The Challah vs. Brioche debate is fascinating for many reasons, as both are incredibly similar. It is not rare to find people confused about which of the following bread is which, as both offers creamy, soft, and fluffy textures. What are the differences between Challah and Brioche, and which one is better for you?
Challah is a unique Jewish bread made for many traditional and ceremonial occasions. On the other hand, Brioche is of French origin, considered a Viennoiserie or “things of Vienna,” a series of baked goods. Both are known for their fluffy and delicate texture.
What are the differences between Challah and Brioche culturally speaking, and how different are they in terms of taste? We will answer these and more questions below.
A Cultural Introspective
Many people may interchange Challah and Brioche due to their similarities, but their origins and cultural significance are pretty different. While it might be tempting to inspect the taste and the ingredients of Challah and Brioche and determine what makes the two separate, it is better to understand why they are different in the first place. And the best place to know the context is to check their cultural significance and role.
About Challah
As mentioned earlier, the Challah (also called the Challot, Challos, or Challoth) is of Jewish origin, and typically, it is stylized in a way where it has braids (one differentiating factor when comparing it to Brioche). Challah is a ceremonial bread made for significant Jewish ceremonies and holidays. Typically, most Jewish families make it on Shabbat (also called the Sabbath; refers to Saturday) and on holidays such as Rosh Chodesh, Rosh Hashanah, and more, except for the Passover, in which they eat unleavened bread, unlike which the Challah is “leavened” as it has yeast. (source)
What Is Kosher?
One factor that made the Challah the bread that we know it as is the practice of eating kosher-only food by the Jewish. So what is kosher? Kosher is a selection of food permitted to be eaten by Jewish people based on the Kashrut, or the “dietary law.” (Abramowitz, Rabbi Jack, 2013, “OU Torah”)
Kosher And Dairy
One of the most controversial topics regarding kosher (even debated amongst Rabbis) is the permissibility of dairy products to the Judaist diet (this will be essential later on). Typically, a dairy product (including milk and, most importantly, butter) is kosher if the producers derived it from kosher animals (such as cows and goats). However, since Jewish laws dictate that products from animals that died from natural causes and diseases are non-kosher, there is a possibility of said dairy products being non-kosher.
Moreover, another requirement for kosher is that one must check the animal for diseases beforehand. Since one cannot be sure if the said procedure has been done, the “kosherness” of dairy products commercially produced is ambiguous. As such, even authoritative Jewish figures such as rabbis find themselves divided on the kosher status of dairy products.
The Importance Of Dairy In The Challah vs. Brioche Debate
This part is where the ingredient of Challah comes into play. In the Challah vs. Brioche debate, one of the most significant differences is the presence of specific dairy products: butter and milk. Since Challah is pareve (containing neither dairy nor meat – essential in the laws of Kashrut), it cannot have butter or milk inside it. On the other hand, butter and dairy play a crucial part in making Brioche.
About Brioche
Brioche is an integral part of the French bread scene. While Challah avoids or omits milk entirely, the foundational ingredients that make Brioche the bread we know and love are the presence of butter (a lot of it) and eggs. Many describe Brioche as “light and fluffy,” depending on the proportion of butter and eggs.
Compared to other bread types with a plain taste and texture, Brioche is much more colorful in terms of flavor due to the added milk and butter. As such, during its conception, it was considered an evolution (an improvement) of current bread, a manifestation of heightened baker skill, a “blessed bread of the church.”
The Forms Of Brioche
In the Challah vs. Brioche debate, we can see that the Challah is more streamlined as it has less defined variations and forms. However, Brioche has different forms. Below, we discuss its most popular iterations and forms.
Brioche À Tête
It is also regarded as the most well-known version, Brioche à tête is made and cooked in a fluted round, flared tin, with a giant ball of dough on the bottom and a smaller ball of dough on top to make the head (tête).
Ordinary Loaf
For a more unconventional Brioche look, some do not roll into it but instead turn it into a loaf-like shape.
Coulibiac Brioche
It is a type of Brioche with various savory ingredients, such as Beef en Croute, Foie Gras, sausage, and Cervelas Lyonnaise.
Brioche de Nanterre
A Brioche loaf baked in a standard loaf pan. Rather than forming two dough pieces and baking them together, the bakers place two rows of little dough pieces in the pan. In the pan, bakers proof the bread, fusing the parts. Afterward, the dough balls rise even further throughout the baking process, forming an appealing pattern.
Challah vs. Brioche Taste Test
Brioche and Challah taste similar, but there are notable differences. Due to the absence of milk and butter, Challah tends to taste less “creamier” or milkier. On the other hand, Brioche tends to have a sweeter flavor. Another thing to consider is that most bakers pair Challah with many fillings and fruits, both sweet and savory.
If you want a more conventional and formal taste, Challah is definitely for you. On the other hand, if you wish for a “fuller” taste, Brioche is for you. Both are pretty fluffy to eat, making them seem similar.
Summary
Challah and Brioche are incredibly similar due to their taste and their texture. However, due to Jewish dietary rules, Challah is made without butter and milk (dairy products in general). On the other hand, Brioche is filled to the brim with butter, giving it a sweeter taste. While Challah is of Jewish origin, Brioche is from French roots.
Brioche comes in different forms than Challah, with only one available variation (although specific iterations may appear from family to family, community to community). Brioche can be a Brioche à tête, an ordinary loaf, a Coulibiac Brioche, or a Brioche de Nanterre.
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