To Life!

Spotlight

Mother Linda Cohen of Franklin, daughter Lauren Cohen
of Lathrup Village and grandmother Sherri Kabi#o of
Baltimore show of their ready-to-bake challah.

Deporab Rich y'Southlield place's
a round cbalkh Iii the oven.

Sticky dough is just one secret of challah baking.

the second gathering of the newly formed
group Aish Ladies Cafe.
"We make challah every week, but we buy
the dough and freeze it — then, thaw it and braid it," said
bride-to-be Lauren Cohen of Lathrup Village. She attended
the session with her mother, Linda Cohen, of Franklin and
her grandmother, Sherri Kabiljo, of Baltimore, who wanted
to learn how to make the dough from scratch.
Flour was flying and mixers were going full speed as the
women combined flour, yeast, eggs, sugar, salt and oil.
During the process, Rich shared some secrets from her 10
years of challah baking experience.
"Working with yeast is about technique. It's getting the
yeast bubbly — because if it doesn't get bubbly, the dough
doesn't rise," she said, with her 11-year-old daughter
Channa Roche! assisting.
"If you want a professional-looking challah, once you
braid it and cover it with the egg wash, let it rise and then
cover it with egg wash
again," Rich added. "Then
you get that beautiful
brown crust."
"I've never made challah,
4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
and I hope this is inspira-
Ingredients:
8-9 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
tional for me — and I will
3 tsp. yeast
3/4 cup oil
make it from now on," said
2 cups warm water
Ruth Levi of Oak Park.
Also spotted mixing,
Yield: two large challahs or 3 re ar size.
kneading and braiding at
Proof yeast and water (about 5 minutes). Feel free to add a it of
the Aug. 31 class were:
sugar (1 tsp) to get it going.
event organizer Sarah
In a separate bowl, mix eggs, sugar oil and salt. Add yeast mixture.
Faygie Berkowitz and
Stir. Add flour and knead. Start with 8 cups and add more, by 1/4 cup if it is too sticky.
Cookie Gonik, both of
If making it in a Kitchen Aid, it will come away from the sides when it is has been suffi-
Southfield, Julie Wineman
of Walled Lake, Zivit
ciendy kneaded.
Cohen of West Bloomfield
Put in an oiled bowl, and let it rise until double in volume (cover with a plastic bag to
and Claire Konikow of
Birmingham. Participants
help it rise nicely).
Punch down. Divide the dough in half. Divide each half into 6 ropes and braid. Prepare
got to take home their fin-
the challah with egg wash. Let it rise for
ished loaves and some
egg wash — take an egg and add water. Cover
freshly made dough to bake
about 45 minutes. Cover with egg wash again and bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.
at home. Fl

S

urrounded by the aroma of fresh challah baking in
the oven, about a dozen women gathered at the
Southfield home of Devorah Rich for a hands-on
lesson in making the braided bread.
"Dough that's sticky makes absolutely
wonderful challah," said Rich as she
rolled long thin pieces of dough for
braiding.
"I make challah every Friday for
Shabbos," she said. "It's so rewarding,
and your house smells unbelievable."
The women jumped right in, trying a
technique where the braids are made
with six pieces of dough. The Challah
ROBIN
S CHWARTZ Baking 101 class was sponsored by the
Southfield-based Jewish community out-
Columnist
reach organization Aish HaTorah. It was

Challah Recipe

Cookie Gonik and Channa Rochel Rich,
both of Southfield, Julie Wineman of
Walled Lake, Zivit Cohen of West
Bloomfield and Claire Baum of
Birmingham.

Randie Levin of Bloomfield Hills gets
some braiding tips from Sarah Faygie
Berkowitz of Southfield

Charlene "Chana" Arm of Oak Park
rolls a piece of dough.