Vegan Maple Fig Rosemary Challah

This article was written for .alma magazine

I used to be afraid of baking, especially bread baking. I distanced myself from any recipe that required yeast or kneading. The idea that baking is a science, only accessible to those with the innate ability to understand that science and its nuances, discouraged me. I was never very good at science. But as someone that loves Jewish food, I knew I wanted to learn how to make homemade challah. The moment after I made my first challah I wondered: “What took me so long?”

Once I got into challah-baking I couldn’t stop. To my surprise, challah isn’t all that hard to make, the dough is very forgiving, and it comes together relatively quickly. There’s no three-day proofing required. I tried countless recipes, and decided I needed to develop one that would make my own ideal loaf. I like my challah with a little chew, not too yeast-flavored, not too sweet. Once I got a basic recipe down, it was easy to start playing around with flavors and ingredients.

During the High Holy days, when entertaining and round challahs abound, this recipe offers a celebratory animal-friendly offering. I love being able to make dishes that any guest at my table can eat, and it’s great to have an option for folks with plant-based diets. Vegan challah is as easy to make as egg-based challah, and tastes just as good. In these loaves, the maple replaces honey, and the fig and rosemary bring extra sweetness and fall flavor into the mix. If you’re not feeling fig and rosemary, you can easily skip out on either or both and still make a delicious vegan loaf.

If you’ve ever been curious about baking challah, Rosh Hashanah is a great time to give it a go.  I can safely predict that your friends and family will be very happy you did.

Vegan Maple Fig Rosemary Challah

Makes 2 loaves

Dough:

2 cups warm water (between 105°F-110°F, warm but not too hot to the touch)

4½ teaspoons (2 packets) active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

⅓ cup oil (olive, canola, sunflower)

¼ cup maple syrup (Grade B or Grade A dark amber)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Egg replacer mixture (see below)

7½ cups (1185 g) bread flour, plus more for dusting and as needed

⅓ cup fig preserves or jam

⅓ cup roughly chopped rosemary, plus more for garnish

Egg replacer:

½ cup warm water

½ cup oil

2 tablespoons aluminum free baking powder

Vegan egg wash:

¼ cup unsweetened almond or soy milk

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoons maple syrup

Start by adding the yeast and sugar to warm water. Stir, and then allow the yeast to activate for 5 minutes or until it looks thick and foamy at the top. If your yeast remains in clumps then it is not properly activated.

In a small bowl combine the oil, maple syrup and salt. Reserve.

In a separate small bowl, make the egg replacer mixture by combining the water, oil, and baking powder. The baking powder will cause the mixture to fizz.

Once the yeast is activated, add the flour to a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the maple syrup mixture and the egg replacer mixture to the well. Add the activated yeast with warm water to the well. Begin to combine everything together, it is easiest to use your hands. Once the mixture forms a ball, begin to knead the dough.

Knead until the dough is mostly smooth and elastic, and doesn’t stick to your hands, about 5-7 minutes (and if it’s not perfectly smooth, don’t worry, it will still work out). If you find the dough is too sticky, add flour a few tablespoons at a time until the dough doesn’t excessively stick to your hands as you knead. The amount of flour that is needed can often depend on the weather, temperature, and the brand of flour. 

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil, and then place the dough in the greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp clean kitchen towel, and allow the dough to rise in a warm (not drafty) part of the kitchen for at least 1 hour or until the dough has about doubled in size. The rate at which the dough rises will depend on the temperature of the kitchen.

After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Lightly dust your work surface with flour, and transfer the dough onto it. Divide the dough into two. Transfer half the dough back to the bowl and cover while you’re braiding the first round of challah. For the High Holidays it’s traditional to make round challahs, but the shape and number of strands is up to you. I like to do a 4-strand round challah, and this demo video from Challah Hub is very helpful!

Divide the dough into 4 evenish-sized pieces, and form and roll each piece out so that it is about 12”-14” long. Take one piece and flatten it out a little so that it is a long rectangular shape. Spread 2 teaspoons of the fig preserves in an even thin layer over the dough. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of chopped rosemary. Press the sides together to seal the fig and rosemary inside the dough. It can be a little messy or imperfect. Finally, roll the sealed dough into a rope shape. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.

Braid the challah into a round. Place the challah on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a very lightly damp towel. Repeat the braiding process for the second half of the dough. Allow the covered braided loaves to rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small dish, combine the almond milk, maple syrup, and oil. Brush each loaf of challah with the wash. Bake the challah loaves for 30-40 minutes, or until the challah is a deep golden brown - exact timing will depend on the size of your challah and your oven. Once baked and still hot, brush a second time with the wash mixture. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool.

Extra challah can be frozen, defrosted and reheated. 

Omelets and Toast

I'm on an egg kick. It's springtime and the eggs from the farmer's market are better than ever. Yes, farmer's market eggs are pricier than the ones found in the supermarket, but the difference in flavor is noticeably in favor of the more expensive option.

I'm willing to spend a little more on things that are going to taste amazingly better. The yolks are darker, the eggs turn out creamier, and they just taste better in a way that words don't adequately explain. 

The other splurge for this meal was the bread. Again, I'm willing to shell out more dough (no pun intended) for something that is exceptional. I had been curious about these rustic loaves of bread at the Sunday Hollywood Farmer's Market, but the high price tag kept me away. Also, they don't offer samples (I sort of understand the principal of this, but on the other hand samples really work, and I probably would have been hooked on this bread months sooner if I had tried it). 

Ok, at the risk of sounding super bougie, here's what makes this bread special: Kenter Canyon Farm's makes these loaves from from locally grown heritage wheat berries, they mill the flour themselves, they bake the bread from a sourdough starter, and then they sell it at the local market and at Urban Radish. This bread is worth every penny. I'd argue that it's the best loaf of bread I've tried in Los Angeles. 

Back to the eggs... omelets can be filled with whatever you want (from fried chicken, to leftovers from dinner, to squash). It's best to prepare the filling separate from the eggs. The eggs only take a few minutes to cook, and you don't want to try and cram a bunch of raw cold things into a pocket of hot eggs at the last minute. You can use the same pan for both the omelet and the filling, just transfer the filling to the plate you're going to use for the final dish before you make the eggs.  

I had some spring onions, kale, and feta on hand.  I like the combination of something green and something cheesy. Greens love lemon, and I gave the cooked kale and onion mixture a squeeze of lemon juice before I put them in the omelet. Actually, eggs are also big fans of lemon. I'm pretty sure everything is better with lemon. 

I ate this plate of lovely eggs, hearty greens, creamy feta, perfect avocado and buttered-garlic-rubbed rustic bread and my day just got better from there.

This omelet recipe is as flexible as anything, but it's hard for me to think about serving any omelet without a great piece of toast. Find a good rustic bread with a thick crust and soft center and you're set.

Kale and Feta Omelet, with Garlic Rubbed Toast

Serves 1 

(Multiply for however many you want to serve. Omelets are best made one at a time with 2-3 eggs per omelet)

2 large eggs (or 3 if you want a super hearty omelet)

dash of cream or milk (optional)

1 cup chopped kale

1 spring onion, or 2 green onions, sliced

as much crumbled feta as you like, or goat, cheddar, swiss, brie, etc.

salt and pepper

good olive oil

good butter

good bread for toast

1 raw garlic clove

1 lemon wedge, for squeezing

1/2 avocado, sliced

Prep your ingredients: in a bowl, crack open your eggs and add a dash of cream or milk. Whisk them up and season with salt and pepper. Chop up your onions and kale. Crumble the cheese. Peel a clove of garlic. Slice up some bread. Slice up some avocado. 

In an omelet pan (an 8-inch non-stick or whatever you like to use to make eggs), on medium high heat, sauté the kale and onion in a drizzle of olive oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once the greens and onions are wilted and cooked to your liking, transfer them to a plate. Squeeze a little lemon over the greens. Make sure your crumbled cheese is nearby; it's easier if all of your filling ingredients are in the same place. 

Before you cook the eggs, get your toast going. Toast will take longer than the omelet, and you don't want cold eggs or limp toast. Toast the bread. Rub the toasted slices with a raw clove of garlic, and then butter them.

In the same omelet pan, add a little butter and olive oil.  I would have used ghee (clarified butter), but I ran out. On medium high heat, add the egg mixture. With a spatula, lift up one side, tilt the pan, and let the raw egg seep into the empty space.  Do this in different spots around the pan until your eggs solidify into a single layer.

Once the omelet is still a little wet on top, add the filling, fold it over and slide it onto a plate. The eggs will continue to cook a bit even when you turn off the heat.  

Add the sliced avocado and buttered garlic toast to the plate. Serve and relish each bite.