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Wholegrain Honey Raisin Challah On A Serving Plate On A Lace Cloth With Flowers Made Of Raisins Around And With The Kosher Create Sun Logo In The Upper Left Corner.

Wholegrain Honey Raisin Challah

Kosher Create
Follow this healthy Wholegrain Honey Raisin Challah Recipe to create a round challah bursting with natural sweetness. Clear imagery will pave your way to blend wholegrain spelt & oat flour with honey and raisins for a healthy festive treat.
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Eastern European
Servings 5 People

Equipment

  • Electric Mixer (with kneading hook attachment)
  • Small Heat Resistant Bowl
  • Baking Pan
  • Baking Sheets
  • Pastry Brush

Ingredients
  

Challah Dough

  • 2 tbsp Fresh Yeast (or 1 tbsp active dry yeast)
  • 5 tbsp Honey (1 tbsp to activate yeast, 4 tbsp for dough)
  • 1 1/2 cups Warm Water  (¼ cup to be used to activate the yeast, 1 1/4 to be added gradually to the dough)
  • 2 1/2 cups Wholegrain Spelt Flour  (sifted)
  • 1 cup Oat Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Raisins (organic without preservatives or added sugar - soak in warm water for 10 min. then drain well before adding to the dough) 

Challah Topping

  • 1 tbsp Honey (for brushing the top of the challah before sprinkling sesame)
  • 1 tbsp Water  (to mix with 1 tbsp honey for brushing the top of the unbaked challah)
  • 2 tbsp Sesame  (for sprinkling on top of the unbaked challah)

Instructions
 

Gather The Ingredients

  • Gather The ingredients for the challah dough.
    Wholegrain Honey Raisin Challah Ingredients In Bowls And A Small Pitcher.

Creating The Dough

  • Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain well.
  • Warm up a heat resistant bowl by placing hot water in it and then pouring it out,
  • In the warmed small bowl - gently mix the yeast, 1 tbsp honey and 1/4 cup lukewarm water.
  • Set aside for 15 minutes. This mixture should create bubbles and rise.
    Yeast Rising In A Bowl.
  • Place the spelt flour, oat flour & salt in a large bowl. Mix until blended and make a well in the center.
  • Pour the prepared yeast mixture into the well together with 1/2 cup of water.
    Water Pouring Into The Well.
  • In an electric mixer, on a low speed, start to mix with a hook attachment.
  • Gradually add the honey and olive oil.
  • Gradually add just enough water to a create a dough that solidifies into a circle but is not too sticky. It should come off the sides of the bowl.
  • Using the hook attachment, knead for 10 minutes keeping the speed low.
  • Add the pre-prepared raisins and knead for another two minutes.
  • Place a cloth loosely on top of the dough bowl and let the dough rise until double in size. This may take about 1 ½ hours, depending on the room temperature.
  • After the dough has risen create the challah form.

Creating The Challah Form

  • Form a circle from the risen dough.
    A Dough Circle Made After The Dough Rose On A Baking Sheet.
  • Split the circle into 2 equal parts.
    The Dough Circle Cut In Half On A Baking Sheet.
  • Create two long strands by gently rolling the dough.
    Two Long Strands Made From The Dough Halves.
  • Join the ends of the strands together on one side.
    Two Long Strands Of Dough Joined Together.
  • Begin to twist the strands around each other until they are completely twisted
    Two Long Strands Of Dough Twisted Together Till The Middle On A Baking Sheet.
  • Join the ends well.
    Two Long Strands Of Dough Twisted Together And Joined At The Ends On A Baking Sheet.
  • Keeping the twisted strand flat, curl the end of the strand until you form a circle.
    Two Long Strands Of Dough Twisted Together And Beginning To Form Into A Circle On A Baking Sheet.
  • Tuck the end under the circle
    Two Long Strands Of Dough Twisted Together And Formed Into A Circle With End Tucked Underneath On A Baking Sheet.
  • Cover the challah form and let rise for 30 minutes or until double in size.

Preheat The Oven

  • While the challah form is rising, preheat the oven to 480 degrees Fahrenheit (250 degrees Celsius) for 10 minutes.
  • Lower the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 Celsius).

Baking The Challah

  • Place the risen challah form onto a baking sheet in a baking pan.
  • Mix 1 tbsp honey with 1 tbsp water to create a mixture for brushing the top of the unbaked challah.
  • Brush the unbaked challah with the honey-water mixture.
    Formed Challah Dough Brushed With Honey Mixture With A Pastry Brush On A Baking Sheet.
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
    Sesame Seeds Sprinkled On Challah Form Before Baking. On A Baking Sheet.
  •  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Notes

 Wholegrain spelt flour creates a challah denser than regular flour.
 

Sample the earthy flavor and unique texture of wholegrains! 

We invite you to visit Kosher Create’s Healthy Wholegrain Recipe Collections that include: WHOLEGRAIN DISHES, WHOLEGRAIN PASTA & BREAD and WHOLEGRAIN DESSERTS.
ALL grains and grain flours used in Kosher Create’s recipes are 100% WHOLEGRAIN.
Keyword Challah, Dairy Free, Healthy, Honey, Oat Flour, Parve, Raisins, Rosh Hashanah, Round Challah, Wholegrain Spelt Flour