Challah

Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Central and Eastern Europe — the tradition of a special Shabbat bread is ancient; the braided egg-enriched form developed in 15th–16th century Germany and Austria

The braided Shabbat bread of Ashkenazi Jewish tradition is a rich, egg-heavy, slightly sweet yeasted bread glazed with egg wash to achieve a deep mahogany crust and a pillowy, pull-apart crumb. The braiding is both symbolic and functional — the multiple strands create a complex surface topology that produces maximum crust caramelisation while maintaining a soft interior through the interlocking structure. Standard home challah is a three or six-strand braid; festive versions for Rosh Hashanah are formed into rounds. The bread contains neither butter nor milk (to maintain kosher dietary laws separating meat and dairy meals), yet achieves extraordinary richness through eggs and oil alone. This entry focuses on the braiding and baking technique; see entry #493 (Global Bakery) for laminated braided dough fundamentals.

Served at Shabbat dinner with wine blessings (kiddush); torn by hand and dipped in salt; used for French toast the following morning; pairs with honey on Rosh Hashanah; the sweetness, richness, and slight crust chew work equally as Shabbat table bread and breakfast pastry