Balsamic Apple Date Challah
If you like cinnamon buns, babka, challah or any kind of sweet treat, this egg bread will fill that gap. The dough is lightly-flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and the charoset-type apple/date filling is a delicious complement. For another option, try Dovid Waldman's Date, Fig and Apricot Charoset. Twist the dough like a babka or roll the filling into a standard braid.. Make it especially for Rosh Hashanah or serve it at a weekend brunch, It's great toasted, too!
This recipe from The Nosher has been slightly adapted. to add honey and nuts. Feel free to modify it according to your family's tastes.
Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Bunds, Braided Lemon Bread, Cranberry/Walnut/Flax Bread, Chocolate Babka, Poppy Seed Roll.
Time: 5 hours (3-4 hours rising)
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients for the dough:
1/ 10 lb. cake yeast or 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
1. teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
4 1/2 – 5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 tablespoon) salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Ingredients for the filling:
3 apples, peeled and diced
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
For top of challah:
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp honey
thick sea salt (optional)
cinnamon sugar (optional)
Method
Place the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and the lukewarm water in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm place for 10-15 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top.
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, the salt, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
After the water-yeast mixture has become foamy, add it to the flour mixture along with oil. Mix thoroughly.
Add another cup of flour and the eggs, mix until smooth. If using a mixer, switch to the dough hook attachment.
Add another 1 1/2 cups flour and then remove from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead the remaining flour into the dough, for about 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel. Allow to rise for 3-4 hours.
To make the filling, place the chopped apples, dates, salt, cinnamon stick, water, red wine and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer the pot, uncovered, on medium heat until the mixture is reduced.
Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer another 2-3 minutes. The mixture will cook around 10-15 minutes in total.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard.
Place the mixture in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse until smooth OR use an immersion blender to blend the mixture to the consistency of your choice.
After the dough is done rising, punch it down and cut it in half. Cover the spare dough until ready to use.
Roll the first ball out using a rolling pin into a rectangle about 10" x 16". Spread half of the apple-date mixture in an even layer across the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border without filling.
Roll the up the dough towards you. Try and keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Pinch the ends when you finish.
Create a pinwheel-shaped challah by snaking the dough around and around in a circle around itself.. Place in a well-greased springform or other cake pan with removable bottom or sides. When finished, tuck the end under the challah neatly and pinch lightly. Alternately, twist and form into a tea ring.
Repeat with other half of dough.
Allow challahs to rise another 45- 60 minutes, covered with a towel, or until you can see the size has grown to nearly double. Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
Before baking, beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of honey. Brush liberally over each challah. Top the challah with cinnamon sugar (few tablespoons of sugar and a dash of cinnamon mixed together, (according to your taste) or sea salt, if desired.
Bake for 25-40 minutes, or until middle looks like it has just set, and the colour is golden.
If you like cinnamon buns, babka, challah or any kind of sweet treat, this egg bread will fill that gap. The dough is lightly-flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and the charoset-type apple/date filling is a delicious complement. For another option, try Dovid Waldman's Date, Fig and Apricot Charoset. Twist the dough like a babka or roll the filling into a standard braid.. Make it especially for Rosh Hashanah or serve it at a weekend brunch, It's great toasted, too!
This recipe from The Nosher has been slightly adapted. to add honey and nuts. Feel free to modify it according to your family's tastes.
Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Bunds, Braided Lemon Bread, Cranberry/Walnut/Flax Bread, Chocolate Babka, Poppy Seed Roll.
Time: 5 hours (3-4 hours rising)
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients for the dough:
1/ 10 lb. cake yeast or 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
1. teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
4 1/2 – 5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 tablespoon) salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Ingredients for the filling:
3 apples, peeled and diced
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
For top of challah:
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp honey
thick sea salt (optional)
cinnamon sugar (optional)
Method
Place the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and the lukewarm water in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm place for 10-15 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top.
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, the salt, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
After the water-yeast mixture has become foamy, add it to the flour mixture along with oil. Mix thoroughly.
Add another cup of flour and the eggs, mix until smooth. If using a mixer, switch to the dough hook attachment.
Add another 1 1/2 cups flour and then remove from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead the remaining flour into the dough, for about 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel. Allow to rise for 3-4 hours.
To make the filling, place the chopped apples, dates, salt, cinnamon stick, water, red wine and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer the pot, uncovered, on medium heat until the mixture is reduced.
Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer another 2-3 minutes. The mixture will cook around 10-15 minutes in total.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard.
Place the mixture in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse until smooth OR use an immersion blender to blend the mixture to the consistency of your choice.
After the dough is done rising, punch it down and cut it in half. Cover the spare dough until ready to use.
Roll the first ball out using a rolling pin into a rectangle about 10" x 16". Spread half of the apple-date mixture in an even layer across the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border without filling.
Roll the up the dough towards you. Try and keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Pinch the ends when you finish.
Create a pinwheel-shaped challah by snaking the dough around and around in a circle around itself.. Place in a well-greased springform or other cake pan with removable bottom or sides. When finished, tuck the end under the challah neatly and pinch lightly. Alternately, twist and form into a tea ring.
Repeat with other half of dough.
Allow challahs to rise another 45- 60 minutes, covered with a towel, or until you can see the size has grown to nearly double. Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
Before baking, beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of honey. Brush liberally over each challah. Top the challah with cinnamon sugar (few tablespoons of sugar and a dash of cinnamon mixed together, (according to your taste) or sea salt, if desired.
Bake for 25-40 minutes, or until middle looks like it has just set, and the colour is golden.