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Experience the quintessential part of an Israeli childhood with a visit to the bakery on a Friday. This tradition involves stocking up on provisions before the sabbath, when the country essentially shuts down. In our childhood, these bakeries were not fancy, they were industrial spaces on the outskirts of town. They were filled with stainless steel and white tiles and bustling with scruffy bakers rushing to keep up with the demands of families waiting for their weekend treats. The smell of freshly baked goods filled the air, offering a mix of baking traditions unique to Israel.
Eastern European babkas and rugelach, Balkan bourekas, Turkish simit bread, Palestinian sambusak, Roman-style pizza, and New York cheesecake were all a part of the selection. Each family would tell their own story through their choices, reflecting their traditions, personal taste, and family history. However, the one thing that unified everyone was the bread. No one left the bakery without challah, a burnished, plaited loaf that is the soul of the sabbath, the bread of the Jewish people, and a symbol of blessing.
Although our bakery is located on a leafy street in Bloomsbury, it is rooted in the memories of those childhood bakeries. Challah bread will still hold a special place at our bakery. We may not be religious, but we believe in the power of challah bread to bring joy to everyone throughout the week.
To make the base dough, follow these steps:
– Place the flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook. Add water, oil, and an egg. Mix on a slow speed for two minutes.
– Gradually add salt while the machine is running and increase the speed. Knead the dough for four minutes until it becomes shiny, glossy, and stretchy.
– Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least an hour before shaping according to the various recipes.
One of the recipes you can make with the dough is a classic tear-and-share loaf with space for dipping sauce:
– Cut the chilled dough into seven balls and roll them tightly into spheres. Place a large jar in the center of a 9-inch baking tin and arrange the dough balls around it.
– Dust with flour, cover, and let it rise until it doubles in size.
– Bake at 200C for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180C and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and fill the center jar with your favorite sauce, such as a spicy tomato matbucha.
To make the tomato matbucha:
– Make a small cross on each tomato and blanch them in boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer them to ice-cold water, then peel and quarter.
– Place the tomatoes in a pan and cook over medium-low heat until they fall apart and reduce.
– Mix paprika with oil and set aside. Add salt, sugar, garlic, and chili slices to the tomatoes and continue simmering until it starts to stick to the bottom.
– Add the red oil from the paprika mixture to the tomatoes and stir to combine. Fill the center jar of the challah with the tomato sauce and serve.
Another recipe you can try is fig and marzipan buns:
– Make a cross on the top of each fig and insert a butter cube and sprinkle of sugar.
– Roll each piece of marzipan into a thin circle and wrap it around the fig.
– Cut the chilled dough into 10 pieces and roll each one into a circle that can encase the wrapped fig.
– Place a marzipan-wrapped fig in the center of each piece of dough, add a sprig of thyme, and seal the dough around the fig.
– Let it rise until the dough feels soft to the touch, then brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
– Bake at 200C for eight minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180C and bake for another four minutes.
Lastly, try making pistachio pesto and pecorino savory babka:
– In a food processor, blend garlic, basil, oregano, pecorino, pistachios, and salt until you achieve a breadcrumb consistency. Add olive oil and mix.
– Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle and spread the pesto all over. Sprinkle with cheese and pistachios.
– Cut the dough in half lengthways and roll each half into a thin snake. Twist the snakes together to form a swirly loaf.
– Let it rise until the dough is soft to touch, then bake at 200C for 10 minutes, reduce to 180C and bake for another 10 minutes, then reduce to 160C and bake for eight more minutes.
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