Apple-Raisin Challah Kugel
A sweet way to turn leftover challah into a soft apple-and-raisin kugel. The family card preserves the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla sugar, fruit, and one-hour bake but leaves the challah and fruit quantities open-ended. The finalized version gives a practical starting batch while keeping the family flavor balance.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch pan.
- Tear the challah into small pieces and place it in a colander or large bowl. Soak with water until every piece is thoroughly wet and soft.
- Press or squeeze only enough water out so the challah is saturated and very moist but not dripping heavily.
- Transfer the challah to a large bowl. Add the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla sugar, apples, raisins, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Mix very well, breaking up any large pieces of challah. The mixture should be loose and very moist, not dry or stiff. If it seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water.
- Spread evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle the top lightly with additional cinnamon.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until the center is set and the top is lightly golden. A knife inserted near the center should come out moist but without wet egg mixture.
- Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Recipe #127
Category: Kugels, Sides & Knishes
Yield: One 9×13-inch kugel
Method: Soak, mix, bake
Prep: About 20 minutes
Bake: 350°F / 175°C for about 1 hr
Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
Recipe Details
Kosher: Pareve when using pareve challah. Texture: Very moist and tender inside with soft apple pieces and raisins throughout. Best feature: A forgiving leftover-challah recipe that can be adjusted to the amount of bread on hand.
Open-Ended Family Quantities Standardized
The original recipe says only "apples and raisins" and explains that the amount may need to be doubled depending on how much challah is used. Published challah-kugel recipes use one medium challah with fruit in a 9×13-inch pan at 350°F for one hour. This version starts with three apples and 1/2 cup raisins while preserving the family eggs, oil, and sugar range.
What a Beginner Should Look For
Soaked challah: Completely soft all the way through. Batter: Loose, very moist, and spoonable rather than stiff. Finished kugel: Set center, lightly browned top, and tender apple pieces without a puddle of liquid in the pan.
Scale It to the Challah You Have
This family recipe was meant to be flexible. If your leftover challah is much larger than one medium loaf, increase the other ingredients proportionally instead of packing extra bread into the same amount of egg mixture. The challah should stay generously moist before baking.
Beginner Tips
- Use slightly stale challah – it absorbs the mixture beautifully.
- Soak every piece thoroughly before mixing.
- Grated apples disappear into the kugel; diced apples give more distinct bites.
- Use the lower end of the sugar range for a less-sweet side dish.
- Let the kugel rest before serving so the soft center can settle.
- Use golden raisins instead of dark raisins.
- Add a handful of chopped walnuts if your family uses nuts.
- Replace part of the apple with pear for a softer fruit variation.
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