Beautiful, golden, rich, and eggy, challah bread is a delicious addition to any table. Pillowy-soft, you can enjoy it all on its own or in delicious sweet and savoury recipes. Enriched with eggs and often sprinkled with sesame seeds, this braided bread is frequently found on tables during dinners or special holidays.
What is Challah Bread?
A rich, tender egg bread, challah (pronounced haa-luh) is traditionally enjoyed on the Jewish sabbath and holidays. Braided or twisted, challah bread can be served in different shapes or sizes. For Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), challah loaves are slightly sweeter, baked in a round shape to symbolize the cyclical nature of time, and studded with raisins. Other times, this braided bread can be anywhere from three to five, six, or even eight strands. These strands represent arms intertwining, and symbolize, among other things: love, truth, peace, creation, freedom, and harmony. As you can see, challah bread is taken very seriously and is an important part of the Jewish faith, culture, and celebrations.
In Farm Boy stores, we proudly carry breadsfrom the Rideau Bakery. A beloved Ottawa-based Kosher bakery, Rideau Bakery has had over 90 years of experience in the business of baking tasty, quality products. Their family recipes have stood the test of time and have developed a loyal following in our communities. If you’re looking to feed a crowd, we have the answer! As part of our catering program, we offer a massive 8-braid challah, perfect for celebrations. (It’ll also feed a big crowd at a regular weekend brunch, too!)
Additional items from the Rideau Bakery carried by Farm Boy are: Dark Rye Bread, Light Caraway Rye Bread, Light Rye Bread, and Pumpernickel Bread, all available in whole loaf or sliced varieties.
The History of Challah Bread
Challah bread comes from Ashkenazi Jewish tradition. The word “challah” is biblical in origin and means “loaf” or “cake” in Hebrew. Challah bread is also called other names, such as cholla, kolach, khala, and more, depending on the country, region, and dialect.
Challah has a rich history—much like the bread itself—and there is a ritualistic tradition to enjoying this sweet bread during the Jewish Sabbath. If a person is making challah, they may set aside a portion of the dough as an offering. During Sabbath dinner, two loaves of challah bread will be covered with a cloth. A blessing is recited, and dinner guests wash their hands. The challah cloth is then removed, and the two loaves are held up together. Another blessing is recited by the head of the household before the bread is torn or sliced and distributed among the attendees to eat.
Salting challah at the Sabbath meal is considered a necessary step, and the bread can either be dipped in salt, sprinkled with salt, or simply served on the table with salt.
What’s the Difference Between Challah and Brioche?
Aside from the important cultural distinctions between these two breads, there are also ingredient differences, too. While both challah and brioche breads are rich, tender, and made with plenty of eggs, challah uses oil (in the case of Rideau Bakery, canola oil), while French brioche uses butter. The use of oil in challah allows this bread to remain Kosher, since it’s often served at meals alongside meat. These dietary laws prohibit the eating of meat and dairy together, as stated in the Torah. Challah bread also usually receives an egg wash for that glossy, deep, golden colour this bread is known for. A sprinkling of sesame seeds often finishes the dough, which has been thought to represent the manna falling from heaven.
Challah bread can be served in the traditional braided loaves, rolled into a circular shape, formed into a key shape known as shlissel challah, or baked into rolls. (At Farm Boy, we carry Challah Knots from Rideau Bakery, available in packages of 6 and certified Kosher.)
What is in Challah Bread Dough?
For such a luxurious, delicious bread, the ingredients that comprise challah bread are actually quite simple. Most challah bread includes:
- Flour (some use bread flour, but often all-purpose is just fine)
- Water
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Oil (canola oil or vegetable oil is a natural option, but extra virgin olive oil can impart more flavour)
- Yeast
- Salt
- Sesame seeds
Flavourful Challah Bread Additions
If you’re planning to make your own challah bread, there are a few additional ways you can switch up the flavour profile to suit your tastes. Options to dress up this tender, sweet bread are:
- Poppy seeds. If sesame seeds aren’t for you, poppy seeds still offer a nice nuttiness and delicious crunchy texture.
- Add raisins. Popular during Rosh Hashanah, challah loaves sprinkled with raisins add sweetness and juiciness.
- Go savoury with garlic and rosemary! Add sliced garlic and sprigs of rosemary to the crevices of your challah braid after coating with the egg wash. The garlic will cook as the bread bakes, giving your home an incredibly herbaceous aroma.
- Sprinkle your challah bread with Farm Boy™ Za’atar Seasoning. Popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, this spice blend has thyme, sesame seeds, salt, sumac, and cumin.
- Top your challah with Farm Boy™ Everything Bagel Seasoning Blend. A tasty mix of white and black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, garlic, and salt, it’s a savoury, punchy addition.
- Upgrade your brunch with a sweet, streusel-topped challah. Make a crumb topping of flour, sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract, and sea salt and sprinkle over your unbaked challah.
- Add honey or maple syrup to your egg wash and brush it over your loaf just before baking for a touch of sweetness.
How To Use Challah Bread
Challah bread is incredibly versatile in its uses. Plus, since it’s so delicious, it’s always a crowd-pleaser! Challah bread can be enjoyed all on its own or alongside traditional dinner dishes at Jewish Shabbat. Leftover challah also makes for delicious French toast and grilled cheese recipes! Below we have five yummy dishes that let challah bread shine. Please note, however, since these dishes use dairy, or combine meat and dairy, they cannot be considered Kosher.
Challah Bread Recipes
Challah French Toast Bake
Gather ‘round and indulge in a brunch recipe that’s designed to feed a crowd! This French toast bake is loaded with classic French toast flavours, but it’s made even better by using a whole loaf of Rideau Bakery Twisted Egg Bread. Regular French toast has a lot going for it, but having to cook each individual slice can be a hassle when you’re cooking for the whole family (or group of friends). This French toast bake gives you all the flavours you love but in a totally hands-off way. You can even make it the night before and simply pop it in the oven the next morning to enjoy. How sweet is that?
Full Recipe: Challah French Toast Bake
Suggested Farm Boy Items: Rideau Bakery Twisted Egg Bread, Farm Boy™ Organic Whole Milk, Farm Boy™ Ground Nutmeg, Farm Boy™ Golden Maple Syrup.
Toasted Brisket Sandwich
Treat your tastebuds to a sandwich that hits all the flavour notes. Rich, savoury brisket gets some sweet from our Maple BBQ Sauce and Rideau Bakery Sliced Twisted Egg Bread, plus tang from homemade coleslaw. A sandwich that comes together in a few minutes, it’s a warm, satisfying bite for lunch or dinner. Our challah bread really shines here when paired with these savoury, umami-packed ingredients, which helps highlight challah’s versatility.
Full Recipe: Toasted Brisket Sandwich
Suggested Farm Boy Items: Rideau Bakery Sliced Twisted Egg Bread, Farm Boy™ New York Deli Style Smoked Brisket, Farm Boy™ Maple BBQ Sauce, Farm Boy™ Apple Cider Coleslaw Dressing, Farm Boy™ Organic Whole Pickles.
Apple, Brie, & Cheddar Challah Grilled Cheese
Upgrade your standard grilled cheese with this gourmet creation! For a bite of ooey-gooey goodness, this sammie uses two kinds of cheese—Cheddar and Brie—between two golden slices of toasted challah. Thinly sliced apple (we like tart Granny Smith), a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of Farm Boy™ Organic Crushed Chili Peppers helps this dish stay balanced. A grilled cheese can quickly become overwhelmed when you’re combining two types of cheese—especially creamy, melty Brie. The addition of apple, honey, and chili keeps your palate excited.
Full Recipe: Apple, Brie, & Cheddar Challah Grilled Cheese
Suggested Farm Boy Items: Rideau Bakery Sliced Twisted Egg Bread, Farm Boy™ Triple Cream Brie, Farm Boy™ Organic Medium Cheddar Cheese, Farm Boy™ Pure Ontario Liquid Honey, Farm Boy™ Organic Crushed Chili Peppers.
Mixed Berry Strata
A fancier cousin to bread pudding, this strata recipe uses challah bread mixed with ricotta, orange zest, and orange juice. This challah dish works for dessert or as an indulgent brunch. Another make-ahead recipe, it can be prepped the night before and baked the morning of, or while you’re enjoying dinner. If fresh berries are available to you, you can certainly use them. If berries aren’t in season, our Farm Boy™ Berry Blend Frozen Fruit works just as well, since they’re frozen at the peak of freshness for maximum flavour.
Full Recipe: Mixed Berry Strata
Suggested Farm Boy Items: Rideau Bakery Twisted Egg Bread, Farm Boy™ Organic Whole Milk, Farm Boy™ Orange Juice, Farm Boy™ Ricotta, Farm Boy™ Raspberry Jam, Farm Boy™ Berry Blend Frozen Fruit, Farm Boy™ Amber Maple Syrup.
Eggnog French Toast
Too often, in the battle between waffler lovers and pancake fiends, French toast is left by the wayside. With this recipe, however, this dark horse is poised to succeed! The original recipe calls for Farm Boy™ Texas Toast, but we think the rich, sweet flavours of challah add a little extra oomph. An ideal breakfast or brunch dish for the holiday season, this treat uses our seasonal Organic Eggnog. Made with simple ingredients, it’s a longtime fave of Farm Boy customers. Waffles and pancakes, stand down! A new victor—Eggnog French Toast—has arrived. (Please note that our Organic Eggnog is a seasonal product and only available for a limited time.)
Full Recipe: Eggnog French Toast
Suggested Farm Boy Items: Rideau Bakery Sliced Twisted Egg Bread, Farm Boy™ Organic Eggnog, Farm Boy™ Amber Maple Syrup, Farm Boy™ Ground Cinnamon.
