Caramelized Onion Challah Recipes

CARAMELIZED ONION CHALLAH

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz) in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, cover and cook until very soft, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook until brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool completely.
• Melt 8 tablespoons schmaltz and cool to 110°F.
• Place yeast and sugar in bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1/2 cup water and mix until yeast is dissolved. Gently mix in remaining 1-1/2 cups water, salt and cooled schmaltz. Mix in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides.
• Change to dough hook and knead 20 minutes or until very smooth. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface; knead 1 to 2 minutes. Place in large oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in cool place to rise until doubled, about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
• Punch dough down, turn out on lightly floured work surface and knead in onions. Return to bowl, cover with plastic, and let rise 1 hour. Transfer to large plastic bag, leaving room for dough to expand, and refrigerate overnight.
• Grease a 12" springform pan and line with parchment. Heavily flour work surface.
• Using floured hands, divide dough into 3 equal-size pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle and roll each into a 4-foot long cylinder. Take breaks during rolling so dough can rest. Pinch cylinders together at one end and braid loosely, pinching ends together. Starting at finished end, coil braid into circle, brush end with egg mixture and press into braid. Transfer to prepared pan. Cover with bath towel. Let rise until doubled and very light, about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
• Place baking stone in oven. Preheat oven to 375°F Brush bread with egg mixture. Place bread in pan on top of baking stone. Bake 20 minutes. Gently remove bread from pan and transfer to the stone. Brush again with egg wash. Bake 50 to 55 more minutes, or until challah is well browned. Cool on wire rack.

MY FAVORITE CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
• Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading.)
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
• To make a 6-braid challah, either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
• Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
• If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking. Then dip your index finger in the egg wash, then into poppy or sesame seeds and then onto a mound of bread. Continue until bread is decorated with seeds.
• Bake in middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.

CARAMELIZED ONION-CHEDDAR RUGELACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon water in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, sugar and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in a few grinds of pepper and the thyme. Transfer the caramelized onion to a plate to cool.
• Unroll the pie dough on a work surface and scatter the caramelized onion all over. Top with the candied walnuts and cheese. Cut into 16 wedges (a pizza cutter works great here), then roll up each wedge starting at the wide end. Arrange on the baking sheet with the pointed tip face down. Lightly beat the egg yolk with 2 teaspoons water; brush on the dough.
• Bake until the rugelach are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature.