HOLY LAND BOOK - Draft

How to Make
Challah
Make perfect, fluffy challah every time with this classic recipe.
Classic challah is almost as sacred as Shabbat itself, and we know how gratifying and delicious
it is to prepare homemade challah at home.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/8 cups lukewarm water
1 Tbs dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten, plus 1 whole egg for glazing
1/2 Tbs salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Poppy or sesame seeds (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Dissolve the yeast in the water with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Beat well and leave 10
minutes, until it froths.
2. In a very large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then add the salt, sugar, and oil and beat
again. Add the frothy yeast mixture and beat well. Now add the flour gradually, and just
enough to make a soft dough that holds together, mixing well, first with a large spoon, then
working it in with your hands.
3. Knead vigorously for about 15 minutes, until it is very smooth and elastic, adding flour if
the dough is too sticky.
4. Pour a little oil in the bowl and turn the dough, so that it is greased all over.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and put it in a warm place to rise for
2‐3 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down and knead again, then
divide into 2 pieces to make 2 loaves.
6. Braid challah into desired shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
or a silicone baking mat, leaving plenty of room for them to expand. Allow them to rise
for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
7. Now brush gently with the beaten egg, or if you want to sprinkle with poppy or sesame
seeds, brush first with the whole beaten egg.(The seeds stick better if the white is there too.)
8. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the loaves are beautifully
golden-brown. They are done if they sound hollow when you tap the bottoms.
The Difference Between Halvah and Tahini
Halvah is a sweet treat that is almost universally
beloved by Jews from around the world.
Even in many American grocery stores you can
find packaged halvah, and Israel is well known
for the rows upon rows of beautiful and varied
halvah flavors featured in its many outdoor
markets.
What is tahini?
Tahini is quite simple: It is ground sesame
seeds. Just like ground peanuts create peanut
butter, ground sesame seeds creates a rich,
sweet and savory paste that is delicious and
versatile.
Not all sesame seeds are created equal, and,
the best-quality tahini is made from Ethiopian
sesame seeds. When ground, they have a delicious
nuttiness with a natural sweetness.
What should you look for when you buy
strongly recommend storing it in the fridge for
sanitary reasons. And when the tahini fibers and
oil do separate over time (which they will), just
give it a good stir before using.
What can you do with tahini?
The question is really: What can’t you do with
tahini? It can be savory, or sweet. It can be simply
drizzled over roasted vegetables, made into a
salad dressing or even added to baked goods like
tahini?
gluten-free tahini and halvah brownies and tahini
Let’s say you want to buy tahini at the grocery chocolate breakfast buns. It can also be drizzled
store, you should check for freshness. While on top of ice cream.
tahini has a long shelf life (it can remain in your So, what is halvah?
pantry for 2-3 years), if you see that the tahini Halvah, which literally means “sweet” in Arabic,
has already separated, with a thick layer of oil is made by mixing tahini and sugar at a high temperature.
Other flavors are often added, including
on top, it is not fresh and not ideal to purchase.
Where should you store tahini?
coffee, marble, pistachio, cardamom and white
While you can store it at room temperature, we chocolate.