Challah with date syrup, apples and cinnamon

Challah is a special type of sweet bread eaten in various cultures – and for a good reason! With its fruity and honeyed taste, it’s bound to conquer anyone’s heart.

Like all good things in life, you need to dedicate some time to making this challah, but most of the required time is resting time, so you can watch your favorite show, or read your preferred book while it rises and the dough is working its magic. And we can guarantee your home will smell divine from the cinnamon, apples, and dates.

Recipe yield
8 servings
Total time
4 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup dark raisins (or 50 g)
  • 3 cups + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour (or 500 g)
  • ½ tbsp dry yeast
  • ½ tbsp sea salt
  • ¼ cup date syrup (or 80 g), or substitute with ¼ cup molasses or maple syrup
  • 2 apples, cut into small cubes
  • 2 tbsp unfiltered (cloudy) apple juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Add the raisins to a bowl and soak them in 2 cups of warm water for 24 hours. Cover the bowl. During this time, the raisins will produce a natural yeast that will lend a deeper flavor, color, and aroma to the challah dough.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and yeast. Add the apples, date syrup, apple juice, and cinnamon, and mix well.
  3. Add the water in which the raisins have been soaking, and start kneading. Add a little more lukewarm water if necessary. Cover with a towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
  4. Add the oil and salt, and knead for 3 minutes. Wrap in a towel and leave for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  5. Find a comfortable surface to work on, dust with flour, and gently roll the dough, dividing it into six equal strands. Braid the strands together, and place them on a baking tray.
  6. Bake for 1 hour and a half in a very hot oven. Reduce the heat to 190°C, or 370°F, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the challahs are a deep golden brown.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

If you think sweet and salty is a match made in heaven, try some Pea Pesto Spread or a White Bean with Onion and Tomato spread with your sweet Challah!

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