Baking Great Bread at HomeHoney-Sweet, Naturally Leavened, Braided Into a Ring
IntermediateSourdough RoundChallah
by Henry Hunter Jr.
The sourdough version of the round challah, built slow for deeper flavor.
Rise Time
Bulk 4-6 hours, then overnight cold retard, then 2-4 hour morning proof
Bake Time
30-35 minutes
Yield
One large braided round loaf (about 12 slices)
Perfection is not required
"Perfection is not required. Progress is."— Henry Hunter Jr.
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Flavor
Henry Hunter is an artisan bread baker, cookbook author, and the founder of Baking Great Bread at Home and Crust & Crumb Academy. He learned to bake from a German baker during his Army years and has spent the decades since helping home bakers find their footing.
Equipment Needed
35% Hydration
Wetter dough creates a more open, airy crumb and superior crust
Ingredients
Levain
Build the night before, 8 to 12 hours ahead of mixing.
Final Dough
Mix once the levain is doubled and domed.
Egg Wash
Use the white you reserved when you separated the yolk for the dough.
Toppings
Black and white sesame give the ring its contrast.
Pro Tip
This is an enriched dough. The 35% figure is water only. Once you count the eggs, honey, and oil, the dough carries plenty of moisture and stays firm enough to braid cleanly. Don't add water to loosen it. That firmness is the point.
Levain
Build the Levain
Night before
An enriched dough needs a lively to carry all that honey, egg, and oil. Build it the evening before you plan to mix.
Click each step to mark complete
Mix the Levain
In a clean jar, combine your , the bread flour, and the water. Stir until no dry flour remains. Mark the level so you can see it grow.
Ferment Overnight
Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature, around 70-75°F (21-24°C), for 8 to 12 hours until it has doubled, domed, and smells pleasantly tangy.
Check for Ripeness
It's ready when it's puffy with a slightly rounded top and passes the float test: drop a spoonful in water and it should float. A sluggish levain makes a sluggish challah, so don't rush it.
⏱ Wait Time
Ferment 8-12 hours at room temperature until doubled and domed.
Pro Tip
If your kitchen runs cold, the levain will take longer. Aim for it to peak right around the time you want to mix, not hours before.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Levain Fermentation
Mix
Mix the Dough
Day one, morning or midday
Bring the wet ingredients together first, then work in the flour and salt. Knead until the dough passes the test.
Click each step to mark complete
Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, add the ripe , warm water, honey, whole eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Whisk hard to break up the levain and blend everything into a loose, cloudy mixture. Set the reserved white aside in the fridge for your egg wash.
Add the Flour and Salt
Add the bread flour and salt. Stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a shaggy mass forms and no dry flour is left in the bowl.
Rest 20 Minutes
Cover the bowl and let the dough rest 20 minutes. This short rest lets the flour drink up the liquid and makes the kneading that follows a lot easier.
Knead the Dough
Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface, or with a stand mixer and dough hook, for 8 to 12 minutes. Enriched dough takes longer to come together than a lean dough. Work it until it's smooth, elastic, and just slightly tacky.
Windowpane Test
Stretch a small piece thin. If it stretches to a translucent sheet without tearing, the gluten is ready. If it rips fast, knead a few minutes more and test again.
Check the Dough Temperature
Aim for a finished dough temperature of 76-78°F (24-26°C). That's the sweet spot for the wild yeast to work at a steady pace.
Pro Tip
This dough feels firmer than a lean sourdough, and that's correct. If it's genuinely dry and cracking, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. If it's slack and won't hold, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Sugar Pulls Water
Honey and sugar draw water away from the yeast cells through osmosis, which slows them down. The yeast has to work harder for every bit of lift.
Fat Coats and Softens
Oil and egg yolk coat the flour and the yeast, slowing gluten development and gas production. You trade speed for a tender, rich crumb.
The Takeaway
A dough that would balloon in two hours lean will take four to six enriched. Read the dough, not the clock.
Bulk
Bulk Fermentation
Day one
Let the dough ferment and build strength with a couple of gentle folds. Enriched runs long, so give it room.
Click each step to mark complete
Round and Cover
Shape the dough into a loose ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
First Fold at 45 Minutes
After 45 minutes, do one set of : wet your hand, grab an edge, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat four times around.
Second Fold at 90 Minutes
Forty-five minutes later, do a second set of folds the same way. The dough should already feel smoother and stronger.
Finish the Bulk
Cover and leave it to ferment at 75-78°F (24-26°C). Total bulk time runs about 4 to 6 hours from mixing. It's ready when the dough has grown 50 to 75 percent, feels airy, and jiggles when you nudge the bowl.
⏱ Wait Time
Bulk ferment 4-6 hours total at 75-78°F, folding twice in the first 90 minutes.
Pro Tip
With honey and oil slowing the yeast, this bulk takes longer than a lean loaf. A warm spot near the oven or a folding proofer keeps it moving.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Rest Before First Fold
Rest Before Second Fold
Finish Bulk Fermentation
Shape
Shape and Braid
Day one, evening
Divide into three ropes, coat two of them in sesame, and braid into a ring.
Click each step to mark complete
Deflate and Turn Out
Gently deflate the dough and turn it onto a clean surface. Don't flour it unless it's sticking.
Divide Into Three
Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, about 300g each. Use your scale so the ropes bake evenly.
Preshape and Rest
Shape each piece into a rough log, cover, and rest 10 to 15 minutes. This relaxes the gluten so the ropes roll out without fighting you.
Roll Into Ropes
Roll each piece into a rope 16 to 18 inches long, even in the middle and tapering slightly at the ends. Work from the center outward with both hands. If a rope springs back, let it rest 5 minutes and try again.
