challah bread

[cyberlizard]

today should be an amusing day as it is the first time catrin has attempted to make challah bread from scratch...

will post pictures of the final result!


if you're of a nervous disposition you may want to avoid coming back to look at this thread later today.


Steve

[Talmidah]

How fun! It'll be great, I'm sure! :)

[HadassahSukkot]

Sounds awesome!

[Lulav]

If she's never baked bread before, tell her to just start with it in a loaf pan. Next time she can tackle the braiding. :)

[zaksmummy]

Thanks for the advice, I need all the help I can get, I havent baked bread since I was at school:o

Catrin xx

[Lulav]

Best thing to do, is to perfect your recipe with your oven, making sure that the temp and time is right for your recipe, seeing how long it will take to rise, etc. Then when you have done that you can start in trying the 3 braid, then 4, up to 6 or even 7! The most special thing is that it is different from your weekly bread. And there should ideally be two loaves so you can use smaller pans if you have them or use throw away kind for no clean up!

[ChavaK]

I personalycheat and use a bread machine to make the
dough.....;)

[Talmidah]

I personalycheat and use a bread machine to make the
dough.....;)My husband has practically forbidden any more kitchen appliances. :cry:

[ChavaK]

My husband has practically forbidden any more kitchen appliances. :cry:

Well,then tell him he gets to make challah from now
on....that will get him to change his mind!

[Talmidah]

Well,then tell him he gets to make challah from now
on....that will get him to change his mind!

:swoon: :D

[BereanTodd]

Mmmm I love Challah bread. Breads and pastas are my weaknesses, they really get me.

I'm an outstanding cook, it's a passion of mine, but for whatever reason I can't bake really at all. My wife is a good baker, she makes great deserts in particular, but we've been so busy the last few years with my school adding another burden to our lives that we don't do it (bake) much anymore. I miss it ...

[cyberlizard]

here's the finished item... the main bread is 3 braids (but she is used to platting hair). to the side is just a bread....

points out of ten please for effort and looks!

http://www.cyberlizard.co.uk/bread.jpg

Steve (p.s. waiting for it to cool before i try it)

[Tea]

What!! your waiting for it to cool??
In this household, a loaf rarely gets to cool. Smother is with butter and jam, and eat it hot.
We just went camping for Succot, and I taught the kids, even my 21 year old son, how to make bread in the camp oven.
Might see if I can post photo's of the final results.
By the way, they look great loaves of bread. Enjoy.

Tracey

[Wags]

What!! your waiting for it to cool??
In this household, a loaf rarely gets to cool. Smother is with butter and jam, and eat it hot.
We just went camping for Succot, and I taught the kids, even my 21 year old son, how to make bread in the camp oven.
Might see if I can post photo's of the final results.
By the way, they look great loaves of bread. Enjoy.

Tracey

MJ cooked?? - must have done it just to take his mind of his sweetie. :D

[GerTzedek]

The braiding is easy. It's getting the right amount of flour that always throws me off. I think I finally nailed down my problem: I think the batter is too gooey to work with, and so I conclude it needs more flour -- that's when I add too much. The bread never quite rises enough, and turns out way too heavy.

Maybe the batter is supposed to be that gooey. But sheesh, how can you braid something that's sticking to your fingers?

Anyhow, now that I'm working full time and going to school, I don't have the time to make it from scratch. I usually buy it from the kosher bakery on my way home from class on Thursdays. But I do have a box of premade kosher dough for that occasion when Thursday classes are cancelled!

[Tea]

Yes he cooked, and no, his sweety apparently is not a good cook, so he has decided that it might be prudent if he learns a few things before he leaves home.
I have a feeling we might be seeing a bit of them around meal times.
We'll wait and see.
Tracey

[HadassahSukkot]

I say it looks quite lovely. I haven't made any myself since it took a while to find a recipe, and finding time on Fridays after class and not feeling sick is hard atm.
I'd get premade, but I don't know of anyone who makes kosher and gluten free challah other than a few folks in Chicago who also have CD.

10 for presentation... how did it taste?


Btw, Tea, I think MJ is wise in learning now, you never know when the hubby's cooking skills will be needed.. mine is between learning and applying what he knows since food and me aren't great friends this month..

[Lulav]

Cyberlizard and zaksmummy I don't know if you saw this or not, this thread I posted , you can get a free DVD on challah making, see here

http://foru.ms/t6315750-free-challah-dvd.html

[zaksmummy]

Ye Lulav we saw that but didnt think they'd send it to Britain!! I think I'll email and ask them, yer never know:)

It tastes very nice and we've still eating it bit by bit, but I too though I needed to add some flour cos it was very gooey, I thought I'd made it wrong, and was going to ask you all if it was right - so that questions been answered.

Another thing is that I found different recipes saying different things, some say put three eggs in (hence the gooeyness), some said one, some put honey in it, others egg, is there a definitive recipe or is it a case of different recipes being used and developed in different parts of the world?

Catrin xx

[HadassahSukkot]

There's all kinds of recipes. LOL

I finally found one that is suitable for a gluten free diet. Since I got 'crafty' yesterday and made pretzels, if I have time tonight or tomorrow I will expirament to see how the recipe turns out, and see if I can 'play with' it as the other varient recipes or due to the chemical makeup (no wheat, barley or rye within) that I will have to 'suffice' with it being rather plain other than the toppings or additions of raisins.

[Tea]

Ignore me, I am just wanting to see if I have finally equipped my character properly.
Thankyou Anna for my clothes.
Tracey

[Tea]

Nope still not doing something right sigh

[Tea]

Hey I think I did it.