Hanukkah doesn’t have to just be about fried foods like the traditional latkes and donuts. Try changing it up this year with a challah menorah. It requires a lot of dough-rolling and pulling, making it lots of fun for kids. And what a show-stopper at your holiday table!
You’ll Need:
¾ cup sugar
2 cups lukewarm water
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 T salt
4 small eggs
3 envelopes yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
8-10 cups flour
honey
Dough Recipe:
1. Combine sugar, 2 cups water, oil, and salt. Add eggs.
2. In a separate bowl, mix yeast in ¼ cup warm water. Add the yeast mixture to the sugar mixture.
3. Add 4 or 5 cups of flour and mix well. Gradually add 4 or 5 more cups of flour, until it reaches a workable consistency.
4. Knead 10 minutes.
5. Lightly coat a bowl with vegetable oil and put dough into this bowl. Lay a piece of wax paper over the bowl and then a dishtowel on top of that.
6.Let dough rise for one hour, until it has roughly doubled in size.
7. Punch downdough and knead again for a few minutes. Cover with wax paper and towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Menorah-Making:
1. Divide the dough into five larger pieces, and two smaller pieces. Take one of the smaller pieces and roll into a log. This will be the shamash candle.
2. Next, make four long logs of challah with four of the five larger pieces.
3. Loop those logs around the shamash in a U shape to form the other candlesticks.
4. Repeat with the remaining logs until you have eight branches surrounding the shamash candle.
5. Divide your last small piece of dough into nine small balls. Pinch each one at the top to form teardrop shapes. These are the flames for your candles.
6. Attach the flames to the top of the candlesticks.
7. Use the last large piece of dough to fashion a base for your menorah.
8. Drizzle honey over the top.
9. Bake in oven at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, but check on it about halfway through.
To jazz up your challah, try this delicious pumpkin-flavored recipe. Or if you’re looking for more Hanukkah fun, check out our favorite songs.
