FIG AND DATE HALLA

You can integrate ceramic dishes when braiding this halla.

Makes 1 halla.

550 gr. (4 cups) white flour 160 gr. (1 cup) water 25 gr. (1 Tbsp.) honey 40 gr. (2 Tbsp.) sugar 2 eggs 3 egg yolks 12 gr. salt 8 gr. dry yeast ½ cup dried or fresh figs, chopped coarsely ½ cup medjool dates, chopped coarsely

Serving suggestion: Pour honey into ceramic dish and serve.

Note: If you’d like to make this halla sweet, add syrup made from 150 grams white sugar mixed with 75 ml. water.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, put flour, water, honey, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, salt and yeast. Mix for 2 minutes on high speed. Reduce to medium speed and mix for another 10 minutes. Add the oil and mix well. Add the figs and dates and mix for another 30 seconds.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and let it rise for 45 minutes. Punch down to let the air out and let dough rise another 45 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface.

Separate dough into 6 sections. Each one should weigh 160 grams. Fold each section over twice and let rise another 10 minutes. Roll out each section into long strips.

Braiding:

Step 1:

Take 4 of the strips and form a + shape. Press together.

Step 2:

Braid strips on right side and on left side.

Step 3:

Braid top strips and lower strips. At this point, you can place a ceramic bowl on top of the dough, and form the rest of the braids around the dish.

Step 4:

Continue braiding the top, bottom, right and left sides of the halla until all the strips have been incorporated into halla. You can add another ceramic dish at this point. It’s important to do this step when there are at least 2 braids before the halla is finished.

Brush the halla with egg wash.

Step 5:

Roll out the 2 remaining strips so that they’re longer and thinner than the previous 4 pieces. Brush them with a little water and then roll them in poppy or black sesame seeds. This way, the strips look black.

Twist the 2 strips around each other like a rope and then wrap it around the halla as if you were wrapping a ribbon around the halla. You can leave the ends loose if you desire. Transfer the halla to a tray covered with baking paper and let it rise for 30-40 minutes.

Brush it with egg wash and bake in an oven that has been pre-heated to 180° for 30-40 minutes until it becomes golden brown even where the braided pieces connect.

To prepare the syrup, bring the sugar and water to a boil in a pot and cook until it becomes rubbery. Brush halla with syrup after it comes out of the oven. Then sprinkle straight away with crystalline sugar.