Frost Street Turns Two
It was two years ago today that my first post appeared on Frost Street. So the blog's two year anniversary falls on the day after Yom Kippur, the leading fast day on the Jewish calendar. Last night, following on a twenty-four-hour fast, I broke bread with Lisa over a traditional meal of rice, chicken, cucumbers, and dates, washed down with a glass of sweet wine. You have to start the new year off sweet, you see, and the meal that breaks a fast is a sacred thing. I've always loved the order and simplicity of a Jewish sacred meal. You bless a glass of wine and pass it round; you break bread that it may be shared; you praise God for bringing forth fruit from the ground and from the tree as you taste a bite of each. There's humility in it, and joy; two things which seldom go together but more often should.
On the High Holidays surrounding the Jewish New Year the traditional braided challah is fashioned in round. The special shape is meant to symbolize the cycle of the years: as one ends another begins. It's the kind of simple truth that is equivalent to beauty, and we bake it into our food. And because this remains a foodblog, I'm here to tell you how. Thanks for sticking around for the past two years.
Recipe: Challah
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- 2 pkgs. dry-active yeast
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- One egg for egg wash
Heat 1/2 cup of the water to between 100 and 110 degrees. Stir yeast into warm water and allow to soften for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together remaining water, honey, oil, eggs and yolks. Stir in flour and sugar and add yeast mixture. Knead or stir in an electric mixer equipped with a dough hook on low speed for about 15 minutes, or until smooth. Add a small amount of additional flour while kneading if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.
If you're a traditionalist, pull off a 1/20th portion of the dough now and set it aside. According to Jewish law this is the priestly portion; since the destruction of the Temple it has traditionally been burned in the oven (typically by wrapping it directly around the front of the oven rack) during baking. Set the remaining dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
Turn out the dough, punch it down, knead it for a minute or two, and set it back in a covered bowl to double in size again, approximately 60 minutes. This is a good time to preheat the oven to 325-350 degrees.
Turn out the dough and punch it down again, then separate it into two equal portions (this recipe is for two loaves). If making a braided challah, separate each half of the dough into three equal portions, roll them out into ropes of dough, pinch them together on one end and braid them, pinching the ends together when the braid is complete. If making a round New Year's challah, roll each half of the dough out into one thick rope, and coil it around itself in an outward spiral, tucking the end underneath the loaf. Set the loaves on a baking sheet lined with either a silpat or parchment paper, and allow them to rise until 1 1/2 times their original size, about 45 minutes.
Make an egg wash by beating an egg with a small amount of water. When the loaves are fully risen, brush them all over with the egg wash and place them in the center rack of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the loaves make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.