This Vegan Hot Pretzel Challah Bread is a flavorful, unique and delicious addition to your recipe collection. Made from scratch with easy to find ingredients, this delightful bread is sure to make your meal memorable. Enjoy the hint of sweetness and the salty, chewy texture of the handmade pretzel crust.
I love baking bread. There's just something about a warm loaf of bread baking in the oven in the middle of winter to makes me happy. It might be the smell, it might be the warmth of the house, or it might be a combination of many things.
So when I was looking through one of my cookbooks and came across a recipe for Vegan Hot Pretzel Challah Bread I was intrigued. I like Challah bread because it has such a nice texture but it's usually made with eggs.
I was interested to see how it would be made vegan. The fact that it was a hot pretzel Challah bread peaked my interest as well.
Ingredients:
- dry active yeast (make sure it's in date, out of date yeast will not rise as well)
- granulated sugar
- water (just tap water is fine)
- kosher salt
- vegetable or canola oil
- bread flour (you can also use all purpose flour if you don't have bread flour)
- baking soda (you will need a lot so make sure you have a full container)
- sesame seeds (optional)
The bread was easy to mix up since it just has a few ingredients. Once it's mixed it goes into a bowl and rises until it has doubled. It took about 80 minutes for mine to double.
Once the dough has risen you will punch it down and divide it into 6 pieces. The pieces are rolled out to be braided. They may flatten as you roll them but that's fine, they will pump back up in the oven.
I have a little trouble with the braiding of breads because I braid under instead of over so sometimes my dough sticks to the counter. To combat this I just sprinkle a little extra flour on my counter before braiding.
What is Challah Bread?
Challah bread is a loaf of braided bread of Jewish origin. It is usually made with eggs, water, flour, yeast, and salt. It has a rich flavor because of the eggs. Raisins, honey, or seeds can be added to the bread depending on the occasion. The word Challah refers to the blessing of separating out a portion of the dough as a contribution to a priest before you begin braiding the dough.
Why do I have to boil the bread in water?
Boiling the bread in water is the only way to achieve the pretzel like texture. Boiling the dough cause it to puff up instantly which creates a chewy interior and a crisp exterior. The baking soda helps to give the bread the deep golden brown color with the cracked appearance that pretzels have.
What other toppings can I put on this bread?
While I prefer kosher salt or sea salt you can also sprinkle the bread with garlic salt, everything bagel seasoning, or a cinnamon and sugar mixture. After taking it out of the oven you can sprinkle it with ranch seasoning, vegan Parmesan cheese, or cinnamon sugar.
How do you store Challah bread?
Challah is best stored in a large zip top baggie or air tight container for up to 5 days. Make sure the Challah is completely cooled and all of the air is pushed out of the bag or container before storing it.
Can I freeze Challah Bread?
Wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to use thaw in the refrigerator over night.
Challah is a great braided bread that's slightly sweet and usually made with eggs. This recipe makes it simply with water, flour, and yeast. But the twist is that it's turned into Hot Pretzel Challah.
In order to acheive the flavor and texture of a pretzel the bread is boiled in a mixture of water and baking soda. Then it is placed on a baking sheet and baked in the oven..
I was skeptical as to whether or not the bread would brown without being brushed with butter or eggs. However, before it goes into the oven it's brushed with the baking soda water and then sprinkled with sea salt and sesame seeds.
More Bread Recipes:
- Rum Raisin Bread
- Rustic Sourdough Bread
- 9 Grain Bread
- Jalapeno Cheddar Stuffed Pretzel Rolls
- English Muffin Bread
The result is a golden brown bread that looks like a pretzel! The outside was crispy but the inside was soft and delicious.
It was great toasted with butter, smothered with fresh jam, or even as bread for a sandwich. It tastes like a pretzel roll so it's great for hearty sandwiches.
This bread is one that's easy to make and it tastes so good. We would just pull off a piece of it as a snack. You don't even need to put anything on it and it's delicious. I'll be making it again soon.
If you’ve tried my Vegan Hot Pretzel Challah Bread or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:
Vegan Hot Pretzel Challah Bread
Vegan Hot Pretzel Challah Bread is a flavorful, unique and delicious addition to your recipe collection.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon dry active yeast
- 6 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ c. lukewarm water
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ c. canola oil, plus more for bowl
- 3 c. bread flour
- ⅔ c. baking soda
- salt or sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the yeast, 1½ teaspoons of
the sugar, and the lukewarm water. Leave for 10 minutes, or until
foamy. - Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the remaining 4½ teaspoons sugar, 1 cup of cool water, the kosher salt, and the oil on medium low speed for 1 minute.
- Add the yeast mixture to the mixing bowl, beating well.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour.
- Raise the speed to medium and knead for 4-5 minutes, until a smooth, satiny dough forms.
- Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. If the dough is sticky, knead
in more flour, a little bit at a time, until the dough is easy to roll. - Divide the dough into six equal balls and roll each into a long
strand. Braid three strands of dough into a challah, for a total of two
challahs. Place on the prepared baking sheet. - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring 8 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil in a pot with a wide
opening. Gently and carefully lower a challah into the baking soda
solution. Using two wooden spoons or spatulas, carefully turn the
challah so both sides get equally covered in water. Remove after 30
seconds and place back on the parchment lined pan. Repeat with the
other challah. - Brush the top of each challah with some water from the pot and then top with salt or sesame seeds.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until starting to brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Notes
Recipe from Mayim's Vegan Table by Mayim Bialik, 2014.
Review of Mayim's Vegan Table by Mayim Bialik
With more or more people requesting vegan sweets and entrees, I've found that I'm getting pretty good at cooking and baking vegan. This cookbook comes from Mayim Bialik, whom you might know from the hit shows Blossom and Big Bang Theory. The first chapter talks about the author of the book. It was interesting to read about her, her family, and why they are vegan.
The second chapter discusses plant based eating and whether or not it's a nutritional choice. I really liked the third chapter which is about easy meal tips. I'm all for easy meals and any tips I can get I'll take!
The fourth chapter talks about stocking a vegan kitchen. I already have a lot of the ingredients on hand but there were a few I was anxious to try for myself. The next few chapters include recipes for breakfast, snacks, lunches, veggies, entrees, breads, and desserts.
The recipes are really great and use easy to find ingredients. I appreciate this as there are many specialty ingredients not available where I live. A few recipes on my "to make" list include Fruity Oatmeal Muffins, Minestrone Soup, Build Your Own Taco Salads, French Onion Dip, Thai Pasta, and Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies.
The only thing I would like more of in this book is pictures. There is a middle section with a lot of photos but I'd like it if they were throughout the book.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
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