Grandma Joanie’s Challah

When my mother was about 10 years old, my grandparents lived in Annecy, France, for a year. There was only one shul there (18 Rue de Narvik), and it was rather small. Because they were new, the rabbi, Rabbi Suissa, and his wife, Esther, invited them for Shabbat lunch. This was the first time they saw her challah. After a while, the Suissas and my grandparents became good friends. My grandparents would often go to their house, and for every Shabbat, Esther made her challah (which everyone loved).

One day, my grandmother asked her for the recipe and a lesson on how to make the challah. She also wanted to learn how to braid the challah in four.  So, she did just that for my grandmother.

My grandmother practiced braiding in four by using string until she could make the challot herself.

When they came back to Arizona, my grandmother converted the measurements from metric to standard units and modified it a bit. She taught my mother how to make it, and now my brother and I as well.

It is a tradition for us to make challah (with this recipe) every time we visit my grandparents in Phoenix.

Grandma Joanie's Challah

Breads & Coffee Cakes

Servings: 2 challot

Author: David Jurkowitz

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup oil (applesauce is an acceptable substitute)
• ½ cup honey
• 2 eggs (egg whites can also be used)
• 1 cup warm water
• 4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or ½ and ½ of white and whole wheat)
• 3½ tsp Fleischman’s instant yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups additional flour-may be needed while kneading

Instructions

• Combine first 4 (liquid) ingredients.
• Combine next 3 ingredients together then add to liquid ingredients. Add more flour as needed until you have a smooth ball.
• Let rise in a covered bowl, and if possible, set oven to 140º F. and then turn off. Let batter rise in oven for 30 minutes. (If necessary, skip the first rising and put dough in fridge. Not advised, it comes out considerably better if not refrigerated. If you do this, allow to rise again before shaping).
• Shape into 2 challot.
• Place on a greased cookie sheet and let rise. (Again, if possible, let batter rise in pre-heated 140º F oven for 15 minutes).
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Brush a beaten egg on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

Notes

Can put almonds or raisins in challah before baking.

All annotations in italics done by David Jurkowitz.

Transcribed on July 4, 2014 from an old and fading recipe card.

The Tracing Roots & Building Trees project paired teens from Tucson Hebrew High with residents of Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging to remember stories and favorite foods together. From this experience a cookbook, “L’dor v’dor: From Generation to Generation: Stories and Memories around Family and Food, was published.