Many people – particularly among Ashkenazim – prepare or purchase for Shabbat sweet Challa, which has been baked with honey, sugar or other sweetening agents. The question arises as to whether or not such Challa indeed qualifies as "bread" according to the Halachic definition of the term. The Shulchan Aruch (168:7) records an opinion that dough baked with sweetening agents such as honey and sugar is not considered bread if the sweet flavor is discernible, and it therefore requires the Beracha of Mezonot. Accordingly, Chacham Ovadia Yosef, in his recently published work on the laws of Berachot (p. 55), rules that Sepharadim may not recite Ha'motzi over such bread and may not use it as the bread for Shabbat meals. Since bread baked with sweetening agents that can be tasted in the bread does not, according to the Shulchan Aruch, have the Halachic status as "bread," Sepharadim must use for Shabbat meals only water Challa or other non-sweetened Challa. Sweetened Challa may be used only if the sweetening agents cannot be discerned in the Challa.
If a Sepharadi is invited to the home of an Ashkenazi, who indeed uses sweet Challa as the bread for the Shabbat meal, he should try to bring non-sweetened Challa ahead of time for him to use at the meal. Otherwise, he may recite Ha'motzi over the host's sweet Challa only if he then eats a quantity of 216 grams of that Challa. It must be emphasized that in such a case one must eat this amount of Challa itself; other foods eaten at the meal do not count towards this amount. (This point is made by the Chid"a in Birkei Yosef, 168:6.)
Summary: According to Sephardic custom, Challa baked with honey, sugar or other sweetening agents and that has a sweet taste requires the Beracha of Mezonot and may not be used as the bread for Shabbat meals. A Sepharadi may recite Ha'motzi over such Challa and use it as the bread for a Shabbat meal only if he eats a quantity of 216 grams of this Challa.
