Make this traditional Jewish Challah bread using a potato flake sourdough starter! Challah’s intricately braided golden-brown crust, sweet taste, and a fluffy interior with a slightly dense crumb, make it a delicious treat for any occasion, not just Jewish holidays!
After a viewer request on a Challah bread recipe using a potato flake starter, I had some digging to do! I didn’t know much about Challah bread to be honest. I most definitely didn’t know how to pronounce it (more on that later!) On my hunt, I learned all about Challah bread. What type of texture, flavor profile and appearance would make the perfect Challah bread. I began writing up a recipe that turned out to create a perfect Challah bread using a potato flake starter!
WHY MAKE POTATO FLAKE SOURDOUGH Challah INSTEAD OF YEAST Challah?
If you are new here, you might wonder what’s the point of using a potato flake starter in this Challah bread instead of the traditional commercial yeast? I’m here to tell you that using a potato flake starter offers several advantages. Here are a few:
- Flavor: The starter’s fermentation adds complex flavors to the bread that commercial yeast does not.
- Digestibility: The fermentation process in sourdough also breaks down gluten and phytic acid. This potentially makes the bread easier to digest for some people who are sensitive to these components. This can result in a bread that is gentler on the digestive system compared to bread made with commercial yeast.
- Health benefits: Researchers have associated sourdough fermentation with potential health benefits. For example, improved blood sugar control and enhanced nutrient absorption. While these benefits may vary depending on factors such as fermentation time and flour type, some people choose sourdough for its possible health advantages.
- Longer shelf life: Sourdough bread tends to have a longer shelf life compared to bread made with commercial yeast. This is a result of the acids produced during fermentation, which act as natural preservatives.
Are you are curious about making your own starter? I have another post that will tell you all about how to make one!
Do you want a potato flake starter, but don’t want to make it yourself? Check out my etsy listing where I sell portions of my live potato flake starter!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
TOOLS YOU WILL NEED:
Stand mixer with a dough hook
Measuring cups and spoons
Large cookie sheet
Basting brush
INGREDIENTS:
Bread Flour: Bread flour is used in challah bread because of its high protein content. The gluten formed from the protein in bread flour helps to trap air bubbles during fermentation. This results in a light and airy crumb.
Kosher Salt: It enhances the overall taste of the bread, aids in gluten development and provides balanced seasoning throughout the loaf.
Active Potato Flake Starter: The active potato flake starter serves as a leavening agent in challah bread. It provides the necessary rise and creating a light and fluffy texture. The starter contains live yeast cultures that ferment the dough, producing carbon dioxide gas which expands the dough and gives it volume.
Vegetable Oil or Butter: Vegetable oil or butter is added to the challah bread dough to enrich its flavor and texture. Both ingredients contribute moisture and fat, resulting in a softer and more tender crumb. In keeping with kosher dietary laws, vegetable oil is often preferred over butter.
Honey: Honey is a key ingredient in challah bread, providing sweetness and depth of flavor.
Eggs: Eggs play multiple roles in challah bread, contributing to its rich flavor, golden color, and tender texture. The proteins and fats in eggs help to strengthen the dough structure and create a soft and moist crumb. The egg wash applied to the bread before baking adds shine and helps to achieve a beautifully golden crust.
How to make Challah Bread with a Potato Flake Starter
Preparing the Dough:
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.
Add in the Wet Ingredients: Combine the active potato flake starter, oil, honey, 2 whole eggs, and the egg yolk.
Knead the dough: Knead on medium-low speed until you have a sticky dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.
Shape the Dough: Dust your hands if the dough is too sticky to handle, then scrape the sticky, elastic dough out and shape into a ball. Place it back into the bowl, or another large bowl.
Rising the Dough:
Allow to Rise: Once placed into the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap to ensure that it does not dry out. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, spot until it’s puffy and almost doubled in size. A warm oven that is turned off with the light on is a perfect spot. In this environment, my dough was risen in 5-6 hours.
Braiding the Challah:
Prepare the Dough for Braiding: Using your dough scraper, remove the risen dough onto a clean work surface. If it is too sticky, dust with flour. If you are able to handle it without the added flour, this will make the shaping a bit easier because the strands will slightly stick to the counter instead of shrinking back. Cut the dough into four even pieces.
