The Story Behind This Challah

Twenty years ago, we published our first challah recipe. For our anniversary, we wanted to create something special — a celebration challah that combines the best of what we’ve learned with ingredients that signal joy and abundance.

This challah uses a pinch of saffron for golden color and subtle floral aroma, a honey-enriched dough for sweetness, and a double egg wash with sesame and nigella seeds for dramatic finish. The eight-strand braid creates a showstopping round loaf — perfect for Rosh Hashanah, celebrations, or any Shabbat where you want to bring something extraordinary to the table.

The saffron is optional but transformative. Even a small pinch turns the crumb a deep, sunset gold that photographs beautifully and tastes like celebration. If you don’t have saffron, a teaspoon of turmeric gives similar color with a milder flavor.

What Makes This Special

Ingredients

Ingredient	Grams	Volume	Baker’s %
Bread flour	900g	7 cups	100%
Warm water (with saffron)	270g	1 cup + 2 tbsp	30%
Honey	135g	⅓ cup + 2 tbsp	15%
Vegetable oil	108g	½ cup	12%
Eggs (large)	250g	5 large	28%
Instant yeast	11g	1 tbsp	1.2%
Fine sea salt	16g	2½ tsp	1.8%
Saffron threads	0.5g	1 generous pinch	—

For the topping: 1 egg + 1 tbsp water (egg wash), sesame seeds, nigella seeds, poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Bloom the Saffron

Place saffron threads in 270g warm water (38°C / 100°F). Let steep for 15 minutes. The water should turn deep orange-gold. Do not discard the threads — they go into the dough.

2. Mix the Dough

In a large bowl, combine the saffron water, honey, oil, and checked eggs. Whisk to combine. Add the bread flour and instant yeast. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Rest 15 minutes (autolyse). Add salt and knead 8–10 minutes by hand (or 6 minutes on medium in a stand mixer with dough hook) until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. The dough should pass the windowpane test.

3. Separate Challah

This dough exceeds the shiur for hafrashat challah with a bracha. Separate a k’zayit of dough, recite the bracha, and set aside the separated piece (it will be burned or wrapped and discarded respectfully).

4. First Rise

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Rise at room temperature (24–26°C / 75–78°F) for 1.5–2 hours until doubled.

5. Shape

Divide dough in half. For each loaf, divide the half into 8 equal pieces (about 118g each). Roll each piece into a rope about 40cm / 16 inches long. For a round celebration braid: arrange 4 strands in a cross pattern and weave them into a round loaf, tucking the ends underneath. Repeat with the remaining 4 strands for the second loaf. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.

6. Second Rise

Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Rise 45–60 minutes until puffy but not fully doubled. The dough should spring back slowly when gently pressed.

7. Egg Wash & Top

Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the loaves gently but thoroughly. Wait 10 minutes, then brush again (this is the double egg wash that gives the deep mahogany color). Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds, nigella seeds, and poppy seeds.

8. Bake

Bake 30–35 minutes until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 88°C / 190°F. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Solution
Pale color despite saffron	Water too hot (killed saffron) or too short a bloom	Bloom saffron 15+ min in warm (not hot) water. Water should be deep gold before mixing
Braid losing shape	Dough too warm or over-proofed	Chill shaped loaves 15 min before second rise. Don’t let second rise go past 60 min
Dense crumb	Under-kneaded or under-proofed	Ensure windowpane test passes. First rise should fully double
Top burns before inside is done	Oven too hot or loaf too high	Tent with foil after 20 min. Use an oven thermometer to verify temperature

FAQ

Can I make this without saffron?

Yes. Substitute 1 teaspoon turmeric dissolved in the warm water for similar golden color. The flavor will be milder but the challah will still be delicious.

Can I use a six-strand braid instead of eight?

Absolutely. Divide each half into 6 pieces instead of 8. The loaf will be slightly taller with larger strands. Both look beautiful.

Is this challah sweet enough for Rosh Hashanah?

Yes — with 15% honey (baker’s percentage), this is sweeter than standard challah. For an even sweeter version, increase honey to 160g and reduce water by 25g.

How do I get a perfect round shape?

The key is even strand thickness and tight tucking underneath. After braiding, gently cup the loaf with both hands and rotate it on the counter to tighten the shape. Tuck all loose ends firmly under the base.