Cinnamon Pecan Streusel Challah

 

Here’s a new twist (pardon the pun) on an old classic. Adding cinnamon and pecan to a basic challah recipe makes it good enough to eat for dessert.

Ingredients:

Bread:
½ cup canola oil
2 tsp salt
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup boiled water cooled with ½ cup cold water
2 packets of rapid rise yeast dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water with ½ tsp sugar
3 eggs
7 cups bread flour

 

Struesel:
2 tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

 

1 beaten egg with 1 tsp water (for brushing before baking)

 

Directions:
Combine oil, sugar, salt and and boiled water.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add to oil mixture.

When yeast bubbles add the yeast mixture to the bowl and stir.

Add the 7 cups of flour one cup at a time mixing it completely after each addition. Mix with dough hook attachment (if you have one) for 5 minutes.

Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, it will be very sticky, and place on a floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth adding a little flour at a time if you need it. The dough is done when you rub your palm across the dough and it feels smooth.

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic. Place in a warm area and let rise 1 hour.

Divide the dough into 2 balls. Divide each ball into 3 pieces. Roll the strands into the same length and then begin braiding adding the streusel mixture as you braid (you can even push the pecans into the dough to ensure they remain in place for the baking process).

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and let rise 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350.

Brush the sides of the loaves with the beaten egg mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned. 

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Chocolate Chip Pecan Slice

With the end of summer comes the time of year when I start to think about the Jewish holidays and all of the baking that lies ahead. Taking my cue from my mother, I begin to bake and freeze desserts that I will need to pull out for entertaining or for taking to people’s homes to which we will inevitably be invited. One such item is my mother’s famous Chocolate Chip Pecan Slice, so simple to make and so perfect to freeze. It lasts for weeks, even months in the freezer and when it is half thawed, we slice it into squares and then place in pretty dainty cups.

Base:

  • 1 cup flour

  • ½ cup butter

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar 

 Press into 8x8 ungreased square pan. Bake at 350 for 10 min or until sides become golden. 

Topping:

  • 2 eggs beaten

  • 1 ½ cup brown sugar

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

  • 2 tablespoons flour

  • ½ teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 cup pecans

  • 1 ½ package chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients, pour onto prepared crust. Bake approximately 30 min.