Home › Forums › Cooking Tips › Challa Baking Help
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December 27, 2013 2:01 pm at 2:01 pm #611680streekgeekParticipant
How do you prevent the tops of braided challos from cracking while baking? I’m getting so frustrated!!!
December 27, 2013 2:40 pm at 2:40 pm #997831popa_bar_abbaParticipantLess yeast.
December 27, 2013 3:46 pm at 3:46 pm #997832streekgeekParticipantSeriously? I’m a bit nervous about tinkering with recipes as I’m pretty new to the whole kitchen scene but I’ll try that out next week.
Thanks!
December 27, 2013 3:50 pm at 3:50 pm #997833popa_bar_abbaParticipantWell, alternatively let it rise for less time.
It cracks because the yeast is too active in the dough, either because it rose too much, or because there is too much yeast.
Isn’t there like some expert challah lady you can call for advice?
December 27, 2013 3:54 pm at 3:54 pm #997834🍫Syag LchochmaParticipanti’ve never heard of that happening from too much yeast. Too much flour maybe.
December 27, 2013 3:57 pm at 3:57 pm #997835streekgeekParticipantIsn’t there like some expert challah lady you can call for advice?
Sure there is, you tell me. Which one of your wives?
December 27, 2013 3:58 pm at 3:58 pm #997836streekgeekParticipantTruth is, the dough actually rose for a lot longer than I intended cuz I had to run out somewhere… Oh well! There’s always a second chance to get it right (and a third, and a fourth…)
December 27, 2013 4:08 pm at 4:08 pm #997837streekgeekParticipantSyag – Why flour?
December 27, 2013 4:08 pm at 4:08 pm #997838popa_bar_abbaParticipantNo, there really is a lady who answers challah shailos, but I don’t want to post her name online.
December 27, 2013 4:21 pm at 4:21 pm #997839streekgeekParticipantPBA – Seriously? There’s someone who does that? That’s really special cuz there are some people who seriously need help with challa baking. Like me. She does it as a chessed or does she charge for her advice?
December 27, 2013 4:22 pm at 4:22 pm #997840🍫Syag LchochmaParticipantthe dough can rise indefinitely if the flour has elasticity. if it is cracking than I am guessing that it is too stiff to expand. more oil could make it smoother and stretchier.
December 27, 2013 4:26 pm at 4:26 pm #997841popa_bar_abbaParticipantAs a chessed. Ask around in person. (Ask like brooklyn people, especially like boro park people).
December 27, 2013 4:27 pm at 4:27 pm #997842streekgeekParticipantSo more oil and less flour? I’m already in denial of how much oil is in that recipe already…
December 27, 2013 4:34 pm at 4:34 pm #997843popa_bar_abbaParticipantNech nech, you don’t need to put in more oil. You can certainly have a non-cracking challa without any oil.
That isn’t to say that more oil would not solve it also. There may be multiple solutions. Next time try rising it less, and see if that helps.
December 27, 2013 4:35 pm at 4:35 pm #997844streekgeekParticipantPBA – Will do. Thanks for the lead!
December 27, 2013 4:48 pm at 4:48 pm #997845rcParticipantdont stretch the dough when rolling your ropes and make sure it has risen properly,
December 27, 2013 4:51 pm at 4:51 pm #997846Torah613TorahParticipantHer name is Devorah Heller, and she doesn’t mind being posted online, and I’ve called her.
The reason your challah is cracking is because it rose too much. Have it rise less next time and you’ll be fine.
December 27, 2013 4:58 pm at 4:58 pm #997847streekgeekParticipantT613 – Thanks! I’ll archive that name for future reference.
So I’ll try cutting down on the rising time while making sure it has risen enough. That’s a real fine line I’m dealing with. How long do you let a dough rise that uses dry yeast (I think, the type that come in a bag and looks like granulated brown sugar)?
December 27, 2013 5:09 pm at 5:09 pm #997848oomisParticipantthe dough can rise indefinitely if the flour has elasticity. if it is cracking than I am guessing that it is too stiff to expand. more oil could make it smoother and stretchier.
Try this (and don’t over-flour the dough, as well)if you rise it too much, punch it down AGAIN, knead briefly, rehape, and re-rise, keeping closer tabs on the time. Dough can be punched down a few times and allowed to rise again.
December 27, 2013 5:14 pm at 5:14 pm #997849🍫Syag LchochmaParticipantI defer to the expert, I’ve just never experienced it. I will say that I have now been using Rebbitzen Kanievsky’s recipe (as I mentioned on some other thread somewhere) and I have never had dough so soft and smooth on a consistent basis before. Bli Ayin Hora (incase you had any thoughts of that)
December 27, 2013 5:19 pm at 5:19 pm #997850streekgeekParticipantoomis – Thanks! I’ll try that as well.
I really can’t switch recipes cuz my family would never let – I use my mother’s recipe that she’s been using for ages…but for some reason it just doesn’t come out the same way.
December 27, 2013 5:24 pm at 5:24 pm #997851🐵 ⌨ GamanitParticipantstreekgeek- try using oil instead of flour to braid the dough. put a small amount of oil on the surface, and coat your hands. This gives the dough the elasticity that oomis was saying prevents cracking. It also makes cleanup easier, as you only need a bit of soap water to wipe it all away.
December 27, 2013 5:28 pm at 5:28 pm #997852streekgeekParticipantGamanit – interesting idea. I could definitely give that a shot. Thanks!
December 27, 2013 5:29 pm at 5:29 pm #997853popa_bar_abbaParticipantI will say that I have now been using Rebbitzen Kanievsky’s recipe
Has anyone besides me noticed that 2.5 kilograms of flour is not 5 lbs? In other words, the BY cookbook did not multiply her recipe correctly at all?
(On that topic, if she made the recipe with 1 kilo, why in the world does my sister-in-law need to make it with 5 lbs and take challa? Is she better than rebbetzin kanievsky?)
December 27, 2013 5:49 pm at 5:49 pm #997854streekgeekParticipantBTW I appreciate all your responses. Pray for me that the challa tastes as good as it smells, and not as bad as it looks!
Have a great Shabbos all!
January 10, 2014 2:51 am at 2:51 am #997855streekgeekParticipantJust letting y’all know. Just finished a batch of challas and they came out gorgeous!! Too bad I can’t post a picture, you’d all be so proud 😉
So what I was very on top of the rising situation, cut the time on that down a bit. I didn’t flour the table like I usually do, and I used oil instead like Gamanit suggested.
So I really thank you all! As does my family and guests!
Shabbat Shalom!
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