Challah

Challah is a leavened, braided egg bread that is traditionally consumed on Shabbat in Jewish communities, but it is also popular at festive occasions such as weddings and brit milahs. Less common challah shapes include spirals, books, keys, and flowers rather than braids.

Before baking, challah is sometimes sprinkled with poppy, sesame, or coriander seeds to represent the manna that fell from heaven during the Israelites' Exodus. Two loaves of challah are traditionally placed on the festive table on Shabbat, their braids representing connection, justice, love, and peace.

Challah is a special occasion bread that is typically served for Shabbat and other holidays. It is made with leavened egg dough and is usually shaped like a braid, but other shapes such as a round, a key, a ladder, a hand, a triangle, or an oblong are also traditional.

Challah can also be classified based on the ingredients that are used. Ashkenazi Jews' challah, considered the original version of the bread, will include eggs, oil, poppy or sesame seeds, honey, and raisins if made specifically for Rosh Hashanah. Because sugar and eggs were in short supply in North Africa and the Middle East, Sephardi Jews seasoned their challah with spices like anise, caraway, cardamom, coriander, and za'atar. The bread is also enriched with olive oil or nut oils, and orange blossom and rose water, as well as saffron and raisins, are frequently added. Mizrahi Jews, on the other hand, make a very plain challah with no fat and only a speck of sugar.

Challah is best paired with medium-dry white wines and dry red wines.