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"I was born a \"shiksa\"\u2014the Yiddish word used in good humor to describe a non-Jewish woman. And even though I'm a recent convert to Judaism, I still call myself \"&lt;a href=\"http://theshiksa.com/blog/\"&gt;the shiksa in the kitchen&lt;/a&gt;\" because I'm exploring Jewish cuisine with an open mind and heart.\r\n\r\nOne of the best times to be exploring Jewish cuisine is now, when the food-centric Jewish holidays are just around the corner. The first is Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year, and this year it begins tomorrow at sundown. The Rosh Hashanah meal\u2014or meals, depending on how you celebrate\u2014is particularly fun, because it features sweet-flavored foods to symbolize the cycle of life and our hope for a \"sweet\" new beginning, and none of the traditional Jewish New Year foods are more beloved than challah bread.\r\n\r\nUnlike the straight braid prepared weekly for Shabbat dinners, challah for Rosh Hashanah is formed into a ring. This symbolizes the cyclical nature of one year drawing to a close and another beginning. Also, Rosh Hashanah challah is traditionally dotted with raisins and served alongside apples; both are dipped in honey to signify our hope for a sweet new year.\r\n\r\nBelow, find my recipe for the Rosh Hashanah bread and see two traditional ways to form round challah in the slides above.\r\n\r\n&lt;big&gt;Shiksa Challah Bread&lt;/big&gt;\r\nby Tori Avey\r\nMakes 1 large challah, 2 medium challahs, or 24 mini challah rolls\r\n\r\nThis rich, moist, eggy challah is sweetened with honey. The multiple risings create a beautiful braided texture and the egg wash gives the bread a golden crust. Feel free to sprinkle your challah with any of the toppings suggested in the recipe.\r\n\r\nINGREDIENTS\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;Bread dough&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, divided\r\n1 packet active dry yeast\r\n1 teaspoon sugar\r\n1 egg\r\n3 egg yolks\r\n1/3 cup honey\r\n2 tablespoons canola oil\r\n2 teaspoons salt\r\n4 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose baking flour\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;Egg wash&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n1 egg\r\n1 tablespoon cold water\r\n1/2 teaspoon salt\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;Optional&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n1 1/2 cups raisins\r\nSesame seeds, poppy seeds, and kosher salt as toppings\r\n\r\nPREPARATION\r\n\r\nPour 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water (about 110\u00B0 F) into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 packet of active dry yeast and 1 tsp of sugar to the bowl, stir to dissolve. Wait 10 minutes. The yeast should have activated, meaning it will look expanded and foamy. Add remaining 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water to the bowl along with the egg and egg yolks, honey, canola oil and salt; whisk till blended.\r\n\r\nBegin stirring the flour into the bowl by half-cupfuls. When mixture becomes too thick to stir, use your hands to knead. Continue to add flour and knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic, not sticky. The amount of flour you will need to achieve this texture varies; only add flour until the dough feels pliable and \"right.\" If you plan to add raisins to the challah, incorporate them into the dough as you knead.\r\n\r\nPlace a saucepan full of water on the stove to boil. Remove the dough from your mixing bowl and wash out the bowl. Grease the bowl with canola oil. Push the dough back into the bottom of the bowl, then flip it over so that both sides are slightly moistened by the oil. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel, then place it on the top rack of your oven. Place the saucepan full of boiling water below the oven rack where your dough sits. Close the oven, but do not turn it on. The hot water will create a warm, steamy environment for the dough to rise. After 1 hour, take the dough out and punch it down into the bowl several times to remove air pockets. Place it back inside the oven and let it rise for 1 hour longer.\r\n\r\nTake the dough out of the oven. Flour a smooth surface like a cutting board. Punch the dough down into the bowl a few times, then turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Knead for a few minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from feeling sticky.\r\n\r\nNow your dough is ready to braid. See \"How to Shape a Round Challah\" below. If you plan to separate and bless the challah (a Jewish tradition), do this prior to braiding.\r\n\r\nAfter you've braided your challah, place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper\u2014one braid per cookie sheet. Prepare your egg wash by beating the egg, salt and water till smooth. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of egg wash onto the visible surface of your challah. Reserve the leftover egg wash.\r\n\r\nCover the challah loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise 30 to 45 minutes longer. You'll know the dough is ready to bake when you press your finger into the dough and the indentation stays, rather than bouncing back.\r\n\r\nRemove the plastic wrap from the challah. Heat oven to 350\u00B0 F. The challah needs to bake for about 40 minutes total. First, bake your challah for 20 minutes. Take the challah out of the oven and touch up the center of the braid with another thin layer of egg wash (this area tends to expand during baking). Turn the cookie sheet around, so the opposite side is facing front, and put it back into the oven.\r\n\r\nBake the challah for about 20 minutes longer (bulkier shapes like round challahs might need more time in the oven). For this last part of the baking process, keep an eye on your bread\u2014it may brown faster than it's baking. When the challah is browned to your liking, take the tray out and tent it with foil, then place it back in the oven. Remove the foil for the last 2 minutes of baking time.\r\n\r\nTake the challah out of the oven. At this point your house should smell delicious. You can test the bread for doneness by turning it over and tapping on the bottom of the loaf\u2014if it makes a hollow sound, it's done. Let challah cool on the baking sheet or a wire cooling rack before serving.\r\n\r\n&lt;em&gt;*Note: This recipe has not been tested in or styled by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;em&gt;\u00A0&lt;/em&gt; This is my favorite way to make a round challah for Rosh Hashanah. The chain shape represents unity, strength, and togetherness. While the pattern looks intricate, it's actually quite simple to make. 1. Divide the dough into five thick equal-size strands. Form one strand into a circle, pinching the ends together to create a ring of dough. 2. Take another strand and connect it to the first circle as in a chain. Pinch the ends together to form a second circle. 3. Repeat the process until all of the strands form a complete chain. The final circle links to the first one to create a complete circle of loops, which will bake into a lovely round challah shape. Apply egg wash, rise and bake according to your challah recipe's instructions. The most popular way to make a round challah is to bake the dough into a spiral shape- sometimes called a \"turban challah.\" The shape symbolizes the cycle of a year coming to a close and a new cycle beginning. This type of challah is usually baked with raisins in the dough to signify a \"sweet\" new year. Concealing the raisins inside the dough creates a prettier, more uniform challah. 1. Knead and roll to flatten the dough into a rough rectangular shape, about 1/2 inch thick. If adding raisins, sprinkle them evenly across the center of the rectangle. Use either black or golden raisins, whichever you prefer. 2. Use your hands to roll the dough from the bottom upward into one large, even strand, making sure to roll tightly to avoid air pockets. The raisins will be concealed inside the dough. 3. Roll the dough using both hands to smooth seams and create one large strand. 4. Taper the strand at the ends by rolling the dough between your palms, then roll one end of the strand inward to create a spiral snail-shell shape. 5. Continue rolling the strand in the same direction until the spiral is complete. Tuck the loose end of the spiral underneath the challah and pinch it tightly into the bottom, securing it. Apply egg wash, rise and bake according to your challah recipe's instructions."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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