The recipe I use for the eight braid bread is Reinhart's White Sandwich
Bread (from "Crust & Crumb"), which I weave into an 8 braid bread that my
nine year old daughter calls twirly bread. It's a gorgeous loaf, but more
similar to a brioche in flavor and texture than a challah.
To make an eight braid bread, use any recipe that yields 2 pounds of dough.
Just before the final rise, divide the dough into eight pieces. Roll out
as long as you can, trying to keep uniform thickness. Mine usually end up
about 18-20 inches long. I let them rest halfway through rolling out so
they will extend more. By the time I'm done with the first roll of the 8th
strand, the first one is relaxed enough to start over again. Bring all 8
ends next to each other on the counter, and pinch one end together. Push
four strands to one side, and four to the other side with 6 to 8 inches
between the bottom ends of the inside dough strands.
Starting with the outermost left strand, bring it over the three strands
next to it, and lay it just inside the four strands of dough on the right.
You now have three strands on the left, and five on the right. Take the
outermost right strand over the four next to it, and place it on the inside
right of the three strands on the left. Keep repeating while alternating
sides with the rest of the strands until you get to the point where they
are too short to braid. Pinch ends together, and gently tuck under the end
so the seams are not visible. Do the same to the top end. Gently pull
into shape if some parts of the loaf are wider than others. Spray with a
light coating of oil and let rise until roughly doubled in size. Then bake.
It's a beautiful loaf.
Leigh