Gluten-free Challah

Challah is a special braided bread eaten on the Sabbath and on holidays. According to Jewish tradition, Sabbath and holiday meals begin with a blessing over two loaves of bread. Traditional challah recipes use a large number of eggs, white flour, and sugar. Modern recipes may use fewer eggs (there are also “eggless” versions) and replace white flour with whole wheat, oat, or spelt flour. Sometimes honey or molasses is substituted as a sweetener. The dough is rolled into rope-shaped pieces which are braided before baking. Challah is usually parve, unlike brioche and other enriched European breads, which contain butter or milk.

My friend Rebecca makes the world’s best Challah. Or at least that is what I’ve been told – I met her after going gf. She was kind enough to share her recipe with me so that I could attempt to adapt it. I’ve had to tinker with the recipe a little. And I don’t think the addition of xanthan gum should effect its being kosher and parve, but I need to double check with her. (I think Enger-G brand says it’s K and P.)

Anyone who knows anything about gluten free bread will understand why I did not attempt braiding.  The dough probably was probably sturdy enough to braid, but it was still really sticky, and would have taken way more patience than I have.  However, I saw this method of making it look a little like it was braided, and went with that.

I also only made one loaf, because while experimenting, I never know how it will turn out, and don’t want to be wasteful.  Just double the recipe below for two.

This was my second attempt. My first attempt was too dense and too dry. This version is better, but could probably be a little sweeter. I haven’t given it to Rebecca yet to try, so I don’t have her seal of approval. I’ll let you know when I do! My other problem with this loaf is that I think that my yeast was a little too old, so it didn’t rise quite as much as it should. But that is a user error, not a recipe error.

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

1 egg
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

Directions:

- Combine water, sugar and yeast; set aside and allow to proof.

 
- Whisk together egg, egg yolks, oil and vinegar.

  

- Combine dry ingredients in large bowl of mixer.

 
- Add egg mixture and yeast mixture to dry ingredients; mix (I used the dough hook on my Kitchen Aide) on low for about 3 minutes.

 

 
- Turn dough out onto floured board (parchment paper works well here too); form into ball.

 

     

- Place dough into a lightly-oiled bowl; cover.
- Leave in warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

 
- Turn dough out onto counter; punch down.

 

- Divide dough into 7 even pieces.

 

 

           

 
- Form each piece into a ball; arrange in a greased bread pan.

 
- Cover and let rise for about 20 more minutes.

  
- Lightly brush top of bread with egg.

    

  
- Bake in a pre-heated, 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.