Vegan Challah
This vegan challah bread feels and tastes exactly as a traditional challah should, with a feathery, light crumb and a pleasing but mild sweetness.
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 181kcal
Equipment
- Stand mixer or large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup warm non-dairy milk (you might need a couple of tablespoons more or a little less depending on the weather in your part of the world).
- ¼ cup neutral oil (I used avocado. Use any unflavored oil, including grapeseed oil, sunflower oil and safflower oil).
Optional "egg" wash
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Place the yeast, sugar and warm water in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it stand five minutes until frothy.
- Add flour and salt to the bowl. Add oil and milk and knead until a dough forms.
- Continue kneading for 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth but very slightly tacky.
- Form the dough into a smooth ball and place in an oiled bowl. Coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with a tight lid or cling wrap. Set the bowl in a warm spot to rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until doubled.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out on an unfloured surface and cut into three equal portions.
- Form each section into a smooth ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand 10 minutes so the dough relaxes and is easier to work with.
- Using the palms of your hand roll each ball into a rope, about 12 inches in length. Pinch the ropes together at one end and braid. Tuck the ends on either side underneath.
- Place the braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. You can also lightly oil the baking sheet instead. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius.
- Cover the loaf with a kitchen towel and let it stand in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour until it is puffy and has roughly doubled in size. Brush with a wash of one tablespoon maple syrup mixed with one tablespoon of non-dairy milk for great color. You can also sprinkle on poppy seeds or sesame seeds at this time, if you want to.
- Bake 30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- To make this bread part wholegrain, you can substitute one cup of the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour.
- The rise time for the dough will depend on the temperature in your neck of the woods. You can keep the bread in a cold oven with just the light turned on to help speed the rise. Wait until the dough has risen properly before you bake.
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: Freeze the whole bread or individual slices in an airtight container for up to four months.]
- Reheat: Reheat in the toaster oven until warmed through or toasty.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg