Fig, Brie, Honey Round Challah

step 1

Sub-recipe 1:

Prepare the challah dough as explained in the “Classic Challah Recipe”.

step 2

The recipe will yield two small challahs or one big. The size of your cheese will dictate how we decide to divide the dough. If it’s a small cheese- divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and braid the challah with 4 of them. If it’s a big cheese- divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.

step 3

On a baking tray with parchment paper, place the brie cheese in the center.

step 4

Place the strands crisscrossed around the brie cheese.

step 5

Lift one strand and place the strand that was below on top of it.

step 6

Repeat the same thing with the opposite corner.

step 7

Place a half fig in each corner where the braids cross.

step 8

Now we start to braid. Moving clockwise around the challah, each strand that is placed under another strand is crossed on top of the near one that is placed on top of another strand (watching the video will make it much easier for you).

step 9

Once we finish a full round, place another half fig in each corner where the braids cross.

step 10

Repeat the braiding and the fig placing until the strands get too short and hide the edges underneath the challah.

step 11

Let the challah proof until doubled in size. Keep the challah covered through the proofing process so it won’t dry out.

step 12

Preheat the oven to 390°F or 195°C.

step 13

Brush the challah with an egg wash. After 10 minutes- brush again. Two brushings will result in a darker challah (I like my challah dark).

step 14

Bake the challah for 15-20 minutes.

step 15

Take out from the oven, drizzle honey, sprinkle sea salt, and some oregano leaves.

step 16

Eat while still warm and dip in the cheese in the middle.

step 17

YASSS!

step 18

Classic Challah

In a small bowl, mix water, yeast, and sugar. Stir well and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes. In that step, we activate our yeast. If not blooming after 10 minutes, it means that your yeast probably died.

step 19

In your mixer bowl, add the ingredients from previous step and add the egg. Stir well.

step 20

Add the flour to the mixer bowl and don’t stir.

step 21

Pour the olive oil on top.

step 22

Set the mixer on lowest speed and start mixing for 4 min until we get a homogeneous dough.

step 23

Change the mixer to a higher speed, only one level faster than the slowest one. We don’t want to stress our dough. Work the dough in that speed for 5 min.

step 24

Add the salt.

step 25

Keep kneading for 3 min. Total kneading of the dough should be 12 min.

step 26

Round the dough and place in an oiled bowl to proof. Cover with a towel to avoid the dough from drying out.

step 27

After doubled in size, divide the dough to the desire amount of strands you want.

step 28

Using this recipe, lets understand how to divide the dough.

step 29

2 Challahs of 3 strands: Divide to 6 balls of 150 gr.

step 30

2 Challahs of 4 strands: Divide to 8 balls of 110 gr.

step 31

2 Challahs of 5 strands: Divide to 10 balls of 90 gr.

step 32

1 Challah of 6 strands: Divide to 6 balls of 150 gr.

step 33

1 Challah of 7 strands: Divide to 7 balls of 120 gr.

step 34

1 Challah of 8 strands: Divide to 8 balls of 110 gr.

step 35

Round each piece to a perfect sealed ball. Place them 2 inches apart and cover with a towel. Let them rest for 10-15 min.

step 36

Flattening each ball to a pita shape, start to roll the top towards you creating a sausage shape. In this way we avoid air pocket in the strands. We want our challah to be with no holes inside.

step 37

Open the strands in a way that the edges are slightly thinner than the center of the strand. It will result in a beautiful and easy-going braiding.

step 38

When the strands are ready to be braided- flour them gently. This way the will stay separate from each other when being baked.

step 39

Attach the top of all the strands together and start to braid.

step 40

Cover the braided challah with a towel and let it proof. You know it is ready to be baked when you touched the strands (gently!!!!!) and it bounced back slowly.

step 41

Brush with egg yolk mixed with a sip of water. Don’t make a pool of egg on the challah. Light Brushing. We don’t want an omelette on our bread!