In the category of autumn challah flavors there is pumpkin challah and even sweet potato challah. But I wanted to try my hand at combing another favorite fall flavor into challah bread: butternut squash and fresh sage.
Admittedly I was a bit nervous to see how the addition of butternut squash would affect the challah. I have made pumpkin challah many times, but never before had I added butternut squash. I am happy to report that not only is consistency of this dough just perfect, but the color is beautiful and the taste even more incredible.
You can swap out fresh sage for dried sage, but I really enjoyed the flecks of sage leaves throughout the challah dough, and the addition of some fresh chopped sage on top along with thick sea salt really makes this bread even more special. This challah would also translate for a wonderful savory stuffing.
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Butternut Squash and Sage Challah
Fall flavors elevate this traditional Shabbat bread.
- Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 1-2 loaves
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 5–6 fresh sage leaves plus more, for garnish
- 1 ½ Tbsp dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
- 5 ½–6 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (I prefer to use King Arthur)
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ Tbsp salt
- ½ cup butternut squash puree (fresh or frozen)
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks + 1 tsp water
- thick sea salt
Instructions
- Place vegetable oil and fresh sage leaves in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Heat through until sage becomes fragrant, around 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit 25-30 minutes. Strain sage leaves but do not discard. Finely chop leaves.
- In a small bowl, place yeast, 1 tsp sugar and lukewarm water. Allow to sit around 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together 1 ½ cups flour, salt, butternut squash and sugar. After the water-yeast mixture has become foamy, add to flour mixture along with oil and chopped sage leaves. Mix thoroughly.
- Add another 1 cup of flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Switch to the dough hook attachment if you are using a stand mixer.
- Add an additional 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic. You can do this in a bowl with a wooden spoon, in a stand mixer with the dough attachment, or once the dough becomes pliable enough, on a floured work surface with the heels of your hands. Dough will be done when it bounces back to the touch, is smooth without clumps and is almost shiny.
- Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel. Allow to rise at least around 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Braid challah into desired shape. Allow challah to rise another 45-60 minutes, or until you can see the size has grown and challah seems light. This step is very important to ensure a light and fluffy challah.
- In a small bowl beat 2 egg yolks with 1 tsp water.
- Brush egg wash liberally over challah. Sprinkle with chopped fresh sage and thick sea salt.
- If making one large challah, bake around 27-28 minutes; if making two smaller challahs, bake 24-26 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Ashkenazi
9 comments
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challah
Pronounced: KHAH-luh, Origin: Hebrew, ceremonial bread eaten on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
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Can I throw all the ingredients into a bread machine’s ne to make the dough?
We haven’t tried making this recipe using a bread machine but please let us know how it turns out if you do.
Can one use pumpkin instead of the butternut squash?
Sure!
I’m a newbie to challah so how do you braid it
Hi Donna, check out this video tutorial to guide you through it!
I tried this recipe last year and it was good, but I had trouble cooking the 5-6 sage leaves in oil. I want to make it again, but this time using dried sage from a spice container instead of the 5-6 leaves. What is the dry measure amount of sage I should use? I too want to see flecks of sage in the dough, but to keep it simple I want to put the right amount into the dough making process. Thanks.
Can you give us the ingredient quantities needed to yield 4 medium (about 3/4 – 1 lb each) loaves?
You can just double the recipe for 4 small-medium loaves.