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Wholegrain Honey Raisin Challah On A Serving Plate On A Lace Cloth With Flowers Made Of Raisins Around.

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.
Keyword Challah, Dairy Free, Healthy, Honey, Oat Flour, Parve, Raisins, Rosh Hashanah, Round Challah, Wholegrain Spelt Flour