Shape Ropes: Stretch and roll each piece into a rope about 20 inches long. If they keep shrinking back, work with each rope stretching and rolling as much as it will allow and move to the next, coming back to the beginning and starting over again. This time will allow the dough to rest enough to allow the gluten to relax and it will eventually stretch to the 20 inches. Vertically lay the ropes parallel to one another on the work surface.
Braid the Dough: Pinch the ropes tightly together at the top, then spread them out a bit. Begin by taking the strand farthest to the right and weave it toward the left through the other strands using this pattern: over, under, over. Repeat this pattern, making sure to always start with the strand farthest to the right. Do this until the whole loaf is braided. Tuck the ends under to give the loaf a beautiful finished look.
Final Steps and Baking:
Second Rise: Carefully transfer the braided loaf to a parchment-lined large baking sheet. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until the braid is about one and a half times the size. In a turned off warm oven with the light on this took about 4-5 hours.
Preheat the Oven: After the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. The loaf will continue to rise as it bakes in the oven.
Brush with Egg Wash: In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and brush the beaten egg generously over the risen dough. If you wish, you can sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds onto the challah before putting it in the oven.
*TIP: Reduce waste by saving the left over egg wash to add in with scrambled eggs for breakfast in the morning!
Bake: To prevent the bottom of the dough from browning too much, you can place the baking sheet the Challah braid is on, on top of another baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is a rich brown color and the internal temperature is 190°F on thermometer. If the top begins to brown too much before the bread is done, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil to stop it from over-browning.
Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Challah is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep for a few days in a sealed plastic bag. The leftovers make a delicious french toast!
Notes and Tips:
- Remember, rising times are approximate and may vary based on kitchen temperature and humidity.
- This also applies to flour, adjust your flour ratio according to your dough. The amount of flour needed all depends on how it is scooped, how packed it is in the measuring cup, the humidity of the environment and the flour itself.
- Challah can be baked, cooled, wrapped tightly, and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
Pin for later and share with a friend!
Potato Flake Sourdough Challah
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a dough hook
- measuring cups and spoons
- Large cookie sheet
- Dough Scraper and cutter
- Basting brush
Ingredients
- 4 cups Bread Flour
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 3/4 cup Active Potato Flake Starter
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil or Butter
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Honey
- 2 Whole Eggs + one egg yolk
- 1 Whole egg for egg wash
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.
- Combine the active potato flake starter, oil, honey, 2 whole eggs, and the egg yolk.
- Knead on medium-low speed until you have a sticky dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Dust your hands with flour if the dough is too sticky to handle, then scrape the sticky, elastic dough out and shape into a ball. Place it back into the bowl, or another large bowl.
- Once placed into the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap to ensure that it does not dry out. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, spot until it's puffy and almost doubled in size. A warm oven that is turned off with the light on is a perfect spot. In this environment, my dough was risen in 5-6 hours.
- Using your dough scraper, remove the risen dough onto a clean work surface. If it is too sticky, dust with flour. If you are able to handle it without the added flour, this will make the shaping a bit easier because the strands will slightly stick to the counter instead of shrinking back. Cut the dough into four even pieces.
- Stretch and roll each piece into a rope about 20 inches long. If they keep shrinking back, work with each rope stretching and rolling as much as it will allow and move to the next, coming back to the beginning and starting over again. This time will allow the dough to rest enough to allow the gluten to relax and it will eventually stretch to the 20 inches.
- Vertically lay the ropes parallel to one another on the work surface. Pinch the ropes tightly together at the top, then spread them out a bit.
- Begin by taking the strand farthest to the right and weave it toward the left through the other strands using this pattern: over, under, over. Repeat this pattern, making sure to always start with the strand farthest to the right. Do this until the whole loaf is braided.
- Tuck the ends under to give the loaf a beautiful finished look.
- Carefully transfer the braided loaf to a parchment-lined large baking sheet. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until the braid is about one and a half times the size. In a turned off warm oven with the light on this took about 4-5 hours.
- After the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. The loaf will continue to rise as it bakes in the oven.
- In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and brush the beaten egg generously over the risen dough. If you wish, you can sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds onto the challah before putting it in the oven.
- To prevent the bottom of the dough from browning too much, you can place the baking sheet the Challah braid is on, on top of another baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is a rich brown color and the internal temperature is 190°F on thermometer. If the top begins to brown too much before the bread is done, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil to stop it from over-browning.
- Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Challah is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep for a few days in a sealed plastic bag. The leftovers make a delicious french toast!
Leave a Reply