Round Challah Three Ways

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, the joy of shaping round challah fills the air. 

When Chanie asked us to come up with  creative round challah  ideas for the Family First Rosh Hashanah magazine, it instantly brought back cherished memories of our childhoods. The joy of creating unique challah braids together with our mother and sisters, where no two challos looked the same, undoubtedly filled our home with love and creativity.

This tradition has sown seeds of creativity, love, and quality time that we will now pass on to you to create in  your kitchens.

Featured here are three creative ways to braid challos,The Sweet Crumb Braid Challah, The Poppy/Sesame Challah and The Mini Braid Honey Dish Challah. Feel free to copy these challos as shown or to use the ideas as inspiration to create your own special round challos in honor of Rosh Hashanah.

You will need sweet crumbs for the Crumb Braid Challlah. You can use the crumbs from The Perfect Chocolate Babka.

Sweet Crumb Braid Challah

You will need:

challah dough
sweet crumbs 
egg wash
round pan

Directions:

1. Make a ball out of a piece of dough.
2. Braid two long three strand braids and cross them over the challah ball.
3. Use a pastry brush to brush the challah with egg wash.
4. Add crumbs to the four sections.
5. Bake.

Poppy/Sesame Seed Challah

Ingredients:

prepared challah dough

beaten egg

poppy seeds

sesame seeds

round pan

Directions:

1. Take a portion of the dough and gently roll it into a smooth ball.
2. Divide another piece of dough into 4 even parts and roll each piece into a strand, ensuring they are of even thickness and length.
3. Dip each strand into the egg wash, coating it thoroughly. Next, gently roll the egg-coated strands in poppy seeds, ensuring the seeds adhere evenly to the dough.
4. Place the four seeded strands across the challah in the pattern shown in the picture or get creative with your own design. Take your time and handle the strands with carefully so that your challah will look neat and even.
5. Once your braided strands are in place, carefully egg wash the remaining areas of the challah and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Mini Braid Honey Dish Challah

We love the tiny braids added to some of the challah balls. You can use any honey dish or bowl in the center of the challah. We chose these adorable apple honey dishes.

Ingredients:

• prepared challah dough
• assorted seeds
• egg wash
• round pan
• ramekin
• apple honey dish (optional)

Directions:

1. Divide the dough into a couple of small, equal-sized pieces. For a uniform appearance, consider weighing each dough ball. This step ensures that the size and weight of the balls are consistent, resulting in an evenly shaped and beautifully shaped challah.
2. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
3. Using some of the challah dough, make some tiny braided strands. Lay the tiny braids across some of the dough balls, creating a pretty design on top of the challah.
4. Arrange the dough balls in the pan in a circular pattern, leaving the center empty for the honey dish. To keep the space open, you can place a small ramekin in the center of the pan.
5. Brush the entire surface of the challah and sprinkle assorted seeds over the challah balls.