• They will know the origins of challah
• They will learn how to braid and bake challah

FEEL:

• Participants will walk away feeling accomplished, knowledgeable about challah and potentially inspired to bake their own

DO:

• They will watch how challah dough is made, they will braid dough, they will learn about the traditions associated with making challah

WHO:

• This program can vary in size, however, a smaller group is optimal
• This program is probably best not on Shabbat

WHAT/WHERE:

• Materials:
  • Ready to go challah dough (you can either make dough in advance (see my recipe here:), you can use Rhodes frozen dough, or, you can talk to a local bakery and purchase ready to go dough.
  • Ingredients to make one batch of dough at the program
  • Fillings for challah
  • Text sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Ziplock bags, disposable tinfoil pans, or tinfoil
• Room Set Up:
  • Counter or table space for participants to watch challah dough being made and to braid their own

Program Outline (1 hour)

• Welcome and overview of steps:
  • Step 1 – Demo making challah dough. Make dough by hand, or with stand mixer.
  • Step 2 – When dough has been kneaded, place it in a slightly warmer than room temp oven to proof.
  • Step 3 – While dough is proofing, go over history/text of challah (from resource sheet) (15 mins)
  • Step 4 – Pull out already made challah dough. You want about `1/2lb of dough per person for them to make their own personal challah. You can get this dough from local bakeries, you can make 2 batches of dough in advance, or, you can use the Rhodes frozen white bread dough. ***This isn’t real dough, but works for teaching challah braiding and is relatively inexpensive and available frozen in most Walmart and grocery stores. Give everyone a square of parchment paper and go over braiding techniques. https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-braid-challah-shannon-sarna-23259102

If you want to make challah with stuffings, this is the time. Just flatten out your braid, put in things like apples, cinnamon sugar, raisins, chocolate chips, s’mores, bourbon soaked cherries (old fashioned), etc. Then re-roll braids and braid challah as you usually would.

If you want to make different shaped challah, once you braid the strands, you can demonstrate that step here.

• Conclusion: After braiding section of program, if dough is done proofing in oven you can braid that together, or, it can stay for you to braid and bake later.
• Give each participant a disposable tray, or challah dough wrapped in foil to take home and bake at 350 degrees. They should egg wash the challah before baking.