Apple Challah
Harvest Apple Challah — tender, slightly sweet round challah filled with cinnamon-sugar apples. Traditionally eaten at Rosh Hashanah with honey for a sweet new year.
Ingredients
- 0.50 cup water
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 0.25 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.50 teaspoons table salt
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 3 cups apples
- 0.50 teaspoon cinnamon
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- — large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- — coarse sparkling sugar
- — honey
Equipment
- stand mixer
- bowl
- cake pan
- tube pan
- bench knife
- oven
- rack
Instructions
Dough
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix together all of the dough ingredients: 0.50 cup water , 6 tablespoons vegetable oil , 0.25 cup honey , 2 large eggs , 4 cups all-purpose flour , 1.50 teaspoons table salt , and 1 tablespoon instant yeast .
Knead the dough in your stand mixer at medium-low speed for 6 minutes , or by hand for 8 minutes . The dough should be soft and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl , cover, and let it rise for 2 hours , or until puffy; when you poke the dough with your finger, the dent will remain and not bounce back. If you've made the dough in a bread machine, allow it to rise in the machine for an extra hour after the dough cycle is completed.
Prepare the Pan
Lightly grease a 9 " round cake pan that's at least 2 " deep, or a 9 " or 10 " tube pan .
Filling
Gently deflate the risen dough, transfer it to a lightly greased work surface, and flatten it into an 8 " x 10 " rectangle.
Toss 3 cups apples with 0.50 teaspoon cinnamon and 0.25 cup granulated sugar .
Assemble
Spread half the apple mixture in the center of the dough. Fold one short edge over the apples to cover them, patting the edges firmly to seal the apples inside.
Spread the remaining filling on top of the folded-over dough. Cover with the other side of the dough, again patting firmly and pinching the edges to seal.
Using a bench knife , cut the apple-filled dough in half lengthwise, then in eight strips across the short length. This will be messy, with some apples falling out.
Transfer the portions of dough and any stray apples to the prepared pan, forming a single layer across the bottom. Stack more dough on top of the first layer if needed to fit them all in.
Final Rise
Cover with greased plastic wrap or the reusable wrap of your choice, and let rise for about 1 hour , until puffy looking. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat your oven to 325 °F with a rack in the lower third.
Bake
When the dough has risen, uncover it and brush with large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water . Sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar (optional). Bake the challah for 55-65 minutes , until it's a deep golden brown. Some of the top pieces may caramelize; that's OK.
Cool and Serve
Remove the challah from the oven and place it (still in the pan) on a rack for 5 minutes . After this rest, remove the challah from the pan and return it to the rack. Serve warm, drizzled with honey .
Store covered at room temperature for up to three days; freeze for longer storage.
View Cooklang Source
---
title: Apple Challah
description: "Harvest Apple Challah — tender, slightly sweet round challah filled with cinnamon-sugar apples. Traditionally eaten at Rosh Hashanah with honey for a sweet new year."
servings: 1
total time: 4 hours 30 minutes
prep time: 35 minutes
cook time: 55 minutes
tags: [challah, bread, apple, honey, rosh-hashanah, jewish, baking, holiday]
cuisine: Jewish
difficulty: intermediate
---
== Dough ==
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix together all of the dough ingredients: @water{1/2%cup}(113g, lukewarm), @vegetable oil{6%tablespoons}(74g, safflower preferred), @honey{1/4%cup}(85g), @large eggs{2}, @all-purpose flour{4%cups}(480g), @table salt{1 1/2%teaspoons}(9g), and @instant yeast{1%tablespoon}(9g).
Knead the dough in your #stand mixer{} at medium-low speed for ~{6%minutes}, or by hand for ~{8%minutes}. The dough should be soft and elastic. Place the dough in a greased #bowl{}, cover, and let it rise for ~rise{2%hours}, or until puffy; when you poke the dough with your finger, the dent will remain and not bounce back. If you've made the dough in a bread machine, allow it to rise in the machine for an extra hour after the dough cycle is completed.
== Prepare the Pan ==
Lightly grease a 9" round #cake pan{} that's at least 2" deep, or a 9" or 10" #tube pan{}.
== Filling ==
Gently deflate the risen dough, transfer it to a lightly greased work surface, and flatten it into an 8" x 10" rectangle.
Toss @apples{3%cups}(340g, cored but unpeeled, cut in 3/4" chunks) with @cinnamon{1/2%teaspoon} and @granulated sugar{1/4%cup}(50g).
== Assemble ==
Spread half the apple mixture in the center of the dough. Fold one short edge over the apples to cover them, patting the edges firmly to seal the apples inside.
Spread the remaining filling on top of the folded-over dough. Cover with the other side of the dough, again patting firmly and pinching the edges to seal.
Using a #bench knife{}, cut the apple-filled dough in half lengthwise, then in eight strips across the short length. This will be messy, with some apples falling out.
Transfer the portions of dough and any stray apples to the prepared pan, forming a single layer across the bottom. Stack more dough on top of the first layer if needed to fit them all in.
== Final Rise ==
Cover with greased plastic wrap or the reusable wrap of your choice, and let rise for about ~rise{1%hour}, until puffy looking. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat your #oven{} to 325°F with a rack in the lower third.
== Bake ==
When the dough has risen, uncover it and brush with @large egg{1} beaten with @water{1%tablespoon}. Sprinkle with @coarse sparkling sugar{} (optional). Bake the challah for ~bake{55-65%minutes}, until it's a deep golden brown. Some of the top pieces may caramelize; that's OK.
> Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one; the center should reach 190°F.
== Cool and Serve ==
Remove the challah from the oven and place it (still in the pan) on a #rack{} for ~{5%minutes}. After this rest, remove the challah from the pan and return it to the rack. Serve warm, drizzled with @honey{}.
Store covered at room temperature for up to three days; freeze for longer storage.
> Be sure to use good-quality honey and oil in this recipe. Since they play such a major part, they have to taste good. Safflower oil is preferred as it's neutral-flavored. Canola oil can produce off flavors in baking, so best not to use it here.