Get your red hot challah hot dogs for a Jewy July 4

The Nosher via JTA — It’s officially hot dog season and I freely admit it: I love hot dogs. I have even found a way to combine a love of hot dogs with a love of challah with my famous challah dogs.

What are challah dogs, you might be wondering? Well, it’s my answer to the bagel dog or the pretzel dog. And one of the great things about this recipe is you can use any challah recipe you prefer. The key is rolling your challah into roughly 3-ounce pieces and then snaking it around the hot dogs. I brush them simply with a beaten egg before adding toppings.

The challah dogs are all about fun toppings. I like making an “everything bagel” topping by combining 1 tablespoon each of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic (whole pieces, not garlic powder) and dried onion (whole pieces, not onion powder) and 1/2 tablespoon-thick sea salt and then sprinkling it on top. You can also top with poppy seeds, black sesame seeds or even caraway seeds.

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These are such a fun appetizer for your summer parties, Shabbat dinners, game-watching nights or even kids’ birthday parties. Make a big batch and don’t count on leftovers. And although they are always better immediately out of the oven, I have also served them several hours later either reheated or at room temperature.

Shannon’s Famous Challah Hot Dogs

Yield: 14-16 challah dogs
Prep: 4 hours

Ingredients:
For the challah dough:

1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
4 1/2-5 cups of all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 packages kosher hot dogs (we prefer using Abeles & Heymann)
1 egg + 1 teaspoon water
Optional: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, black sesame seeds, caraway seeds and thick sea salt

Directions:

To make your challah dough: In a small bowl, place yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and lukewarm water. Allow to sit approximately 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top.

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, salt and sugar. After the water-yeast mixture has become foamy, add to flour mixture along with oil. Mix thoroughly.

Add another 1 cup of flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Switch to the dough hook attachment if you are using a stand mixer.

Add another 1 1/2-2 cups of flour, mixing thoroughly, and then remove from bowl and place on a floured surface.

Knead remaining 1/2 cup flour into dough, continuing to knead for around 5 minutes (or however long your hands will last).

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp towel. Allow to rise at least approximately 3 hours, punching down at least once if possible.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

After dough has risen, start cutting it into 3-ounce pieces (I like using a small digital scale for this task). Wrap dough around each hot dog, pinching ends under and placing on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat baking mats.

Whisk 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush each challah dog with egg wash. Top with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, black sesame seeds, thick sea salt or caraway seeds if desired.

Bake for 18 minutes or until puffy and golden all over.

Serve warm with mustard.

Shannon Sarna is editor of The Nosher food blog, which offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond.