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How do you prevent the tops of braided challos from cracking while baking? I’m getting so frustrated!!!
Less yeast.
Well, alternatively let it rise for less time.
It cracks because the yeast is too active in the dough, either because it rose too much, or because there is too much yeast.
Isn’t there like some expert challah lady you can call for advice?
i’ve never heard of that happening from too much yeast. Too much flour maybe.
No, there really is a lady who answers challah shailos, but I don’t want to post her name online.
the dough can rise indefinitely if the flour has elasticity. if it is cracking than I am guessing that it is too stiff to expand. more oil could make it smoother and stretchier.
As a chessed. Ask around in person. (Ask like brooklyn people, especially like boro park people).
Nech nech, you don’t need to put in more oil. You can certainly have a non-cracking challa without any oil.
That isn’t to say that more oil would not solve it also. There may be multiple solutions. Next time try rising it less, and see if that helps.
dont stretch the dough when rolling your ropes and make sure it has risen properly,
Her name is Devorah Heller, and she doesn’t mind being posted online, and I’ve called her.
The reason your challah is cracking is because it rose too much. Have it rise less next time and you’ll be fine.
the dough can rise indefinitely if the flour has elasticity. if it is cracking than I am guessing that it is too stiff to expand. more oil could make it smoother and stretchier.
Try this (and don’t over-flour the dough, as well)if you rise it too much, punch it down AGAIN, knead briefly, rehape, and re-rise, keeping closer tabs on the time. Dough can be punched down a few times and allowed to rise again.
I defer to the expert, I’ve just never experienced it. I will say that I have now been using Rebbitzen Kanievsky’s recipe (as I mentioned on some other thread somewhere) and I have never had dough so soft and smooth on a consistent basis before. Bli Ayin Hora (incase you had any thoughts of that)
streekgeek- try using oil instead of flour to braid the dough. put a small amount of oil on the surface, and coat your hands. This gives the dough the elasticity that oomis was saying prevents cracking. It also makes cleanup easier, as you only need a bit of soap water to wipe it all away.
I will say that I have now been using Rebbitzen Kanievsky’s recipe
Has anyone besides me noticed that 2.5 kilograms of flour is not 5 lbs? In other words, the BY cookbook did not multiply her recipe correctly at all?
(On that topic, if she made the recipe with 1 kilo, why in the world does my sister-in-law need to make it with 5 lbs and take challa? Is she better than rebbetzin kanievsky?)
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