Chocolate and Pistachio Marble Challah
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: One 2 lb challah or Two 1 lb challahs
 
ingredients:
White Dough
  • ½ cup warm water minus 2 tablespoons for the yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2½ tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
Chocolate Dough
  • ½ cup warm water minus 2 tablespoons for the yeast
  • 2 tablespoons dark cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2½ tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup grated or shredded dark chocolate
Pistachio Dough
  • ½ cup warm water minus 2 tablespoons for the yeast
  • ¼ cup pistachio butter*
  • 1 to 2 drops green gel food color, if desired
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2½ tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup pistachio nuts, toasted, then finely chopped (optional)
Egg wash
  • 1 egg, beaten until frothy
  • turbinado sugar for topping, if desired
directions:
  1. Prepare all the doughs, one after the other, so they rise together for the 1½ hours.
For the white dough
  1. In mixer bowl/large mixing bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of warm water, the 1 teaspoon of sugar, and the 2 teaspoons of yeast. Allow to proof approximately 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. To the yeast mixture add the remaining water, 2½ tablespoons of sugar, vegetable oil, egg, salt and the 2 cups of flour. Knead (by hand or with your mixer’s dough hook) until smooth, adding flour as needed. Knead for approximately 10 minutes.
  3. Transfer dough to a clean, oiled bowl, turn to coat or add a bit more oil on top. Cover bowl with a kitchen/tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
For the Chocolate Dough
  1. In mixer bowl/large mixing bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of warm water, the 1 teaspoon of sugar, and the 2 teaspoons of yeast. Allow to proof approximately 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. To the remaining warm water, stir in the dark cocoa until dissolved.
  3. To the yeast mixture add the chocolate water, 2½ tablespoons of sugar, vegetable oil, egg, salt and 2 cups of flour. Knead (by hand or with your mixer’s dough hook) until smooth, adding in the grated or shredded chocolate and kneading for approximately 10 minutes, adding flour as needed.
  4. Transfer the chocolate dough to a clean, oiled bowl, turn to coat or add a bit more oil on top. Cover bowl with a kitchen/tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
For the Pistachio Dough
  1. In mixer bowl/large mixing bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of warm water, the 1 teaspoon of sugar, and the 2 teaspoons of yeast. Allow to proof approximately 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. To the remaining warm water, stir in the pistachio butter until dissolved. Stir in green food color if using.
  3. To the yeast mixture add the pistachio water, 2½ tablespoons of sugar, vegetable oil, egg, salt and 2 cups of flour. Knead (by hand or with your mixer’s dough hook) until smooth, adding in the finely chopped pistachios and kneading for approximately 10 minutes, adding flour as needed.
  4. Transfer the pistachio dough to a clean, oiled bowl, turn to coat or add a bit more oil on top. Cover bowl with a kitchen/tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
Prepare, Braid and Bake Challah
  1. NOW, you can easily roll each flavored dough into its own strand and braid like you would any other 3- strand challah OR, you can do the cool marble effect I've got going on! To do that, punch down all three risen doughs, then dump them all in one large oiled bowl. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to overnight.
  2. When ready, remove the bowl from the fridge and punch down the marbled dough. DO NOT TRY TO SEPARATE EACH COLOR and DO NOT KNEAD IT OR SQUISH IT TOGETHER because your dough is now marbled perfectly! Just dump the whole mass of tri-colored dough (like you see in my photo above, the 6th photo from the top) on a floured board, and cut it into three pieces (or 4 or 6 pieces, depending on how many strands braided you'd like your challah to be. I made a 6-strand braid challah). Roll each piece into a long snake, and taper the ends, then braid your challah.**
  3. Place braided challah on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap (loosely) and a towel. Let rise for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  5. Brush the top of challah with egg wash. (Sprinkle with seeds or toppings here if wanted. I sprinkled it with turbinado sugar.)
  6. Bake challah 30-40 minutes until done.
  7. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
notes:
* You can purchase pistachio butter, or make it yourself. It's quick and simple!
** You can divide the dough into 12 pieces and make two 3-braid 1 lb loaves, if you'd like. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. ALSO, you don't have to braid the challah(s). You can shape it into a round (a boule or a braided twist etc..), if you'd like, as shown in the photos. Once again, like the braided challah(s), One 2 lb boule or 2 1 lb boules.
Recipe by parsley sage sweet at https://parsleysagesweet.com/2012/05/28/chocolate-and-pistachio-marble-challah-and-my-4-year-blogiversary-giveaway/