This is what happens when you raid the spice drawer and cupboard, you wind up creating the most luxurious mixture to stuff inside challah braids. Aromatic cardamom with sweet dates, chopped pistachios and a touch of rose water was the most delicious combination. I would also suggest making this mixture and serving it alongside a cheese platter as a sort of chutney.
My best friend and I created this magnificent flavor combination when she was visiting me last month and helping me create and write recipes for my book. Seriously..she is a life saver! As if cooking 4-5 recipes a day wasn't enough, we would make dinner, hang out talk about what to cook the following day and in the midst of all that, we both wanted to make challah.
She has never made challah before so naturally we had to. We raided my spice drawer and bulk bin assortment and created the most luxurious mixture to stuff inside challah braids. Aromatic cardamom with sweet dates, pistachios and a touch of rose water was the most delicious fabulous combination. I would also suggest making this mixture and serving it along side a cheese platter as a sort of chutney.
We stuffed the mixture into all the braids rolled it tight and once it was all braided up, topped with with a brush of honey and more chopped pistachios and rose petals. I can not even begin to tell you how amazing this challah is. It is so amazing we made it 2 more times and then when she went home the next day, she baked it up as soon as she landed. I'm telling you...THIS cardamom date and rosewater challah is where it's at.
More Challah recipes:
Round Fig Challah for Rosh Hashanah
Savory Tomato Stuffed Challah Bread
Cardamom Date and Rosewater Challah
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 packet yeast ¼oz
- 1 Tb sugar
- 3 Tb honey
- ¼ cup vegetable oil + more for greasing bowl
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all purpose flour + more for kneading
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
Date Mixture
- 2 cups chopped dates
- 1 cup pistachios
- 2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoon rose water
- ½ lemon zested and juiced
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon honey
Topping
- 1 egg + water for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Rose petals
- Chopped pistachios
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 1 cup warm water, yeast and sugar. Mix lightly with a fork to get all the yeast in the water and set aside for about 10 minutes. It should begin to foam up and you should see little bubbles.
- Next, add eggs, oil and honey and whisk together.
- Using a dough attachment on your mixer, gradually add flour and salt, about ½ cup at a time with the mixer on low. Continue to mix until everything is incorporated. The dough should begin to pull away from the bowl and come to 1 large ball of dough.
- Turn the dough onto a very well floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. You can use your finger to see if it's ready. Press your finger in and if the dough bounces back quickly, it's ready.
- In a large bowl, pour a bit of oil in and place your dough ball in the bowl. Turn it around so the entire dough is covered with a thin layer of oil. Cover with a clean towel and place bowl in a warm spot. (for me, it was my oven).
- Allow to rest and rise for 1 ½hours until doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, make the filling. In a medium sized pot, add together all of the mixture ingredients and place on medium heat. Cook until dates are softened and taste for seasoning adjustments. Turn off heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Then transfer mixture to a food processor and puree until a thick paste forms. Set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- When dough is ready, it should have doubled in size. Punch the dough down and knead a bit to soften. Divide dough into 2 balls, this will be your challahs. Cover 1 ball of dough as you work with the other.
- Divide dough into 3 pieces (or more if you're making another braid), these will be your braid strands. Take 1 of the strands and roll making a long snake, about 12-15 inches long, but it should be thick enough to stuff, about 1-2inches thick. Use a rolling pin to flatten the strand.
- Next use a teaspoon to fill the strand all the way down. You can also press the mixture gently in the dough, but don't overfill. Bring the strand together, pinching with your fingers and making sure no filling peeks out (but it's ok it some does). Once strands are sealed, gently roll the strands and begin braiding.
- Line 3 strands together and pinch at 1 end. Braid a 3-strand bread and pinch the bottom ends together.
- Place on baking sheet and cover challah with a towel. Allow to rise for another 30 minutes.
- When done, Brush challahs with egg wash and honey and sprinkle rose petals and pistachios on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until the challah is a light golden brown color.
- Allow to cool before cutting.
Nutrition
Sheila says
I have never tried challah but this looks really good. Would love to try this. Took note of the cheese platter combination. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Samantha says
Hope you try it...this combo is lovely!
Dana @Foodie Goes Healthy says
Wow! This flavor combination sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try this. Your photo is so gorgeous. How many strands is your challah in the photo?
Samantha says
Thank you so much!! It is a 4-strand challah 🙂 I still need more practice with 6-strand lol
Rick says
Samantha, Shana tova. Are the rose petals dried or fresh? Thanks in advance!
Samantha says
Hi Rick...I used dried rose petals for the recipe. Happy baking!
Michele says
Hello Samantha - this recipe looks amazing, the flavour combinations are great, I cannot wait to make it next week!
For steps #10 and #11, do you flatten each of the strands/ropes and stuff them with the date filling?
I love your blog!
Thanks and take care!
Samantha says
Hi Michele! Yes, flatten the strands a bit and then spread the mixture down and close the strands, pinching tghe dough so the filling is inside. Let me know if you have any more questions and have fun baking!
Michele says
Hi Samantha! Great, thanks, that’s helpful!
Your challah is my project for next Friday for Shabbat, so I’ll let you know how it turns out - I’m very excited to try your recipe!
Take care!
Tamara A Berkman says
Does this freeze well?
Samantha says
Hi Tamara! I have not frozen challah (it doesn't last that long in our house..lol) I would suggest baking it and letting it cool completely, then wrapping very well in foil and plastic wrap and then freezing. Then defrost and bake in oven just until warmed through.
Karla says
I have made this twice. Once I substituted rose water for the cup,of water in the dough. The second time, I substituted pecans for pistachio because it is all I had. Beautiful and tasty both ways.
Samantha says
Glad both ways worked out!! The pecans sound fantastic! Thank you Karla!
Karen says
This challah looks so special and I can't wait to give it a go! I think I will make it as a pull apart bread in a bundt pan, or as individual challahs in a muffin tin.
Are you buying rose petals or literally pulling them out of your garden? I have never done that before.
Samantha says
Hi Karen! I buy rose petals from a Mediterranean store or you can find them online as well. I haven't tried drying rose petals yet. Happy baking and I love the idea of individual muffin challahs! How fun!