KosherEye.com
A KosherEye Signature Recipe
This is a must have recipe for the Jewish New Year table, or anytime you want a challah with layers of sweetness and cinnamon. Some guests even enjoy it for dessert ! So delicious plain or dipped in honey...
Prepare your favorite 2-pound sweet style challah dough, and let it go through the first rise. (In a hurry? Use the dough cycle on a bread machine.) You will need a recipe* that calls for at least 4 cups of flour. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking oil.
Combine 2 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon and 1 1/2 cups of cup sugar -– Whisk together and set aside.
Use the prepared dough and form challah nto balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
Place in 1 layer on waxed or parchment paper. Dip each ball quickly and lightly into tepid water and then rolle in the prepared cinnamon sugar.
Starting at outer rim of pan, place each dipped and coated ball into the springform. Balls do not have to be touching, but should be close together. Use all of the batter and keep stacking as evenly as possible until you run out of dough. There should be at least 2 layers of balls.
Optional: Between layers scatter any combination of a total of 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, nuts, dried cranberries or raisins.
Spray plastic wrap with oil and cover pan. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees about 30-40 minutes or until golden. Let cool 10-20 minutes, and then use springform release latch and carefully pop out of pan.
Optional Icing: Why not? After challah is removed from pan, mix 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar with a few drops of orange juice until of spreading consistency and gently brush on top of challah.
*We suggest using either of the following recipes: Pam's Bread Machine Challah, Round Frosted Pull-Apart Honey Challah, or Perfect Challah, Every Time.
If you are not a challah baker, and want to make this, simply purchase Rhodes white bread rolls for the dough, and follow the recipe. We won't tell!
Recipes: Bread, Challah, Sweet, Parve, Kosher
No time to make Challah dough, no problem!
To purchase click here: Zojirushi Bread Maker (Amazon).
Selecting a Breadmaker can be confusing.
Especially if one has not previously owned a bread machine. So many choices - one paddle or two? vertical loaves or horizontal loaves? A machine that makes a 1 lb. loaf or a 2 lb. loaf? Size of the actual machine? Ease of use? Settings? Decisions... decisions... decisions!
So let's talk! We have recently tested the newest model, of the Zojirushi (pronounced zo-jih-ROO-shee) bread maker, the Virtuoso BB-PAC 20. In fact, since we have grown so attached to it, let's use its nickname, the Zo. It has moved to a position front and center in our kitchen, right up there with our stand mixer, Vitamix, Coffee Maker, and food processor. Not only are we busily making whole wheat bread for weekday sandwiches, challah for Shabbos, and cinnamon rolls (yumm) much too often, but we have also made jam. strawberry jam to be exact. So simple! Making jam was so easy, that we plan to progress to blueberry and peach jam later this summer.
Yes, the Zo is an investment ($275), but if you have the counter or pantry space available, and if you love fresh bread and preserves, we think that it is well worth the price. If you use it often, studies have indicated that over time, homemade bread costs substantially less than store-bought bread, and is, of course, healthier, (We guess that depends on your ingredient choices.)
Why did we select Zojirushi? – We compared many popular bread machines, some less costly, but liked the features on the Zo. The Home Bakery Virtuoso® Breadmaker (BBBAC20). If you plan to become a regular breadmaker...these features are important.
The Virtuoso bakes a traditional, horizontal-shaped 1 ½ - 2-lb. loaf, has dual kneading blades, 13-hour delay timer, easy to read clock, and many varied menus settings-including basic bread, wheat bread, gluten-free bread, sourdough starter, dough, jam, cake, quick bread and 3 homemade settings for custom recipes. Trust me, we are not techies, but the accompanying recipe book offers easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for each setting. Additionally, the Virtuoso has an exclusive lid heater, which makes even baking and proper browning possible. The dual paddles ensure thorough mixing and kneading and result in a higher rise. The bread pan includes easy-lift handles, ensuring quick and safe loaf removal of the loaves. And there is a large window to watch what's happening.
And, we must share one of our favorite features..the 13-hour delay timer – which allows us to go to bed and wake up to fresh homemade bread in the morning. Sounds so good, doesn't it? Yes, it's truly amazing. We also especially like the dough cycle, which is perfect for mixing up a batch of cinnamon buns, challah, and rolls.
We find the 2 lb. size loaf convenient, some to slice, some to store and even some to freeze. For Shabbos challah, the Zo delivers fresh challah in a hurry on a Friday morning. One 90-minute cycle provides enough dough to make two 1 lb. loaves. We shape them, place them in loaf pans or on our Silpat mat, let them rise for 1 hour, and bake for 30 minutes. Done! By the way, for those readers who are gluten-free, the Zo even offers a setting for you. So, dear readers, if you are in the market for a breadmaker, do consider the ZO, and share your thoughts (and recipes) with us.
To purchase click here: Zojirushi Bread Maker (Amazon).
*This is not a sponsored post. All recommended products are Koshereye tested. We hope to only provide you with amazing Kosher products and recipes. Koshereye may make a small commission if you purchase a product through our Amazon links.