The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Amaranth seed for Challah bread.

Dave W's picture
Dave W

Amaranth seed for Challah bread.

If I cant get hold of amaranth seed, what could i substitute? its part of the ingredients for the Challah bread. Duram wheat flour seems to be difficult to find also, so im going to increase the amount of semolina flour for the recipe. would this be ok?

Cheers

Dave W

AbbyL's picture
AbbyL

Amaranth seed! I make challah every week from a very simple, standard recipe, and I've never used amaranth seed. I'm not quite sure I know what amaranth seed is, or how your recipe wants you to use it. I sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the egg wash just before baking. And durum wheat flour and semolina flour also seem like an innovation. Simple white flour and a bunch of eggs and some honey and oil are the usual components. You seem to have a creative new recipe.

AbbyL

Dave W's picture
Dave W

Abbyl,

Of course i'm getting mixed up, or should I say my recipes are, Amaranth seed is in the Georges seeded sour (La Brea ) Google tells me its a Chinese spinach wich has hundreds of seeds!

Now for the Challah, La Brea says 3 onz Duram 3onz semolina for the sponge, now ive just bought some semolina flour (semola di gran duro) which the packet says its duram  flour wheat flour! I suppose they are much the same.

Anyway its mixed together now and i'll leave it overnight and continue the recipe tomorrow for the second day.

I'll let you know how I get on (iv'e enlisted my wife Rachel to do the braiding, well its a womens thing is that !

Cheers

happy baking

Dave W

AbbyL's picture
AbbyL

Your recipe sounds far more elaborate than my weekly challah. I'm still new around here-- what's La Brea? Is it a book or a website?

AbbyL

Dave W's picture
Dave W

The La Brea bakery is in Los Angeles I beleive  next to the Campanile restuant. The book is by Nancy Silverton who is the baker I assume.

Whats more ive found some amaranth seed at my local Granary shop (seed health food shop) this is for another recipe as I got mixed up so will do that one next.

As for the Challah bread its out of the La Brea book and all mixed and formed into a dough and proving in the cold as I type, dont know how we're going to go on with the braiding, not good for a Saturday night after the puband a few drinks later !!!!!!!! but we''l give it a go, so it could be a challah disaster.

Cheers

Dave W