challah

12 Oct, 2026

From Aran Goyoaga's "The Art of Gluten Free Bread"

Makes 1 challah; serves 8

Ingredients

For the sponge

• 140 grams sorghum flour
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) active dry yeast
• 225 grams water, heated to 105°F (41°C)

For the dough

• 145 grams water, at room temperature
• 30 grams psyllium husk powder
• 160 grams potato starch
• 120 grams tapioca starch, plus more for dusting
• 75 grams granulated sugar
• 70 grams sweet white rice flour
• 2½ teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
• 55 grams extra-virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, or another vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the egg wash and Topping

• 1 large egg
• Pinch of salt
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the sponge. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour and yeast. Whisk in the water. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and proof until the sponge puffs up and has a mousse-like texture, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Make the gelled sponge. Whisk the 145 grams water into the sponge until smooth. Then vigorously whisk in the psyllium until you have a thick gel. The mixture will set quickly, so don’t wait.

3. Make the dough: In a stand mixer, stir together the potato starch, tapioca starch, sugar, sweet white rice flour, and salt. Add the gelled sponge. Snap on the dough hook and begin to mix on medium speed. Add the olive oil and eggs and continue mixing for 3 to 4 minutes, until the dough comes together. The dough will be moist and sticky, but will hold together nicely. Add a tablespoon of water if the dough seems dry or a touch of flour if it seems a bit too sticky.

4. Chill the dough. Grease a large bowl with some olive oil. Scrape in the dough, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.

5. Braid the dough. Lightly dust a work surface with tapioca starch. Knead the dough a few times to deflate it and bring back elasticity. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (about 250 g each). Knead each piece of dough a few times to make it smooth and shape into a tight ball. Roll each piece of dough into a strand that is roughly 14 inches (35 cm) long and has tapered ends. Dust the surface with more tapioca starch if needed. Arrange the strands of dough vertically in front of you and pinch the top ends together. Take the topmost left strand, place it on the opposite side, and weave the third strand over it. Reposition the strands, separating the left strand from the other three. Take the left strand and bring it to the right, weaving the third strand over it. Repeat until all the strands are braided. Pinch the ends together and tuck them underneath the dough. If you are having a tough time braiding the dough and need to start over, don’t worry. You can knead the dough back together and start again.

6. Make the egg wash. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and salt together.

7. Proof the braided challah. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the braided challah on it. Brush the challah with the egg wash. I like to create a little proofing vessel for the challah (see Note) to support it, but you can skip this step and simply let the challah proof as is. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and proof at room temperature until nearly doubled and the dough feels marshmallow-like, about 45 minutes.

8. Preheat the oven. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

9. Bake the challah. Brush the top of the challah with a second layer of the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

10. Cool the challah. Transfer the challah to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it. It is best eaten the same day.

Notes

• To make a proofing vessel for the challah, fold the long edges of the parchment paper until you get close to the challah. Pinch the ends of the parchment paper and tie them with some string. Adjust the parchment so the dough has even support around it, yet with enough space to rise. This step is optional but helps the challah rise better.

Variations

Vegan Challah

• Increase the water in the dough to 250 grams. (Leave the sponge as is.) Replace the white rice flour with millet flour. Add 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder to the dry ingredients in the dough. Since the dough is quite pale, you can add ¼ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric to enhance the color. Omit the eggs. Brush the top of the dough with 20 grams maple syrup before baking. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 35 to 40 minutes. When the challah comes out of the oven, brush the top with 20 grams extra-virgin olive oil to add shine and soften the crust.

Four-Braid Challah Crown

• Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Dust a work surface with tapioca starch and roll each piece into a strand 14 inches (35 cm) long. Lay two strands next to each other vertically. Weave one of the remaining strands horizontally under the center of the first vertical one and then over the second vertical one. Weave the remaining strand horizontally under the center of the first vertical one and then over the second vertical one. Push all the strands tightly together in the middle and separate the ends so you’ll have room to start weaving.

• Place the lower left vertical strand over the strand next to it on the right. Repeat around the circle, going counterclockwise. Now, do the same thing starting with the lower right vertical strand, placing the strand over its neighbor on the left, going around the circle clockwise. Repeat this pattern until you have braided all the strands and you have a crown-like challah. Tuck in the ends under the dough.

• Place a 9- or 10-inch (23 to 25 cm) springform ring or cake ring around the dough. This will help the dough rise upward in the oven versus spreading more to the sides. Proof and bake as directed.

Three-Braid Loaf

• Grease an 8½-by-4½-inch (22 by 11 cm) loaf pan with olive oil.

• Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces (about 330 g each) and roll each piece into a strand that is 12 inches (30 cm) long and about 1½ inches (4 cm) thick. Braid the strands together and place in the prepared loaf pan. Proof and bake as directed, but add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time. Tent the pan with foil if the top becomes too dark during baking. Let the challah cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Hamburger Buns

• Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 130 g each). Knead each piece of dough a few times and shape into a tight ball. Proof as directed, then brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.