When the wonderful and very talented Prerna of Indian Simmer asked me to guest for her, initially she was thinking of something Indian from my mom's. When I saw a recipe by an Israeli chef for a spelt savory challah filled with sauteed vegetables the opportunity presented itself. For years now I wished to bake with different grains other than just wheat. Somehow I felt the spelt would go perfectly with chocolate and upon further baking and experimenting, I felt my original proportion for the honey challah worked best. For example instead of the 3/4 cup oil I only used 1/2. One thing led to another and I thought what better recipe to share with Prerna than one from my Jewish and Israeli heritage. Although the recipe is evolved from savory to sweet and tweaked, originally it was dubbed A Galilee Challah.
Prerna has a natural knack for photography and styling, evident throughout her beautiful site. She is a mom to an adorable little toddler girl who she chases around. I honestly don't know how she does it all but somehow she manages with a wholeheartedly big smile (I can imagine) and an open, welcoming heart.
This dough is very versatile if you wish to make only rolls reduce sugar to 1/2 cup and make knots for individual mini rolls. You can also make sweet rolls and leave the recipe as is. You can make 2 Babka loaves with two thirds of the dough and mini individual rolls with the third remaining dough and so on…Head over to Prerna's site for more pics, all the tips for couple versions of Challah Rolls and Babka from this fantastic spelt dough recipe.
More options on how to braid a Challah video by Cook kosher.
Oh Shulie! The babka and the challah looks gorgeous. I am always very apprehensive when it comes to baking bread.
ReplyDeletePerfect swirls in the babka! Love it.
ReplyDeleteOhh loving this! Heading over to Prena's blog to check it out!
ReplyDeleteHello Shulie. I just read your post at Indian Simmer and am so glad that I did. Challah is my favorite bread and I really love the fact that that you have used spelt flour. Love the beautiful color on the rolls and I can imagine how soft the bread should have been. Now I can literally smell the aroma of those beauties.A bliss!!!! Can't wait to bake.
ReplyDeleteThis dough looks absolutely delicious.. and I'm so not a bread person lol. You definitely made a wonderful babka
ReplyDeleteToo scrumptious for words!
ReplyDeleteThe photos are fabulous! i am embarrassed to say a gasp escaped my lips when I saw the babka!
ReplyDeleteI fall in love all over again every time I see your challah! Always gorgeous. Then when I read "Chocolate Babka" the Seinfeld fan in me resurfaced.
ReplyDeleteHeading over to Indian Simmer!
I commented on the guest post and I'll do it again here. This is the most beautiful bread I've seen in a long time. Is there anything better than chocolate babka?? I think not.
ReplyDeleteThink I'm in love. This looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteboth rolls and braid look great. They look so professional!
ReplyDeleteI made only once challah and disappeared before I had the chance to take a couple of photos, but never used spelt.
I have a bag of spelt flour at the house from Bob's Red Mill (got it from wegmans) and only used a little. I'm going to make some knots or rolls when we get home.
Thanks for sharing Shulie
oh wow!!!! bread with swirls!!! i'm trying to explore this world of yeasted bread.... hehehe. this might be my final push! beautiful bread :D
ReplyDeletelove, love, love babka - can you believe that i've actually made it??? it was divine!! and i LOVE Prerna so much - awwww - i get BOTH of you at the same time . . . bliss!!
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone. For those of you who made this before the spelt twist here lends itself to chocolate so ,so try this version as well. I also like the look of the spelt just by itself. Look at the bun pic closely. For those of you who are reluctant to deal with yeast bread, just so you know I was there before and discovered it's actually much easier than it seems so do it take the leap and tell me all about it! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so craving your BABKA!! When...when can I try it:)Your rolls are incredible. Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteLooks like I m late for the party :) Thats one gorgeous looking challah & the swirls are perfect.Yeast is my foe..hopefully it will be friends with me again with your recipe- Off to check it nw!
ReplyDeleteTwo things that I can never get enough of! Heading over to the guest post now!!!
ReplyDeleteI looove challah! I made one recently, it was soo good it didn't last long!! I really like your challah shape, looks pretty.
ReplyDeleteWow, they look GOOD!!!!! Nothing like homemade breads! :)
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