The Art of Making Perfect Braided Challah Buns
Challah, a traditional Jewish bread, is not only a delightful treat for holidays and celebrations but also a comforting everyday indulgence. The soft, slightly sweet, and airy texture makes it perfect for everything from a dinner roll to a base for French toast. Braided Challah buns, in particular, add a touch of elegance to any meal, with their beautiful, golden-brown appearance and sweet aroma. In this guide, you’ll learn how to make these exquisite buns from scratch, step by step, so you can impress your guests with homemade, freshly baked bread.
Understanding Challah: A Staple of Jewish Cuisine
Challah bread is a rich, slightly sweet, braided loaf that is an essential part of Jewish cuisine, particularly during the Sabbath and Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and Passover. The word “Challah” itself refers to the portion of dough separated and set aside as an offering. Traditionally, the bread is braided to symbolize unity and intertwined life forces, while the round shape typically seen during Rosh Hashanah symbolizes the cyclical nature of life.
Braided Challah buns are simply individual servings of this rich bread, formed into small, manageable rolls. Their slightly sweet flavor, fluffy texture, and golden sheen make them ideal for serving with a festive meal. Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner or just craving a freshly baked roll, these buns will elevate your meal to a new level.
Key Ingredients in Your Braided Challah Buns
To create these mouthwatering Braided Challah Buns, there are a few key ingredients you will need. Here’s a breakdown of each:
Warm Water: The yeast requires warm water to bloom, which activates the yeast and helps the dough rise.
Honey: This ingredient adds a subtle sweetness to the dough and enhances the overall flavor. Honey also helps in creating a soft texture.
Active Dry Yeast: Yeast is essential for helping the dough rise and creating the fluffy texture in the buns.
Vegetable or Grapeseed Oil: This oil adds moisture to the dough, making it smooth and pliable. You’ll also use it to grease the bowl for the dough’s first rise.
Eggs and Egg Yolks: The combination of whole eggs and egg yolks adds richness to the dough, resulting in a tender, golden loaf. The egg yolks also contribute to the color of the final buns.
Bread Flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content than regular all-purpose flour, which helps the dough develop the gluten needed for a chewy, yet soft texture.
Kosher Salt: Salt is crucial for flavor. It also helps to regulate the fermentation process and control the yeast’s activity.
Egg Wash: A mixture of egg and water brushed over the buns before baking helps give them that beautiful, shiny, golden finish.
Sesame or Poppy Seeds: These are optional but add a nice crunch and additional flavor to the top of the buns, creating a beautiful finish.
The Importance of Patience in Challah Baking
Baking Challah requires time and patience. The dough needs to be proofed (or allowed to rise) for an extended period due to its richness, which gives it that soft and fluffy texture. Don’t rush the proofing process; this is a key step that determines the final texture of your buns. You’ll also need time to shape the dough into individual buns and allow them to proof again before baking.
Step-by-Step Process to Prepare Braided Challah Buns
Now that you’re familiar with the ingredients and the importance of each, it’s time to get your hands into the dough! Follow these steps carefully to ensure your buns come out soft, golden, and perfect.
Step 1: Prepare the Yeast Mixture
Start by gathering all the ingredients in front of you. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the warm water with honey and active dry yeast. Stir this mixture gently to dissolve the yeast and set it aside to bloom. This means letting it sit for 5-10 minutes to activate the yeast. You should see some bubbles or foam forming, which indicates that the yeast is alive and active.
Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, whole eggs, and egg yolks. This mixture will contribute to the richness of the dough, giving it a tender texture. Set this bowl aside as well.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), add the bread flour and kosher salt. Whisk them together to ensure that the salt is evenly distributed throughout the flour. This step helps prevent the salt from coming into direct contact with the yeast mixture, which can inhibit the yeast’s growth.
Step 4: Bring It All Together
Once the yeast mixture has bloomed and the oil-egg mixture is ready, it’s time to bring everything together. With your stand mixer on the lowest setting, gradually add the yeast mixture and the egg-oil mixture to the flour mixture. Allow the ingredients to combine and form a shaggy dough. If the dough appears too dry, add another tablespoon of warm water to help bring it together.
Step 5: Knead the Dough
Increase the speed of your stand mixer to medium (or knead by hand on a floured surface) for 2-3 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly sticky, but it should pull away from the sides of the bowl as it kneads. If necessary, add a little more flour, but try to keep the dough soft and moist. Once the dough is fully kneaded, shape it into a round ball.
Step 6: First Proofing
Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl and cover it with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. The dough should feel light and airy when you gently press it with your finger.
Step 7: Shape the Dough into Buns
After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a clean, non-floured surface. Gently punch the dough down to deflate it. Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, each weighing about 2 ounces (56 grams). Keep the unused dough covered with a damp towel as you work with one piece at a time.
Step 8: Create the Braided Rolls
For each piece of dough, divide it into 4 equal sections. Roll each piece into a rope that is 6-7 inches long. Arrange the ropes in a grid pattern, with two vertical pieces and two horizontal pieces. Following the step-by-step instructions in the recipe photos, braid the strands together to form a round braid. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough.
Step 9: Second Proofing
Place the braided buns seam-side down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the buns with a damp kitchen towel and allow them to proof for another 2-2½ hours in a warm spot. The buns should rise until they are soft and the dough no longer springs back when you gently press on it.
Step 10: Preheat the Oven
During the second proofing, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange a rack in the center third of the oven.
Step 11: Apply the Egg Wash
Once the buns have proofed and are ready to bake, use a pastry brush to gently apply the egg wash to the exposed surface of each bun. The egg wash will help the buns achieve a beautiful, golden-brown finish when baked.
Step 12: Bake the Buns
For the first stage of baking, place the buns in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Then, quickly remove them from the oven and apply a second layer of egg wash to the buns, paying special attention to the braided seams. If you like, you can also sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on top while the egg wash is still wet.
Step 13: Finish Baking
Return the buns to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the buns are glossy, golden brown, and have reached an internal temperature of 190°F (88°C). The buns should have a lovely shine from the egg wash and a soft, fluffy interior.
Simple Braided Challah Buns Recipe
Here’s a concise version of the Braided Challah Buns recipe for quick reference:
Ingredients:
¾ cup warm water (about 105°F or 40°C)
2 tablespoons honey
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup vegetable or grapeseed oil
2 whole large eggs (room temperature)
2 large egg yolks (room temperature)
4 cups bread flour
1½ tablespoons fine kosher salt
1 egg (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
Instructions:
Combine warm water, honey, and yeast in a small bowl. Stir and let sit to bloom.
In another bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and egg yolks.
In a large bowl, combine bread flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and egg mixture, and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 2-3 minutes.
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 90 minutes.
Punch down dough, divide into 16 equal pieces, and shape each into a 4-strand braid.
Place the braided buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let proof for 2-2½ hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush buns with egg wash.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, then brush with a second layer of egg wash and sprinkle with seeds (optional).
Return buns to the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
