Strawberry Lemonade Challah

Another week, a new challah recipe!  

As summer is approaching, I love taking advantage of all the fresh fruits! My favorite drink on a hot day is a sweet and tart strawberry lemonade. So, what better way to welcome warm weather than with a strawberry lemonade challah? 

The strands are stuffed with a freeze dried strawberry and lemon filling, then topped with a fresh strawberry and lemon puréed cobbler topping! 

What you will need:

Challah dough recipe

Filling:

I always have dry filling for my babkas on hand in ziploc bags {recipe here} use 8 tbsp of the vanilla pudding powder

½ cup freeze dried strawberries

1 tbsp lemon zest

5-6 tbsp lemon juice

Topping:

3 strawberries, puréed

⅓-½ cup flour

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

Directions:

Make challah dough according to directions here.

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 filling by first adding the freeze dried strawberries to a mini blender or food processor, process until almost a fine dust. In a bowl, add all ingredients and stir until combined.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Add 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 for 30 minutes.

While the challah is rising, prepare the cobbler topping. Puree the strawberries, then add all ingredients together in a bowl until a thick paste-like consistency is achieved. {may need to adjust the flour amount based on consistency} 

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Once the challah has risen, plop little dollops of the topping all over the top of the challah.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the challah is slightly golden.

Once you slice into the challah, you’ll see all the ribbons of strawberry lemon goodness!

And, if you happen to have any leftovers after shabbas, it makes a great Sunday brunch French toast!

Enjoy!

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!

Red Pepper Spread Filled Challah

We usually dip our {non-filled} challah in either a chummus or some sort of savory spread from Trader Joe’s on shabbas, like this red pepper spread. So I figured, why not stuff the spread inside the strands and have it all contained in one? 

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

Spread of choice 

Topping

1 egg

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

On parchment lined sheet tray or greased aluminum foil, spread out the spread in 4 thin lines {about the length your challah strands will be} and freeze to firm up about 30 minutes. 

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. Place frozen spread on each log and pinch closed. 

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

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds or everything but the bagel spice. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Slice open and look at those pockets of spread inside your challah!

Enjoy!

Coconut Custard Challah

Now that the weather has been warming up, I am dreaming about beach vacations and pina coladas! This coconut custard filled challah topped with toasty coconut flakes reminds me of warm sunny days by the beach. 

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

Coconut custard {recipe here is enough for 2 challahs}

Topping

Coconut flakes

1 egg

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. Spread with the coconut custard. 

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

 

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with coconut flakes. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Slice open and look at those pockets of coconut yumminess!

Enjoy!

Bonus- if you happen to have leftover challah, this one is amazing as French toast!

Cookies & Cream Challah

I have been dreaming about this challah for weeks and am so happy I finally made it! 

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

About 8 Joe Joe’s per challah, crushed

Topping

1 crushed Joe Joe

1 egg

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Take the Joe Joe’s and place in a ziploc bag, and crush with a rolling pin. 

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. Sprinkle with the crushed Joe Joe’s. 

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

 

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with the reserved crushed Joe’s Joe’s. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Enjoy!