How to Braid Challah
Challah, the classic Shabbat and holiday bread, is made from a soft, often egg-enriched dough that can be shaped in many ways. A 3-strand braid is one of the simplest shapes to master. This method, illustrated in this step-by-step guide, begins at the top of the loaf.
Dividing Into Portions
Prepare your favorite challah dough recipe. After the dough has risen, separate challah, if necessary.
Shaping the Challah Dough
With clean, lightly floured hands, begin to shape and gently stretch the dough balls into log shapes.
Rolling Challah Dough Into Ropes
Place the dough logs on a very lightly floured work surface and use your hands to roll and pull them into long rope-like strands. Use even pressure as you roll the dough, in order to maintain an even thickness along the length of each rope.
Baking the Challah
Place the challah dough ropes on a baking sheet that has been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper. The ropes should be lined up side by side, but not touching -- you'll want to leave at least an inch between each rope so that you have enough room to braid.
Pinching the Challah Ropes
Firmly pinch the ends of the dough ropes together on one side. This will hold the top of the loaf together while you braid. Tuck the pinched ends under the loaf to help hold them together while you braid, and while the challah bakes.
Braid the Challah Dough
Begin to braid the challah by lifting the dough rope on the right and passing it over the center rope (the rope to the immediate left). Now, the rope that had been on the right becomes the center rope. The original center rope is now on the right. The rope on the left has not moved.
If you can bake bread, then you can braid bread. It's that easy and we'd love to show you how
There are few foods more beautiful than braided bread. This centerpiece item might look special, but it really isn’t that complicated to learn how to braid bread (especially when you know these pro tips). Once you get the hang of it, you may have so much fun you’ll never bake bread any other way!
Sesame Wheat Braids
When I started making this bread, my husband and our six children liked it so much that I was baking every day! I was thrilled when the judges at our county fair gave these braids both a blue ribbon and a best of show award! —Nancy Montgomery, Hartville, Ohio
Popular Videos
After years of working in professional kitchens, Lindsay traded her knives in for the pen. While she spends most of her time writing these days, she still exercises her culinary muscles on the regular, taking any opportunity to turn local, seasonal ingredients into beautiful meals for her family.
Steps Download Article
Prepare your material. If you are braiding hair, comb it out thoroughly until smooth and knotless (no knots in sight). If you are braiding something string-like, such as yarn or ribbon, tie one end to something to anchor it, or use a piece of tape to make it stay.
Tips
Use a hair holder (scrunchy, clip, barrette) to separate your locks of hair, so they can't become tangled, knotted, or confused with one another.
Warnings
Do not use regular office rubber bands, they will damage hair! They can also tug painfully on hair. Use hair elastics.
About This Article
wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 53 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 506,258 times.
Step 1: Prepare Strands
You will need to get three strands of whatever it is that you're braiding. This can be hair, rope, or even computer cables. I will tie my ropes off with an overhand knot, but your preference and situation may vary.
Step 2: Braid
The technique for 3 stranded braids is pretty simple. You just need to grab two strands in your left hand, and one in your right. Begin by crossing the leftmost strand over the other in your hand, then place it below the strand in your right.
Step 3: Finish
In order to keep the braid from coming undone, you will need to tie it off. I will be using another overhand knot, but if you are working with hair, a hair elastic would be ideal.
How to make a 4 Strand Braid or Plait
It really is easiest to watch the video!! YAY! But will also explain the process below!
How to make a plait with four strands – step by step instructions
Take your four strands and either knot, pin or tape them to a surface. When plaiting it is always helpful to have some “tension” at the top and make it easier for you to plait!