Coat With Sesame
Press one rope into the black sesame seeds until coated, and one rope into the white sesame. Leave the third rope plain.
Braid
Line the three ropes side by side and pinch them together firmly at the top. Braid with even, gentle tension: right over middle, left over middle, and repeat to the end. Keep it loose so the loaf has room to expand. Pinch the bottom ends together.
Form the Ring
Curve the braid into a circle. Tuck one end under the other and pinch firmly to seal the seam. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Pro Tip
The three strands stand for unity, community, and connection. The black and white sesame celebrate the diversity inside that unity. A loose braid always beats a tight one. Tight braids choke the oven spring and split at the seams.
Shaping
Shape the Round Challah
A three-strand braid curved into a ring is the classic round shape for this loaf.
Three-Strand Ring (Recommended)
Two sesame ropes and one plain, braided and joined into a circle.
RecommendedClick each step to mark complete
Roll Three Ropes
Roll each 300g piece into a 16 to 18 inch rope, tapering the ends slightly.
Coat and Braid
Coat two ropes in sesame, pinch all three at the top, and braid right over middle, left over middle, loosely to the end.
Join Into a Ring
Curve the braid around, tuck one end under the other, and pinch firmly to seal.
Simple Coil
For a quicker shape, roll one long rope and coil it into a spiral.
Click each step to mark complete
Roll One Long Rope
Roll the whole dough into a single rope about 30 inches long, slightly thicker in the middle.
Coil
Starting from the center, wind the rope into a flat spiral, tucking the tail underneath to finish.
Proof Test: Poke the proofed loaf with a floured finger. When the dent springs back slowly and only partway, it's ready to bake.
Proof
Cold Retard and Final Proof
Overnight into day two
The overnight cold retard is what gives this challah its flavor and its schedule. Proof it cold, then warm and finish it the next morning.
Click each step to mark complete
Cover the Shaped Braid
Cover the braid loosely with greased plastic wrap or slip the whole sheet into a large bag. You don't want the surface to dry out or crust over.
Cold Retard Overnight
Refrigerate the shaped braid for 12 to 16 hours. The cold slows fermentation to a crawl and deepens the flavor while you sleep. This is a .
Warm and Finish Proofing
The next morning, pull the braid from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature until puffy, about 2 to 4 hours. Cold enriched dough is slow to wake up, so give it time.
Poke Test
Flour a finger and gently poke the dough. If the dent springs back slowly and only partway, it's ready. If it springs back fast, it needs more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, it's overproofed and should go straight into the oven.
Preheat the Oven
During the last 20 to 30 minutes of proofing, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center.
⏱ Wait Time
Cold retard 12-16 hours, then warm and proof 2-4 hours until the poke test passes.
Pro Tip
Same-day option: skip the fridge and proof the shaped braid at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours right after braiding, until the poke test passes, then bake. Use this only when your levain is very lively and the kitchen is warm. The overnight retard gives better flavor and an easier schedule.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Morning Proof
Bake
Egg Wash and Bake
A double coat of egg wash gives challah its deep, glassy shine. Then bake to a rich golden brown.
Step by Step
Make the Egg Wash
Whisk the reserved egg white with the water until smooth and loose.
First Coat
Brush a thin, even layer over the whole braid, getting down into the crevices where the ropes cross.
Second Coat
Wait 5 minutes, then brush on a second coat. That second pass is where the real shine comes from.
Add Extra Toppings
Scatter on a little more sesame or a pinch of flaky sea salt if you like.
Bake
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Check for Doneness
The challah is done when the crust is a deep golden brown, the color of a toasted almond, and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Internal temperature should reach 190°F (88°C).
Room-temperature eggs and a loose wash spread thin and even. A wash that's too thick pools in the crevices and bakes up patchy.
Baking Methods
Challah bakes best in a plain, moderate oven. No steam or Dutch oven needed.
Equipment: Sheet pan, parchment paper
Preheat
Preheat to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center position.
Bake
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even color.
Check Color
It's done when the crust is deep golden brown, the color of a toasted almond.
Tap Test
Tap the bottom. A hollow sound means the crumb is set.
Internal Temp
For certainty, the center should read 190°F (88°C).
Tent If Needed
If the top darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.
"Enriched dough with honey browns faster than lean bread. Keep an eye on the color and tent it before it goes too dark."
Cool
Cool and Serve
Day two
Let it cool fully before you cut it. The crumb is still setting.
Click each step to mark complete
Transfer to a Rack
Move the challah to a wire cooling rack right out of the oven so the bottom doesn't steam and go soft.
Cool Completely
Let it cool at least 45 minutes to an hour before slicing.
Why the Wait Matters
The inside keeps cooking as it cools. Cut too early and you release steam that leaves the crumb gummy. Patience here is the difference between good and great.
Pro Tip
Challah makes the best French toast on day two or three. Thick slices, a good soak, and low heat.
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 slice (about 75g) • 12 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; actual values vary by brands and portion size.
Storage
Room Temperature
Wrapped in a clean towel at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerated
Up to 5 days tightly wrapped. Bring to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.
Frozen
Freeze tightly wrapped for up to 1 month.
Refresh
Warm the whole loaf at 325°F (165°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave individual slices for 15 to 20 seconds.
💡 Day-old challah is the best challah for French toast or bread pudding. Don't toss the ends.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
Temperature is the quiet variable that makes or breaks a sourdough. SourHouse built the Goldie and the Dough Bed to hold your starter and dough in the sweet spot without guessing, without babysitting. Same tools I keep on my counter. Use code HBK23 for 10% off everything in their store.
SourHouse Goldie and Dough Bed
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