I fell in love with this Tresse when I used to live in Geneva. Little I knew, at the time, this is very similar to Challah. I decided to give it a little bit of colour (you probably know by now, I just love colours) and challenged myself with a 7 logs braided bread. It’s not as difficult as you might think, believe me. If you can make the 3 logs braid, you can definitely master the 7!

This bread is so fluffy, with that sweet-savoury mixed taste. It’s terrific, let me tell you. I love when you put so much effort on something new and the result is so rewarding. You can definitely use this very same recipe for a natural-coloured challah or for a different number of logs.

Spring is coming, and freedom as well. We managed to go to the first time in months to the pub (and as you can see from the video, I managed to go to the hairdresser as well) and finally we might be getting some sun as well. I can see the light after so many uncertain and almost lonely months. Enjoy this spring-freedom bread! It really is awesome!

“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.”
M.F.K. Fisher

Rainbow Sourdough Challah/Tresse/Braid/Treccia

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 45

Proofing time 1

Course Side Dish

Cuisine German, Italian, Jeweish, Swiss

Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

kitchen robot (optional)
Bowl
baking tray

Ingredients

150 gr Sourdough Starter recently fed see notes for dried yeast option
450 gr Strong Flour
80 gr Salted Butter
50 gr Demerara Sugar
100 gr Milk I used Alpro Almond
10 gr Salt

For the Colours

1 1/2 tsp Purple Carrot Powder (Pink)
1 1/2 tsp Spirulina (Greenish-Blue)
1 1/2 tsp Butterfly Pea Flowers (Purple/Blue)
1 1/2 tsp Turmeric (Yellow)

For the final Greasing

1 Egg
as required Sesame Seeds
as required Demerara Sugar

Instructions

Mix together the sourdough starter with the sugar and all the liquid ingredients. When the mixture results homogeneous, add the flour, salt and eventually the slightly softened butter.
In case you are using the coloured powders, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and add the powders, dissolving them in a tbsp of milk before adding to the dough.
Knead the dough 4 times every 15/20 minutes (add some extra flour if the dough results too moist). Leave them to proof in a sealed container at room temperature (Scottish room temperature is like 15-18C) until doubled the size. It took me 6-7 hours.
Divide the dough into 7 logs of the same length and size. these should be thinner at the ends for a more uniform final shape. The dough will result very elastic, work it for at least 5-10 minutes until the logs will stay in shape.
Braid the bread. See my video for how to, but the 7-logs rule is pretty simple: start from one side and take the first log, it goes over one and underneath two. Go to the other side and again, the first log goes over one and underneath two…. and so on and so forth until you reach the end.
Leave the loaf to proof overnight in the fridge, covered with some cling film or wet towel.
In the morning, turn on the oven at 180C and take the loaf out of the fridge. Brush the loaf with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds and sugar. Bake for about 45 min. The center of the loaf should reach 94C when cooked. In case it browns too much, cover with some foil.
Enjoy!!!!

Notes

You could sub the sourdough creating a quick starter with 7gr Dried Yeast, 75 gr Strong Bread Flour and 30 gr Water. Wait for it to double its size (half an hour should be enough) and use this instead of the sourdough. The rising times will be shorter compared to the original recipe.

Keyword Braid, bread, rainbow, sourdough