Honey Braided Challah

Combine the honey and water in a large mixing bowl, stirring until the honey is fully dissolved. Add the yeast to the mixture and let it sit for 15 minutes, allowing the yeast to form a creamy layer on top. Next, stir in the salt, 2/3 cup of olive oil, and beaten eggs into the mixture. Gradually add the flour 1 cup at a time until the dough becomes slightly tacky, but not excessively wet.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic, taking about 10 minutes. Lightly grease a bowl with oil, place the dough inside, and turn it over several times to coat the surface evenly. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free area until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces and cut each piece into four smaller portions. Set aside one portion under a cloth to prevent drying out while you create the braided loaf with the other piece.

To form the braided loaf, roll each of the four dough portions into thin ropes approximately 1 inch wide and 14 inches long. Make the top and bottom of each rope slightly thinner than the middle area, then pinch the tops together to form a base. Fan out the four ropes so they don't touch each other.

To create an "under-2, over-1 braid," take the leftmost rope and move it to the right, crossing underneath the next two ropes. Then, move it back left, crossing over the strand immediately to its left. Take the far right rope and move it to the left, crossing underneath the two strands to its left. Finally, move it right, crossing back over the strand immediately to its right. Repeat this process until all four strands are braided together, pinching the ends tightly as you finish. Repeat this process to braid the second loaf and let it rise for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Create a glaze by whisking together the milk, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, an egg white, and sugar in a bowl. Brush the braided loaves with the glaze to create a shiny crust, then bake them on the prepared baking sheets in the preheated oven until they are light golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.