Who’s in the kitchen? Cinnamon-honey and cookie crumb topped challah

While a guest at Rabbi Berel Wein and Rebbetzin Jackie Wein, A”H for Shavuot in 1985, I had the pleasure of enjoying the most delicious homemade challah. Rebbetzin Wein, A”H, being the warm, gracious and wonderful hostess that she was famous for, said it really wasn’t hard at all to make challah, and she would give me her recipe. By the time I left after Yom Tov, I was the recipient of an amazing challah recipe as well as five extra pounds I gained, which by the way, was so very worth it!

The following week I was having a few couples over for Shabbat lunch in my apartment in Forest Hills. I decided to try out my challah making skills on the Joszefs (little did I know that Seme and Bernice would one day become my sister and brother-in-law), Maels and Zahners.

As I worked during the day, by the time I finished cooking, and started on the challah Thursday night, it was 2 A.M. How long could it take? The rebbetzin made it sound so simple. Hmmm, did it seem as if the mixture was just a tad bit too gooey? Was it supposed to coat my hands and arms up to my elbows? Was my floor supposed to be covered in flour as well as the rest of me?

I think the only other time I made a mess bigger than my first foray in challah making was years later, in the kitchen of a restaurant, when I was making a chocolate cake batter for 30 10” round layers of chocolate cakes. When all the ingredients were in the huge Hobart mixer, I turned it on, and within three seconds was covered with chocolate cake batter from head to toe, as was anything within a five foot radius. Seems that Carlos forgot to tell me he turned the speed from 1 all the way up to 5 and didn’t turn it back to 1 as was the rule in the kitchen. Needless to say the kitchen staff had a good laugh that day. David Elefant, I know you heard about it in your office and had a chuckle as well.

Ok, so it took a while, but I finally mastered the art of kneading and let the dough rise while I cleaned up the kitchen, or shall I say the closet with appliances in it. Remember the size of our first apartments?

By the time my alarm clock rang at 7A.M., I was just about finished with the challahs. The kitchen was clean, my table was set and I felt this enormous sense of accomplishment.

The next time I made challah, I decided to add a bit of sugar and cinnamon when I rolled out the dough, the time after some honey, and the time after that, crumb topping. Little by little it turned into what my friends called a babka challah. I like to think of myself as a pioneer of sweet fillings and cookie crumb toppings to my challah back in the 80s, before “sweet challah” came into vogue.

Challah has now become a gourmet art in itself.

Every person who makes challah has his or her own style of making it, down to what topping to use on your challah, poppy or sesame seeds, garlic or herbs, or what you put inside, raisins, craisins, honey, cinnamon, or even chocolate, or how to braid it.

The flour you use also makes a difference. For health nuts, pure spelt or rye flour- no wheat for them. For the mostly healthy, whole wheat is the flour of choice, and some moderately healthy people use a half and half mixture of whole wheat and regular. High gluten is for those serious bakers, white flour is the choice most people tend to use.

Some brush their challah with an egg wash, others with water, some add sugar, and others add oil.

Some braid their challah with 6 strands, some with 5, 4 or 3. Some make pull apart challahs and some just give up and put it in a loaf pan.

CINNAMON-HONEY CHALLAH

n 7 cups flour

n 1 T salt

n 1/2 cup sugar

n 2 packages of yeast + 1/3 cup warm water

n 1/2 cup oil

n 4 eggs

n 1 cup boiling water

n 1/2 cup cold water

Filling:

n 11/2 sticks sweet unsalted margarine

n 9 tablespoons of honey

n ¾ cup of sugar

n 6 tablespoons cinnamon

When dough is ready to roll out, melt margarine in a small bowl. Pour honey into a separate small bowl and heat to thin consistency

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast into a measuring cup with 1/3 cup warm water.

Beat eggs in a small bowl, set aside

In a large bowl mix oil, sugar and salt.

Add boiling water to the sugar and oil mixture and stir until dissolved, then add the cold water and eggs, reserving 2 tablespoons.

Add yeast to the mixture.

Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Turn out dough onto floured board and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed (but not too much).

Spray the large bowl with Pam and return the dough, cover with a dishtowel and put into an oven that was heated to 175 and turned off. Leave in oven till dough doubles in size (about an hour or a bit more).

Divide the dough into thirds.

Take one of the thirds, and knead for another minute.

Roll out the dough, spread a third of the honey, margarine and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Gently roll up the dough as you would a jelly roll. Place in a greased bread pan, brush with beaten egg (you can’t braid this mixture because the filling will ooze out). Repeat for 2 other thirds

Let rise for an hour and place in preheated 325 degree oven for about 45 -55 min. If the tops get brown too quickly cover lightly with aluminum foil.

And, if you didn’t get your fill of calories over Shabbat, any leftover challah makes a mean French toast for Sunday morning.

Judy Joszef can be contacted at Judy.soiree@gmail.com.