When I made challah earlier this year, I thought I did a 6 strand braid to wrap around the 6 strand woven ball. But it wasn't until I made festive bread this Christmas that I realized how to do 6 strand braiding correctly.

Braiding bread dough is really pretty easy. Even 6 strand braiding, once you get the hang of it, is pretty easy. But you don't have to tell anyone, if you don't want to. The final result is SO impressive!

The main reason that it's easy is that dough strands stay exactly where they are placed. This is a good thing. I highly recommend that you skip the step of practicing with ribbons or chords and go directly to bread dough. What does it matter if the braid is wrong the first time? The bread will taste just as good. And chances are, the braid will be JUST right!

1. Take the 2nd from left strand in your right hand and the 1st from the left strand in your left hand. You right hand goes all the way over all the strands to the right; your left hand goes over two strands to the center.
2. Take the 2nd from right strand in your left hand and the 1st from the right strand (just a moment ago, this strand was the 2nd from the left...) in your right hand. You left hand goes all the way over all the strands to the left; your right hand goes over two strands to the center.
3. repeat 'til finished. Tuck ends under.

This is what the finished braid looks like. Beautiful, isn't it? Note how the ends have been tucked under.

The bread recipe and more braiding photos are here:

• festive bread recipe
• six strand braiding

I could never have managed this without looking at the following several times:

• Braiding techniques:
  * A Blessing of Bread by Maggie Glezer, page 68
  * expertvillage.com - six strand braiding
  * chabad.org/theJewishWoman - Weaving Round Challah
  * taunton.com/finecooking - Maggie Glezer braiding challah

-Elizabeth

edit: I made a video of 6 strand braiding!