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Bread machines are definitely a great thing to have in your kitchen. The only people who don’t agree with this statement are probably the ones who have never owned a bread machine. Really, what’s not to love about them?
A good bread machine lets you have fresh bread, made exactly according to your wishes, waiting for you anytime you want. All this with minimal effort. But what about specialty baked goods, such as challah bread?
Well, these do require a bit of manual labor, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t let your bread machine help you make them. Without further ado, we present you the 3 best bread machines for making challah bread!
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Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker
The Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker is one of the most popular bread machines around these days. Many home bakers love this one, no matter if they are making regular bread, or special types such as challah bread.
The reasons for this are quite straightforward – this bread machine from Zojirushi is quite easy to use and extremely versatile (not to mention the fact that it simply looks great from the outside).
The Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker also brings you an amazing range of 14 pre-programmed settings.
These include the “European” cycle for light and fluffy, European-style bread, the Gluten-free setting, a Salt-free setting and many others. There is also the “Homemade course” that lets you customize all of the parameters for custom recipes.
This all sounds quite nice, but today we are actually interested in challah bread. To make challah bread in a bread machine, you need a good dough cycle, and luckily, the Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker is equipped with one.
- Various healthy course settings include Multigrain, Whole Wheat, Rapid Whole Wheat, Gluten Free, Salt Free, Sugar Free and Vegan
- Double Kneading Blades thoroughly knead dough for superior results; Dual heaters on the bottom and lid of the bread maker promote even baking and browning
- Rapid courses allow you to bake a loaf of white or whole wheat bread in just 2 hours and 25 minutes
- Large, easy-to-read LCD display with convenient key code on lid simplifies course selection; RAPID SETTING: Use Rapid setting to have your loaf ready to eat in under two and a half hours
- Electrical Rating 120 volts / 700 watts.Cord Length:39 inch
Furthermore, there is another feature that places the Zojirushi BB-PDC20BA Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus Breadmaker among the best bread machines when it comes to kneading all kinds of dough: the dual kneading paddles. Most bread machines have only one paddle for kneading dough.
This bread machine from Zojirushi has two. What’s the difference, you might ask? Well, with the two kneading paddles, the machine can knead the dough much more thoroughly, resulting in dough that looks and feels just like it was kneaded by hand.
Feature 14 pre-programmed settings
The Dough cycle works really well for challah bread
The dual kneading paddles knead dough as if done by hand
A large viewing window lets you monitor the kneading process
Appealing exterior
Some users reported having issues at the baking stage, but for challah bread this doesn’t matter
Hamilton Beach 29885 Artisan and Gluten-Free Bread Maker
The Hamilton Beach 29885 Bread Maker is one of the most versatile bread machines out there. What we liked the most about this bread machine is the fact that it allows for a high degree of customization when making your own bread.
First of all, it offers 14 great pre-programmed cycles. These include Gluten-Free, Whole-Grain, and Sweet bread cycles, as well as an Artisan bread cycle with a long cool rising period and the French cycle for light and fluffy white bread.
There are also some interesting “extra” cycles that include Cake and Jam programs. However, what interests us the most today is the ability of this bread machine to make dough for challah bread. You’ll probably be glad to learn that the Hamilton Beach 29885 Bread Maker has a nice separate Dough cycle that you can use to mix dough for challah bread.
You can also use the Rise cycle for customizing the rising time for your dough. When the dough is ready, you can actually use the Bake cycle separately with this bread maker, or put your dough in a conventional oven – whichever you prefer.
