It would not be Rosh Hashanah without a nice, round challah to dip in honey. To mix up your regular holiday challah routine, here are two fun options to try.

Cookbook author Faith Kramer’s recipe for individual raisin and almond challah knots is based on the challah recipe in her book, “52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen.”

“Almonds are a symbol of hope, prosperity, happiness and renewal; raisins are said to represent the sweetness of life,” Kramer told The Journal. “Here they combine for a wish for a happy and prosperous New Year.”

Raisin and Almond Challah Knots

Makes 8 Rolls

1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast 

1/2 cup 110°F water

1 tsp plus 2 Tbs sugar

3 large eggs, divided 

1 Tbsp plus 1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp oil plus extra to grease bowl

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup raisins

1 cup slivered almonds

3-4 cups white bread flour

Dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tsp. sugar. Let stand until bubbly. 

Separate 1 egg. Place yolk in a small bowl. Mix with 1 Tbsp. water. Cover. Set aside or refrigerate until needed. 

Mix egg white and remaining eggs in a large bowl. Mix in 2 Tbs. oil, remaining 2 Tbs. sugar, salt, raisins and 1/4 cup water. Stir in almonds. Stir in yeast. Gradually add 3 cups of flour. 

Mix dough until smooth and not sticky, adding flour by the tablespoon, if needed. If the dough is too dry, add water by the teaspoon. Dough should be tacky but not sticky. 

Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead for about 12 minutes (adding more flour by the tablespoon if needed) until the dough is elastic and smooth but still a bit tacky. The dough should not be dry. Place in a greased bowl. Turn to coat. Cover. Let rise for about 45 minutes until doubled in size.

Heat oven to 350°F. Punch down dough. Knead for 2-3 minutes. Divide into eighths. Form 10” long ropes. Place ropes on lightly floured board. Form loop by crossing ends, leaving 2” overhang on each end. Take the top end and pull under and then through the loop’s hole, creating a knot. Tuck in ends to form a roll. Repeat.

Place on an ungreased baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Cover loosely with a clean dish towel. Let rest in a warm, draft-free spot for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Brush with reserved egg wash. Bake about 30 minutes until golden brown, the bottoms sound hollow when tapped and/or an instant-read thermometer reads 190°F. Cool on rack.

Mandy Silverman, Mandylicious, knows how to make a challah sparkle. Babka too!

“This is an apple pie babka with a graham cracker crumble,” Silverman told The Journal. “It’s the perfect apple pie glow-up for Rosh Hashanah.” 

Apple Pie Babka

Makes two babkas. 

Babka Dough:

3/4 cup water (180 ml)

1 1/4 tsp salt (7 g)

1 large egg 

1 large egg yolk 

3/4 cup butter or vegan butter, melted (170 g)

1 Tbsp vanilla (15 ml)

 1/3 cup sugar (65 g)

 3 1/2 cups high protein flour (440 g)

2 Tbsp instant bread machine yeast

Extra water and flour, as needed, for consistency

For Apple Cinnamon Filling:

1/4 cup canola oil (or melted butter or vegan butter) (60 ml / 55 g)

1/4 cup water (plus more if needed) (60 ml)

1 egg  

1 (3.4 oz) packet instant vanilla pudding mix (110 g)

1/3 cup ground cinnamon (35 g)

1 cup sugar (200 g)

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cubed, then patted dry and dusted with cinnamon

For Graham Cracker Crumble:

1 sleeve graham crackers (9 sheets), crushed lightly

6 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter, melted

¼ cup (50 grams) packed brown sugar

1 tsp apple pie spice or ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp coarse sea salt

For the egg wash:

1 egg, beaten well

Add dry and wet ingredients to a bread machine in the order specified by the manufacturer. Set machine for “dough” cycle.

If not using a bread machine, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead well for 5-7 minutes. Be sure to check that the dough is the right consistency adding flour or water, one tablespoon at a time as necessary. 

Allow to rise in a large bowl covered with a towel for 1 ½ hours.

Basic Babka Twist:

1. Grease two 9 by 5-inch (23 by 13cm) loaf pans.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, pudding mix, ground cinnamon and sugar. Gradually stir in the water until the mixture reaches a smooth, peanut butter–like consistency. Add in the cinnamon apples and stir to combine.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll 1 portion into a 12 by 10-inch (30 by 25 cm) rectangle.

4. Spread about 4 tablespoons of the filling over the dough, leaving a ½-inch (1.27 cm) border on all sides.

5. Fold the short ends of the dough up by about 1 inch (2.5 cm) to seal the filling. Starting from a long edge, roll up the dough tightly into a log and pinch the seam to seal.

6. Repeat with the remaining 3 portions of dough.

7. Twist 2 of the logs together and transfer to one of the prepared pans. Repeat with the other 2 logs.

8. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place until puffed, about 30 minutes.

9. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

10. Brush the loaves with the beaten egg.

11. Mix together all of the ingredients for the graham cracker crumble and sprinkle on top of the loaves. 

12. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

13. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing.

Dough Pointers:

•  Please note that the recipe calls for high protein flour and instant yeast.

• High protein flour is more glutenous than all-purpose flour so it helps the dough ball up easier. You can use all-purpose flour but be prepared to use a considerable amount more and the texture will not be quite the same.

• Instant yeast does not need to be proofed. This means that it can just be added in with the rest of the ingredients in no particular order. Avoid quick rise or rapid rise yeasts, but if you are only able to get active dry yeast, you can use it; you just have to proof it first. To proof active dry yeast, use the same amount as called for in the recipe: 2 tablespoons (18 g). Add it to 1/3 cup (80 ml) of warm water at about 105°F (40°C) along with a pinch of sugar, and stir. When the mixture bubbles, the yeast has been activated and is ready to be added to the rest of the ingredients. Be sure to reduce the remaining water in the recipe by 1/3 cup (80 ml) to account for the proofing liquid.

• Dough consistency is crucial! Dough that is too wet will be hard to shape and won’t bake properly, while dough that is too dry will not rise well and will taste dense and floury. The goal is to create a cohesive ball of dough that is not floury to the touch. You can adjust your dough simply by adding flour or water one or two tablespoons (15–30 ml) at a time as the dough comes together, before the first rise; dough consistency will not improve as the dough rises. If you live in a particularly humid area, or find that you are adding a lot of flour, try starting with about 1/3 cup (80 ml) less water and add more as needed. After the first rise, dough can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to a month.

• If you have any problems or questions, Direct Message @mandyliciouschallah on Instagram.