temperature by about 1/3, I pour the dough out onto a very lightly floured work surface, like my clean countertop. I use a metal or plastic dough scraper as I go to help handle the dough as well.
Bring the top edge of the dough into the midline, and push away from you. Then give the dough a 90 degree turn, bring the top down again, and press away. Rotate 90 degrees, bring the dough in, and press away. This motion takes practice, but you’ll get it in no time!. If the dough sticks at all, use the bench scraper to scrape the dough up. Continue to knead the dough until the surface is smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes.
Try not to add any additional flour while you knead the dough. Instead use the bench scraper as a nonstick 3rd hand!
If the dough loses elasticity or starts to tear, cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest on the work surface for 5 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, and makes the dough easier to work with. Come back, and finish kneading.
WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER CHALLAH
If you’re lucky to have any leftovers, the toast situation the next morning will be outrageous. I recommend salted butter, raw honey, or pb +j…and now I’m HUNGRY writing this post. Better yet, get fancy and make some French toast. It is to. die. for.
This Cinnamon Raisin Round Challah Bread is a show-stopping, one-bowl wonder, that only requires about 3-4 minutes of kneading [that is very low-maintenance in bread terms]. What I love about this recipe is that you don’t need any fancy equipment, and it is such a good way to get your kids in the kitchen with you!
Scroll down for a full tutorial gallery! Make this gorgeous show-stopping bread for your holiday table, I know you’re going to LOVE it as much as we do!
Make sure to tag me @lions.bread on Instagram and comment below if you make this Vegan Challah Bread (Water Challah). Want to pin this recipe and save it for later? Use the button on the recipe card or on any of the photos above to save it to your favorite Pinterest board! Happy baking!
Have a New Year filled with Health, Wealth, and LOVE!
– LeAnne
Make this bread? Leave a comment below!
Cinnamon Raisin Round Challah
Lion's Bread Cinnamon Raisin Round Challah bread, filled with warm cinnamon-sugar and sweet raisins - just in time for Rosh Hashanah, but perfect for ALL of the holidays
Ingredients
Dough:
- 3 c unbleached All Purpose flour
- 1.5 c unbleached bread flour
- 1 c warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast 1 package
- 1 T kosher salt
- 2 large organic eggs room temperature
- 1/2 c avocado oil or grapeseed oil
- 1/4 c raw honey
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 c granulated sugar
- 1/4 c raisins
Egg wash:
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 T water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 1 c of the AP flour, the yeast, and 1 cup of warm water thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Add the eggs, honey, and avocado oil straight to the flour/yeast mixture. Mix well. Add the remaining AP flour, bread flour, and kosher salt to the bowl. Mix until all ingredients are combined, and a shaggy dough ball forms.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 2-3 minutes until the surface of the dough is smooth, and you form a nice ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for about 1.5 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in size.
- Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Remove the dough from the bowl, and cut in half. Roll each half into a long rope, about 18-20 inches long. Use a rolling pin to press down into the rope to create a shallow trench. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture into the trench. Then sprinkle half of the raisins on top of the cinnamon-sugar. Use your fingers to tightly pinch the dough together over the sugar and raisins, all the way to the very ends. Beginning at the end, spiral the rope on itself creating a round loaf. Pinch the end in on the bottom to make sure the spiral doesn't come loose.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the round loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap, or a cut-open plastic grocery bag (less clingy). Let rise at room temperature for about 40-45 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room
Combine beaten egg and water. With a pastry brush or paintbrush, brush the loaves with egg wash.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until dark golden brown. Allow to cool on baking rack. *Optional – just before serving, warm the Challah in 350*F oven for 10 minutes, it’s amazing!
The post Cinnamon Raisin Round Challah first appeared on Lion’s Bread Blog.
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