- Homemade Bread, Jam & Artisan Dough in 3 Easy Steps Add Ingredients, Select Cycle and Press Start Automatic Keep Warm After Cooking
- 14 Settings Including Gluten Free, Rise and Artisan Basic, French, Whole Grain, 15 LB Express, 2 LB Express, Quick Bread, Sweet, Dough, Cake, Jam, Rise, Bake, Artisan
- 3 Loaf Sizes, 3 Crust Shades & Delay Start Choose From 1, 15 or 2 LB Loaf and Light, Medium or Dark Crust Shade Countdown Cooking Timer With Lcd Display Use Delay Timer to Add Ingredients and Begin the Baking Process Later
- Stainless Steel Exterior & Nonstick Interior Sleek Design With Stainless Steel Interior Pan Lifts out for Easy Bread Removal and Cleaning
- Accessories Included Measuring Cup & Spoon, Kneading Paddle & Paddle Removing Tool All Dishwasher Safe
Moreover, the Hamilton Beach 29885 Bread Maker is technically a 2-pound bread maker, but we really liked the fact that it allows you to choose between 3 loaf (or dough) sizes – 1, 1.5, or 2 pounds. There are also the standard three crust color settings that allow you to achieve exactly the texture you want.
Features 14 different programs for all kinds of bread and more
You can use the Dough and Rise cycles for making dough to be baked in a conventional oven
The stainless steel exterior is durable and looks very elegant
The non-stick pan is easy to clean
The non-stick pan is easy to clean
If you pause the Dough cycle to check on the dough, it will go back to the beginning when you continue
Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery 1-Pound-Loaf Programmable Mini Breadmaker
What makes the Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery 1-Pound-Loaf Programmable Mini Breadmaker different from other similar products? Well, it’s definitely the fact that it is considerably smaller than most bread machines, which means it will take up much less space on your counter.
This bread machine is only a little over 8 inches wide, 11 inches deep, and 12 inches high which makes perfect for those working with limited space in their kitchen. Moreover, the capacity of this mini bread maker from Zojirushi is 1 pound, which is just about enough to make a nice loaf of challah bread.
Now, the Zojirushi BB-HAC10 Home Bakery doesn’t have as many programs as some other bread makers, but arguably, it offers enough variety to fulfill the everyday needs of most people. Namely, there are three texture settings for the “regular” bread cycle – regular, firm, and soft.
There is also a French bread setting. Besides those, there is the dough cycle (perfect for challah bread), a separate cycle for cookie and pasta dough, a cycle for making jam and a quick bread cycle.
- Programmable breadmaker produces 1 pound loaves of cakes or breads
- Settings for cookie/pasta dough and fresh fruit jams; quick-bake cycle
- 13-hour delay timer; LCD control panel; viewing window; carrying handle
- Nonstick kneading blade and baking pan; instructions and recipes included. Electrical Rating- 120 volts / 450 watts
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 8-1/2 x 11-1/4 x 12-1/4 inches ,1-year warranty; cULus listed
Finally, we should also mention that this compact bread maker also looks really nice. It’s completely white and looks really sleek.
There is even a little viewing window on the top. It also features a large handle that makes this bread maker totally portable, and the lid is completely removable for easier cleaning. Overall, a great little bread maker, perfect for challah bread.
Doesn’t take a lot of space on the kitchen counter
The lid can be removed completely for cleaning
The non-stick baking pan and kneading blade are easy to clean
Includes a 13-hour delay timer
Comes with a 1-year warranty.
Doesn’t feature as many cycles as full-size bread machines
What Is Challah Bread?
Challah is a special type of bread characteristic for Jewish cuisine, usually made for Shabbat and other holidays. The truth is, the word challah actually doesn’t refer to a specific type of bread, but to the custom of separating a little piece of the bread for the Lord (this piece was traditionally given to the priest on Shabbat).
However, today, when they say challah, people usually refer to a specific kind of bread, made with eggs, yeast, and a bit of a sweeter such as honey. Challah bread is also usually shaped in the form of a braid.
Final Thoughts
Using a bread machine to make challah bread is definitely not a bad idea. You can let the bread machine take care of kneading the dough. If you want you challah bread in the shape of a braid, all you need to do is take the dough out of your bread machine and make the braid, after which you can bake the loaf in a conventional oven.
