On Friday night, Jewish families sit around their dining room tables, beautifully laid out with their finest tableware, and piping hot dishes of freshly cooked food. They make the Kiddush (blessing on wine) and then say a further blessing on the delicious warm Challah bread. Now we can dig in and begin the Shabbat meal!
The origins of Challah go back to Temple times when a portion was set aside for the Kohen (high priest). The Challah of today is a braided sweet-tasting bread and it was around the 15th century, the name ‘Challah’ was first given to the bread that Ashkenazic Jews would eat on Shabbat in Germany and Eastern Europe. At each Shabbat meal, we bless two Challahs in honor of the double portion of the manna God provided to the Jewish people in the desert!
The origins of Challah go back to Temple times when a portion was set aside for the Kohen (high priest). The Challah of today is a braided sweet-tasting bread and it was around the 15th century, the name ‘Challah’ was first given to the bread that Ashkenazic Jews would eat on Shabbat in Germany and Eastern Europe. At each Shabbat meal, we bless two Challahs in honor of the double portion of the manna God provided to the Jewish people in the desert!
With our expert recipe, you too can enjoy delicious Challah bread at your own table!
Ingredients:
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) 80/20 Hebron whole
- wheat flour (80% whole wheat, 20%
- regular flour)
- 2 tablespoons dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup of lemon juice or apple cider
- vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dead Sea salt
- 4 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup Hebron olive oil
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg for glazing
- 3 cups of water, as needed
Preparation:
- Pour all ingredients into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook and add enough until the dough comes together and becomes uniform.
- Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise for 90 minutes.
- Punch down the dough. Divide into nine balls.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190˚C).
- To make traditional loaves: Roll out three balls of dough into 16″ (40cm) long “snakes.”Lay them side by side. Pinch the tops of three snakes together. Braid into a single loaf.
- To make rolls: Roll out each ball of dough into a 10″ (25cm)-long “snake.” Twist into a figure-eight. Tuck the ends into the holes.
- Brush the tops of the loaves or rolls with a beaten egg mixed with a little water. Decorate with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes, nigella seeds, or kosher salt, or mix them all in equal portions and make an “everything” flavored challah.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool before serving.
The Holy Land is a melting pot of different cuisines brought back by the diaspora Jews who returned to Israel. From Morrocan fish to freshly fried falafel and the meat and bean-infused chulnet stew to warm Challah, our food is a treat for the stomach and the soul!
We are proud to work with many producers, among them those who work in the food and farming sectors. They have been kind enough to share with us their favorite recipes, so you too can cook, bake and enjoy the culinary delights of the Holy Land in your own home!
We are proud to work with many producers, among them those who work in the food and farming sectors. They have been kind enough to share with us their favorite recipes, so you too can cook, bake and enjoy the culinary delights of the Holy Land in your own home!
Discover more recipes from the Holy Land here
If you are looking to make a genuine connection to Israel and its people, you can do so by enjoying the wonderful produce of the Holy Land in the comfort of your own home!
With our boutique gift packages, subscribers receive 7-9 Israeli products made exclusively for them by our producer partners, who are some of the most talented in the Land!
Whether it is fine wines, pure olive oil, deliciously sweet Medjool dates, or a beautiful hand-crafted ceramic vase, every item is infused with love and gratitude for those receiving the products. With the accompanying magazine featuring profiles and interviews with the producers behind the products, you can really get to know them and the wonderful communities of the Biblical heartlands of Israel where they live and work!
When you open your box and unwrap your products, you will feel a love and closeness with the pioneers as you begin to use and benefit from each product.
Many of our packages include food-based items such as aromatic spice mixes, marinades and sauces, dried fruit, roasted nuts, and more. So now you have all you need to cook up a real Israeli-style feast in your very home!
Whether it is fine wines, pure olive oil, deliciously sweet Medjool dates, or a beautiful hand-crafted ceramic vase, every item is infused with love and gratitude for those receiving the products. With the accompanying magazine featuring profiles and interviews with the producers behind the products, you can really get to know them and the wonderful communities of the Biblical heartlands of Israel where they live and work!
When you open your box and unwrap your products, you will feel a love and closeness with the pioneers as you begin to use and benefit from each product.
Many of our packages include food-based items such as aromatic spice mixes, marinades and sauces, dried fruit, roasted nuts, and more. So now you have all you need to cook up a real Israeli-style feast in your very home!
