The Jew and the Carrot » Blog Archive » The secret’s in the challah

Support
The Jew & The Carrot
Click the gelt!

Join Hazon's Mailing List

Chosen Bites
food news around the web
- Fears for UK Honey Supply
  Beekeepers are demanding funding for more research as UK supplies of honey will run out within the month
- Top 5 Falafel Joints in Jerusalem
  If you don't already have a fave secret falafel spot in Israel, the Jerusalemite is here to help
- USDA Rushing Through Dangerous New Rules on GE and Pharmaceutical Crops
  True Food Now's petition to the USDA to oppose industry self-regulation of GE Crops

Upcoming Events

More Events »

What We're Reading

Books in Our Kitchen
Feeds
- Entries (RSS)
- Comments (RSS)
Meta
- Login

The secret’s in the challah

by Anna Stevenson · April 14th, 2007

Cooking, Recipes, Shabbos Meals

Actually, it’s in the pinenuts. Yessir! I’ve made challah with pinenuts twice now, and enjoyed it both times, and so I’m ready to declare a public launch. I was vaguely inspired by a pinenut torte I had once at a fancy Italian restaurant, but mostly I just love pinenuts, and also love mixing Things That Are Sweet with Things That Are Not, for character-deepening effect. In challah, it adds this buttery nutty soft crunch that is terribly pleasant.

I have done two variations: Challah with currants and pinenuts, and challah with apricots and pinenuts. Both were quite good. I like to flatten out the section of dough, sprinkle the nuts/fruit on it, then roll it up tightly so that all the goodies are on the insde of the tube, and don’t burn on the outside of the challah. Try it! Shabbat Shalom…

PS- pinenuts really do come from pinecones! Read more

Print this post

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “The secret’s in the challah”

Ari (Baking and Books) Says:
April 15th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I’ve added many things to my challah but pinenuts have never occurred to me… until now. The apricot-pinenut combo sounds particularly promising. :)
Anna Says:
April 15th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
;0)
Well, if you try it, let me know what you think!
Laura Bellows Says:
April 17th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
What a great idea! I love adding apricots, walnuts, sunflower seeds, figs, etc. to good honey-whole wheat challah — but the fruit on top always gets burnt or dried out. Rolling it within the bread seems to be a perfect solution…though challenging with thinner braids. I’ll let you know how it goes!
P.S. Another favorite challah invention: Add ground, dry ingredients straight into the flour. I like to grind & add nuts (walnut — or, perhaps, pine nuts!) and whole spices. With the help of a little mesquite flour (a great, but strongly flavorful ingredient good for pancakes, cookies and funky breads), the challah takes on a lovely nutty, warm flavor.
Rabbi Shmuel Says:
April 18th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
From the farm - make a whole wheat challah dough - go out to the coop and get a couple of eggs - take the yolks and add hot maple syrup - stir into a glaze and brush on challah - sprinkle sesame seeds on and bake - come home from shul - bless the kids - sing “Eishes Chayil” - make kiddush - make hamotzi and thank Hashem ‘cuz it doesn’t get any better!