Cook: 40 minutes (plus 3+ hours rising time)

Serves: 10 - 12

This spiced apple-filled challah crown is a festive twist on the classic holiday bread. Braided into a circle to symbolise the cycle of the year, it’s packed with tender apples and warm spices.

Method

In a large bowl, combine all the dough ingredients. Using either a stand mixer with a dough hook or your hands, knead until the dough is smooth, matte, and elastic. Start with 115 ml of water – it may seem like the dough won't come together at first, but it should after 4–5 minutes. If it still appears dry, add 1 tablespoon of water. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, peel, core, and chop the apples. Place them in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until completely soft. Drain the water, reserving 50 ml. Return the apples and reserved water to the pan, add the remaining filling ingredients, and simmer until the mixture has reduced by half and thickened. Mash with a fork or blend using an immersion blender or food processor. Cover and let cool.
Lightly oil your work surface (no more than ½ teaspoon). Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a thin rectangle about 45 cm long. If the dough springs back while rolling, let it rest for 10 minutes before continuing.
Spread the apple filling along one long edge of each rectangle. Roll tightly into long strands around the apple, pinching the seams to seal. Repeat for all four pieces.
To shape the crown: lay two strands vertically on your surface, spaced 3–4 cm apart. The left strand will be "1" and the right strand "2”.
Place the third strand horizontally across the centre; over “1” and under “2” and the fourth strand parallel with the third but under “1” and over “2”.
Start at the bottom of “2”. You'll see every other strand (moving clockwise) is underneath another. Take each of these strands and fold over its neighbour in a clockwise direction until you return to the starting point.
Now repeat the same process in an anti-clockwise direction, folding each "under" strand over its neighbour. Continue alternating clockwise and anti-clockwise until you’re left with a few cm’s of dough. Pinch the ends together and tuck them underneath the crown.
Transfer the challah to a lined baking sheet and let it rise uncovered until doubled in size. It is ready to bake when it no longer springs back when gently pressed with a finger.
Preheat oven to 190°C (fan). Brush the loaf with reserved egg white and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of demerara sugar. Bake for 24–26 minutes on a low oven shelf (or 20–22 minutes if making two smaller loaves).
Let cool completely before serving with labneh and honey
For the Fruit Labneh
Empty plain labneh into a dish, sprinkle a little cinnamon over the surface followed by a drizzle of honey and sliced apples, dates and pomegranate seeds.

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Ingredients

Name: Rosh Hashanah spiced apple challah crown
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 10 - 12
Ingredients: For the dough; 400g very strong white bread flour (preferably Canadian wheat); 12g fast-action/instant yeast; 8g kosher salt; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 50g clear honey; 30g vegetable oil; 1 large egg, whole plus 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for later); 115-125ml tepid water; 2-3 tbsp demerara sugar or sesame seeds; For the apple sauce; 4 Braeburn apples; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp ground ginger; 50g clear honey; 50g demerara sugar; To serve (optional); 500g labneh; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; apple slices, dates or figs, pomegranate seeds, clear honey

For the dough
400g very strong white bread flour (preferably Canadian wheat)
12g fast-action/instant yeast
8g kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g clear honey
30g vegetable oil
1 large egg, whole plus 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for later)
115-125ml tepid water
2-3 tbsp demerara sugar or sesame seeds
For the apple sauce
4 Braeburn apples
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
50g clear honey
50g demerara sugar
To serve (optional)
500g labneh
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
apple slices, dates or figs, pomegranate seeds, clear honey