Rosh HaShanah Test Kitchen: Braided Round Challah

Wow, I'm all sorts of behind on posting, so I do apologize. I have a new job as my synagogue's youth advisor, and we had our first program on Sunday. That combined with S'lichot on Saturday night prevented my postings! How is YOUR high holiday preparation going?

Here's how I do the round braided challah. Someone recently posted this link on facebook, which is the same as what I do, only I don't do that last flipping step. I hadn't seen that link until I started this tutorial, so please feel free to click on it and use it.

The braided round challah is really easy. If you can braid three-strand braids or hair, then you can do this braid.

Step One - Lay out four strands of challah thus... the longer they are, they more braids you'll do.

Step Two - Bring every other strand over the one to it's counterclockwise. (B over A, D over C, etc). Alternatively, you could start clockwise (you'll see why in Step Three).

Step Three - Now, reverse, go clockwise instead of counterclockwise.

Step Four - Repeat counterclockwise again.

Step Five - Tuck all your ends under. Here's where many other tutorials say to bunch up and flip, but I was too scared, so I didn't, and I like the way it looks unflipped.

Note: I find I sometimes am needing to bake the round braids a bit longer than I usually would (sometimes foiling to prevent over-browning) because the centers still seem a bit doughy and don't reach 180/190 degrees.  I add time in 3-5 minute increments.