Make sure to accurately measure the ingredients.  Use a kitchen scale to measure for best results.

You can spray the tops of the braided challahs with non-stick spray or if you prefer you can egg them.  

If you make larger challahs, increase the baking time by 5 minutes.  DO NOT OVERBAKE.  Overbaking will result in challahs that suck all the moisture out of your mouth.  It’s better to have them a little underdone than overdone.

Be careful not to overfill the challah molds if using.  The challahs will rise to an additional (approximate) third in size.  It’s not a huge deal – the challah will just end up taller than the mold.  Just saying.

Feel free to alternate the fruits as you see fit.  Totally up to you.  I love the golden raisins in my challah the best.  My Mother (z”l) used to insist that we use golden raisins, not traditional dark ones, because we want to start the new year with golden not dark.

Did you know that if you have one of the newer oven models there is a proofing setting!!!  My dear friend Margo Strahlberg was the one who told me about it.  On my oven, you set the oven to convection with the temperature at 100 degrees and it goes into proof mode.  It really helps the challahs to rise beautifully!