Square Challah Loaf

Part of the problems I have with braided loaves is that they are very limited as to eating options.  I like bread with somethin' - Be it meat, cheese, roasted peppers, whatever squished in between two big slices.  And everytime I make a unique shaped loaf, I end up just eating it one slice at a time.  I will be stopping back to see those photos of the crumb, and taste results.  This was a very neat idea in my opinion.  I am curious as to if the pan baking changed your flavor profile at all.

TT 

Other than the texture, did the flavor change at all?

TT

I was just wondering, I was not implying that it should.  I just thought that from going freeform to being enclosed, that it might have changed the flavor.  I am glad it did not.  I will have to try this next time I try Challah, or any other braided bread.

Thank you for your time, and your neat idea.

TT

Love the pan idea too!!

Hi smartdog,

It looks wonderful, and I don't know whether you will take this as a compliment or not, but it looks just like the ones that are in the supermarket every Friday. It is very common here in Israel for the challah to braided and then let to rise and bake in the pan as you have done. It really is so much easier for sandwiches that way. Keep up the good work!

L_M

Hi, it even looks tender and soft. Please tell us what size loaf pan you used, and whether you changed the temperature or time at all. Thanks.

I came across your post and decided to try that King Arthur challah recipe. WOW! It was delicious bread! I made two braids in loaf pans and I was so happy with it. Thanks for sharing that recipe. I'm on a kick of trying different challah recipes so that one is definately a keeper.

I think I'll post it below - I hope this is the one you used. I didn't make the starter part, rather I used the SAF gold yeast instead and mixed everything together at the start:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/recipePrint.jsp?pv=1201719955029&recipe_id=R177

Challah - ©2007 The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Quick Starter

1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 cup (8 ounces) water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

Dough

All of the starter

3 1/2 cups (15 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup (2 1/4 ounces) sugar

1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil

2 large eggs + 1 yolk (save 1 egg white for the wash, below)

Wash

1 egg white

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon water

poppy seeds (optional)

Starter: Mix the 1 cup flour, 1 cup water and yeast together in a large bowl or the bucket of a bread machine. Let the mixture sit for about 45 minutes. (This type of quick starter is called for in recipes that are high in sugar, in order to let the yeast get a head start. If you have Fermipan Brown or SAF Gold yeast -- both formulated especially for sweet breads -- this recipe may be prepared as a "straight dough, with all of the ingredients mixed together at once.

Dough: Add the dough ingredients to the starter and mix and knead together -- by hand, mixer or bread machine -- until a smooth, supple dough is formed. This dough is a pleasure to work with -- smooth and silky, it almost feels like you're rubbing your hands with lotion. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it over once to coat it lightly with oil. Cover it and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until it's doubled in size.

Shaping: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over once or twice, to expel the carbon dioxide. Divide the dough into four pieces, and roll each into a snake about 18 inches long. On the lightly greased or parchment-lined sheet pan, braid a four-strand braid (see instructions below) or fashion a simpler three-strand braid.

NOTE: How To Make A Four-Strand Braid: Lay the strands side by side, and pinch them together at one end. For instruction purposes, think of the far left strand as #1, next is #2, then #3, and the far right is #4. Take the left-hand strand (#1) and move it to the right over strands #2 and #3, then tuck it back under strand #3. Take the right-hand strand (#4) and move it to the left over strands #3 and #1, then tuck it back under strand #1. Repeat this process until finished.

Make the wash by mixing together, in a small bowl, the reserved egg white, sugar, and water. Brush the loaf with this mixture, reserving some for a second wash. Cover the loaf with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it's almost doubled in size.

Baking: Brush the loaf with the remaining egg wash (this will give the finished loaf a beautiful, shiny crust, as well as provide "glue" for the seeds), sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired, and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the challah is lightly browned. Remove it from the oven, and cool completely before slicing. Yield: 1 loaf, about 16 1-inch slices.

Nutrition information per serving (1 slice, 63g): 177 cal, 4g fat, 5g protein, 25g complex carbohydrates, 4g sugar, 1g dietary fiber, 40mg cholesterol, 246mg sodium, 64mg potassium, 18RE vitamin A, 2mg iron, 5mg calcium, 53mg phosphorus.

I think somebody already said this, but oh well. I used to live in Israel, and this looks exactly the way the challah they sell at the store looks like! I've been trying to figure out how they do it, but I was sure it was in the scoring.

thanks for posting this!