A good loaf of challah is tender, pillowy and slightly sweet, but homemade loaves tend to dry and stale quickly. To keep our challah tender and extend its shelf-life, we borrow the water roux technique known as tangzhong that’s used to make fluffy Japanese milk bread.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street Bakes,” the tangzhong increases the hydration level in the dough while keeping the mixture workable. Tangzhong is a mixture of flour and liquid cooked to a gel; it’s often referred to as a roux, though it does not contain any butter or oil and serves a different purpose than a classic roux. The gelatinized starch in tangzhong can hold on to more water than uncooked flour, so the dough is easy to handle despite the high hydration level. The loaf attains a high rise and a light, airy crumb and the baked bread keeps well.
Oil is the fat of choice in traditional challah. For more complex, nuanced flavor, extra-virgin olive oil is used instead of a flavorless neutral oil. To complement the fruity, peppery notes of the olive oil, golden raisins plumped in orange juice are mixed into the dough at the end of kneading.
Though we love the look of challah formed into an intricate six-strand braid or an impressively mounded crown, for ease, we make two simple braids and bake them in loaf pans. Well wrapped, the loaves will keep at room temperature for two or three days.
Don’t forget to drain the raisins before adding them to the dough. Also, don’t cut into the challah while it’s still warm. With such a light, tender crumb, the bread slices more easily and has a better texture after cooling to room temperature.
Olive Oil Challah with Golden Raisins Start to finish: 3½ hours (1¼ hours active), plus cooling
Servings: Makes two 1¼-pound loaves
43 grams (⅓ cup), plus 607 grams (4⅔ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
155 grams (1 cup) golden raisins
¼ cup orange juice
3 large eggs, room temperature, plus 1 large egg, for brushing
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pans
63 grams (3 tablespoons) honey
2 teaspoons table salt
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 cup water and the 43 grams (⅓ cup) flour until smooth. Over medium, cook, whisking constantly, until it thickens (a silicone spatula drawn through the mixture leaves a trail) and bubbles slowly, 2 to 4 minutes; this is a “water roux.” Scrape the mixture into a stand mixer bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface and cool until barely warm, at least 30 minutes.