frudahls: Whole Grain and Emmer Challah with Apples and Honey

The HBinFive Challenge is winding down. I haven’t made all of the breads in the Healthy Bread in Five Minutes book but I wanted to at least finish the race. With only a couple of bread braids to go, I decided I better get baking. The breads for the September 15th Bread Braid include Apple and Honey Whole Grain Challah and Sweet Potato and Spelt Bread.

The challah, shaped like a turban, is a delicious Fall bread made with whole wheat, apples and honey. It was a fun bread to make. I added some Emmer flour in addition to the whole wheat and all-purpose flour. So my version became Whole Grain and Emmer Challah with Apples and Honey. The Sweet Potato Spelt Bread also sounds really good so I hope to get to that one next time.

Whole Grain and Emmer Challah with apples and Honey

Makes: 2 Medium Loaves (about 1.5 pounds each)

Adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat flour
1 1/2 cups Emmer flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 cup wheat germ
3/4 tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/8 cup vital wheat gluten
1 1/4 cups water, lukewarm
1/4 cup neutral-flavored oil
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
2 large baking apples (I used Fiji apples)
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) for brushing on the loaf
Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Peel, core the apples and cut them into 1/2-inch dice.
Mix together the flours, wheat germ, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten in a large bowl using a whisk or a wooden spoon.
Combine the liquid ingredients and dates.
Incorporate them into the dry ingredients using a Danish dough whisk or a wooden spoon.
Cover the bowl (or container) and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses, about 2 hours. Refrigerate the dough for at least 24 hours and up to 5 days.
When you’re ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator, dust it lightly with flour and shape it into a ball. Let the ball rest for about 5 minutes before further shaping.
Gently roll and stretch the dough, dusting with flour so that your hands don’t stick to it, until you have a cylinder. Thin out one end so it is tapered.
Keeping the thick end stationary, wind the thinner end around it and, finally, tuck it underneath to seal. Place the turban on a greased cookie sheet or one with parchment paper, and allow to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap for 90 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack placed in the center of the oven. Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the top crust with egg wash, and then sprinkle the crust with sesame seeds.
Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, until browned and firm.
Allow the challah to cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

I brought this challah to a get together and it was received very well. It’s healthy and delicious!

This bread is also very photogenic so I took lots of pictures.

I especially liked the way the Challah looked in this Bamboo Turtle Bag.

This bread has been YeastSpotted. Please visit Wild Yeast to view all of the lovely breads in the roundup.

Happy Baking!
Cathy