Coffee Cake Challah

Happy almost weekend!

One of my favorite cakes is coffee cake, and strangely I really like the Pesach Manischewitz coffee cake mix {I can eat almost an entire cake in a sitting.} 

So, while being challah deprived on Pesach, eating straight out of the coffee cake tin I had this idea! It’s sort of a mashup between a cinnamon bun {since I fill the strands with the streusel} and coffee cake! Yumm!!

What you will need: 

Challah Dough recipe

Swap sugar for-

1 tbsp sugar

⅓ cup honey or maple syrup

Use 2 eggs instead of 1

Add in-

1 tbsp vanilla

2 tsp salt 1 tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Additionally, can sub water for milk or almond milk for a richer dough

Streusel Filling:

5 tbsp oil

1 tbsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup flour

Streusel Topping:

Separate half off the filling from above and add ⅓-½ cup flour for a drier streusel crumb

Directions:

Make challah dough according to directions here, add in vanilla with the eggs, then add in the cinnamon and nutmeg along with the flour. 

Divide dough into 8 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan. {makes 2 loaf challah}

Make the streusel filling in a bowl by adding all ingredients and stirring until combined.

Separate half of the streusel filling into a separate bowl, and add flour gradually until it turns into a drier streusel crumb.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Add a shmear of the streusel filling to each flattened log. Pinch the edges to seal, and then braid the logs. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Brush with an egg wash and top with the streusel topping.

Bake for 40 minutes, turning the tray halfway through so it bakes evenly.

Enjoy!

Cherry Crumble Challah

This challah is stuffed with homemade fruit preserves that are both sweet and tart. I used stone fruit in my preserves, which I think are quintessential summer fruits! The preserves swirl through the center of the challah and are topped with a crunchy oat crumble. 

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

Homemade fruit preserves {recipe here} or store bought works as well

Topping

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup old fashioned oats

½ cup all purpose flour

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup canola oil or margarine/butter

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Spoon about 1 tbsp preserves down the center of each log. Pinch the edges to seal, and then braid the logs.

Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise covered with a towel 30 minutes. 

While the challah is rising, prepare the crumble topping. Combine all dry topping ingredients in a bowl. Use a pastry cutter or 2 forks to mash cold margarine/butter into the oats mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If using oil, just stir in. 

Once the challah has risen, spread the crumble topping over the challah. Pat the topping gently until even.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Enjoy!