Whole Wheat Challah

Fluffy Whole Wheat Challah

Submitted by Malki Sinensky
New York, NY

I love testing and trying new recipes, and challah is no exception. Whole wheat challah has always been a challenge because no matter which recipe I tried, the challah inevitably came out heavy. So I adapted this recipe, for a basic fluffy challah, to whole wheat flour. It took several weeks and different modifications, but the result was a tasty, light challah.

YIELDS 3 6-BRAID CHALLOS

• 1 Tbsp sugar, for proofing
• 2 cups warm water, or more as needed
• 2 Tbsp active dry yeast
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup oil
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 for egg wash
• 2 cups high-gluten flour
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1½ tsp kosher salt

Mix sugar, water, and yeast in a small bowl. Let rest for about 10 minutes until you see the yeast bubbling.

Place honey, sugar, oil, and eggs in the bowl of your mixer and mix. Add the yeast mixture, then the flours and salt. Mix again until smooth and still slightly sticky. (I usually mix it for 7–10 minutes.) You probably won’t have to add more flour, but if it looks very sticky you can add a bit, 1/4 cup at a time. If it looks too dry, add more warm water, also 1/4 cup at a time. (I often end up adding 1/4–3/4 cup.)

Let the dough rest for 3 minutes, then transfer it to a well-greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for an hour to an hour and a half until it doubles in size.