You love challah. You really, really never want to give up challah. But you also want that diet to work. Now you can have both.
Shabbos food isn’t necessarily too high in calories if you are willing to skip potato kugel. The real problem with Shabbos and diets? Those never-ending slices of challah. I know the line. One more slice. This slice is really thin, so it’s not like it’s a full slice.
Obviously, if I’m counting calories, I can stick to one full matzah and I’ll know exactly how many calories are in each one. But I like challah. Like a lot. And I really really don’t want to give it up.
The solution? I’d need to create a challah roll in the perfect k’baysah portion.
The first problem with creating this challah roll was that my usual weekly recipe had lots of eggs and a little more sugar than necessary. I’d need to start with a lighter version. Instead of experimenting, I reminded myself that my sister-in-law Devorah makes delicious challah with fewer eggs and sugar. Her recipe uses a bread machine but I’ve easily made in a mixer for when I need to make egg-free challah for some with egg allergies.
Now that I had a lighter challah recipe that I knew was good, the next step in making my rolls was to figure out how much is the minimum challah one needs to eat in order to be able to wash and bentch. Ashkenazim and Sefardim have different minhagim, so ask your LOR. Based on Rabbi Bodner’s sefer, the 2-ounce roll that I made seems to cover everyone.
Make a batch, freeze them and pull out as many rolls as you’d like. Eat one, two, or three. At least you know exactly how many calories they are! Portion control is in your hands.
P.S. These rolls are also great for a child who needs to watch portions and will not give up the challah.
FYI
Want a basic guide to figuring out calories in your challah?
1 cup flour = 400 calories
1 cup whole wheat flour = 400 calories
1 large egg = 72 calories
1 tablespoon oil = 120 calories
½ cup oil = 960 calories
1 tablespoon sugar = 45 calories
½ cup sugar = 360 calories
1 tablespoon honey = 60 calories
1 tablespoon yeast = 32 calories
- Egg Free Challah
- 18 ounces water, divided
- 8 cup white flour
- 1½ tablespoons salt
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- ⅜ cup oil
- 1½ ounces fresh yeast or 4 ½ teaspoons dry yeast
- Bread Machine Instructions:
- Place all ingredient in bread machine in the order listed. Set machine to dough cycle. When cycle ends take the dough and divide into three parts.
- Mixer instructions. Place yeast with the sugar and 1 cup water into the mixer. Let poof for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, (adding salt last) and mix for a full 5 minutes or more until the dough is smooth. Cover and let rise 1 hour. Divide dough into three parts.
- Divide each part of dough into 12 parts. You can weigh each ball, it should weigh 2 oz.
- Note: If you are makpid that the challah needs to be 2 oz in weight to wash and bentch, you should be dividing each dough into 10 parts and weighing each ball to 2 ¼ oz since the challah weighs slightly less after baking. Each challah will then be 140 calories. You’ll yield 30 rolls total instead of 36.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Place rolls on a lined baking sheet. Brush with egg (this adds negligible calories) and bake for approximately 15 minutes.
Did you try our other challah recipes?
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