I considered cooking a Hanukkah-themed meal when I was invited. Finally, we settled on Challah bread with a Star of David shape with six points.
| Prep Time: | 1 hr |
| Cook Time: | 35 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 5 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
| Yield: | 1 loaf |
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 3 ⅔ cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, or more if desired
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of water, eggs, salt, sugar, bread flour, and yeast into the pan of a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Dough setting, and start the machine.
- When cycle is completed, remove dough from the machine, and set onto a floured work surface for 15 minutes to rest. Cover dough with a towel or large bowl to prevent drying out.
- Knead the dough several times, and cut into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a rope about 10 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay 3 ropes of bread onto the prepared baking sheet, and pinch ropes together firmly at the ends to form a pointed triangle. Weave 3 more ropes over and underneath each point of the first triangle to make a second, interwoven triangle. Pinch it closed tightly at the edges to make a 6-pointed star. Set the baking sheet in a warm place, and allow to rise until doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Whisk egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush the mixture over the loaf; sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the challah is shiny, golden brown, and sounds hollow when tapped, about 35 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 34 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 48 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Sodium | 255 mg |
| Sugars | 3 g |
| Fat | 2 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
so cool!! i love how it’s shaped! great work!
I made this recipe for my family! It wasn’t as doughy as I would’ve liked it, but the overall taste was pretty good. Love the Star of David shape though!
I made it into Eggnog Challah for a Christmukkah gathering. I subbed eggnog for the water, and added a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. The eggnog flavor was almost too subtle; I think I should’ve added either 1 ounce rum or 1/2 tsp rum extract too. I mixed everything in my stand mixer for about 8 minutes, then added 2 Tbsp room temp butter, for richness, and mixed for another 2 minutes. I gave it a first rise, then punched it down and shaped it as directed. Brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with pearl sugar. Fun recipe!
I love making Challah in different shapes and different styles of braids, so of course this recipe caught my eye. I never realized how easy it is to form a Star of David! This dough was relatively easy to work with, but I think it needs a little more yeast, perhaps an extra 1/2 teaspoon, as the dough didn’t rise as well as I thought it should and the bread was a little heavy. That didn’t stop us from devouring the entire thing as soon as it was cool enough to eat, though! Thanks for an awesome new way to shape Challah bread.