Alright, my fellow challah lovers. Today I’m sharing a super quick, super beautiful, and SUPER EASY recipe that you’re going to love!
This recipe is everything you love about a traditional challah, but requires no special skills or techniques to make it look stunning.
These challahs have Rosh Hashanah especially in mind. With the sweet caramelized onions in date syrup, and the addition of pomegranate seeds studding the top, they are perfect for a special fall occasion.
They’re really easy to make.
I mean really easy. Once my dough was made, it took me 10 minutes to form 4 challahs, and they baked in 20! There is no braiding, twisting or looping in this challah design. Simply form balls, and put them in a pan. And when it comes time to eat it, just pull it apart at the table.
The chutney is also really easy to make. It’s a little time consuming to chop all those onions, but for caramelized onions, it’s ALWAYS worth it. I added in date syrup, which makes it deliciously sweet, dried cranberries, which plump up and look like beautiful little gems, and pine nuts, for color contrast and crunch.
These challahs are also super versatile. You can use your favorite dips, change up the challah flavors, and even make them mini for each guest’s plate.
The Presentation:
I think these lovelies speak for themselves in the presentation department. If you would like however, you can serve them with an array of other goodies on a wooden board. See the photo below.
Making Ahead:
To freeze, remove the bowls from the centers and keep the challahs in their pans. Wrap with foil and place in a freezer bag. When ready to use, defrost the challahs, take them out of their pans, place the bowl back in the center and fill with the chutney. The chutney can last 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
I hope you try these this holiday season. They are easy, practical, can be made ahead, and are total showstoppers!
P.S
-This chutney makes approximately 1 ½ cups, which fills two 6oz bowls for two challahs. For my photos I doubled the chutney recipe (to fill four 6oz bowls for four challahs).
-If you are interested in changing the size of the challahs, remember to change the size pans, bowls, and amount of chutney to fit your measurements.
Here is a step-by-step guide to help you along the way! 🙂
Before we begin, I wanted to give you some options for the bowls you can use to keep the center of the challah open. These are all oven-proof and are roughly the same size. If you would like to use a bowl for serving that is not oven-proof, simply use one of these that best matches the shape and size of your bowl and replace it with yours before serving.
- 4.5 round aluminum deep pan
- Standard white baking ramekin
- Pyrex 6oz custard cup. Click HERE for link. (These are what I used).
1. For the challahs, form 9 small balls of dough, about 1 ½ inches each.
2. Place them in the prepared pan, directly around the bowl. Brush with egg and top with sesame seeds or dried cranberries. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
3. Allow the challahs to cool, and remove them from their pans. Simply put your hand over the challah, and turn it upside down to release it from the pan.
How easy was that?!
4. Fill each bowl with the chutney, top with pomegranate seeds and serve.
- Your favorite challah recipe
- For the Chutney:
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 6 white onions, chopped. (About 6 cups)
- 6 tablespoons date syrup
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 4 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 egg, beaten
- Sesame seeds, for topping
- Dried cranberries, for topping
- Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
- To make the chutney, heat the oil in a large pan over medium low heat. Add the onions and cook until caramelized, stirring often, for about 20 minutes. Stir in the date syrup, cranberries and pine nuts. Cook for 1-2 more minutes for the cranberries to plump up, and for the nuts to slightly toast. Allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 inch round aluminum pans and the outside of 6oz oven-proof bowls with non-stick cooking spray. Place the oven-proof bowls in the center of each round pan. Set aside.
- For the challahs, form 9 small balls of dough, about 1 ½ inches each. Place them in the prepared pan, directly around the bowl. Brush with egg and top with sesame seeds or dried cranberries. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Allow the challahs to cool, and remove them from their pans. Fill each bowl with the chutney, top with pomegranate seeds and serve.
If you are warming your challahs up before serving, make sure your bowl is stovetop/warming tray safe. Or, simply remove the bowl from the challah, and place it back in before serving.
If you plan on freezing your challahs, make sure to generously spray your bowls with non-stick spray so they can easily be removed before freezing.
The chutney makes approximately 1½ cups. It will fill approximately two 6oz bowls (for two challahs).
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