Our children were all adopted as babies, and because they have ancestors from all over the world, we have been known to celebrate a variety of holidays and foods including making Jewish Challah. And just in time for the Jewish New Year today, our oldest son got an ethnic update from Ancestry.com letting him know that his heritage is 31% European Jewish.
The Alder family Christmas 2012
Tonight at sundown, the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah begins. According to Chabad.org
“The festival of Rosh Hashanah—the name means ‘Head of the Year’—is observed for two days beginning on… the first day of the Jewish year. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of mankind’s role in G‑d‘s world.”
Food is an important part of the holiday as Chabad described and Challah is usually part of that celebration:
“Additional Rosh Hashanah observances include:
a) Eating a piece of apple dipped in honey to symbolize our desire for a sweet year, and other special foods symbolic of the new year’s blessings.
b) Blessing one another with the words Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, ‘May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.’
c) Tashlich, a special prayer said near a body of water (an ocean, river, pond, etc.) in evocation of the verse, ‘And You shall cast their sins into the depths of the sea.’
And as with every major Jewish holiday, after candlelighting and prayers we recite Kiddush and make a blessing on the Challah.”
This sourdough challah, in a turban shape, is from “Challah done two ways from the same dough (Jewish New Year’s loaf AND a braided challah)” at BreadIn5
To bless the Challah, you’ve got to bake one, but instead of the braided Sourdough Challah that we shared with you last December, this Challah is rounded into a turban.
However, since the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday, you will have to get to work on this early in the day. Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François in their New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day explained that the round, turban-shape represents the continuity of life or the beginning of a new year through its end.
The bread is sometimes baked with raisins rolled into the dough. Pictured here is Hertzberg and François’ turban close-up.
But they have chosen to cover the top in sesame seeds. However, it is most often brushed with honey to symbolize the hope for a sweeter new year.
Many who celebrate the holiday dip slices in honey or drizzle it over the top of the bread; these folks often continue to use honey, rather than keeping salt on the table per Leviticus 2:13, through the Sukkoth holiday
Sourdough Challah Recipe*
IngredientsActive Start
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InstructionsPre-Ferment
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Dough
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Dough
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*You may also use this Sourdough Brioche Roll recipe for the dough.
Since both the braided Challah and this one use the same recipe, the only instruction you will need is this about how to shape it from BreadIn5:
- Thin out one end by rolling and stretching at the end that’s going to be thinned
- Starting with thick end in the middle, wind the thinner end around it and finally, tuck it underneath to seal
- Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
“Put the loaf on a cookie sheet prepared with shortening or parchment paper, or …a silicone pad, which can go straight into the oven with or without the support of a cookie sheet.
“Allow the loaf to rest for an hour and 20 minutes, then bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, until nicely browned (larger loaves will take more time). “
Tell us about your favorite sourdough Jewish sourdough bread recipe in the comment section below.