Sweet Challah

Dissolve yeast and 1/3 cup sugar in 2 cups warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until a creamy layer forms on top, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups flour to make a loose sponge.

Beat 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 4 eggs, and 1 tablespoon salt together in a separate bowl; stir into yeast-flour sponge until well combined. Continue mixing in flour, 1 cup at a time, up to 9 cups total. Dough should be slightly sticky, but not so wet that it leaves dough stuck to your hands.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead to develop gluten, 5 minutes. Form into a compact round shape; place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 minutes.

Grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Whisk 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1 teaspoon water together in a small bowl; refrigerate until glaze needed.

Cut dough into 4 pieces; cut each piece into 3 smaller pieces for 3-strand braided loaves. Working on a floured surface, roll 12 dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand farthest right, move it to the left over the middle strand (it now becomes the new middle strand). Take the strand farthest to the left, move it over the new middle strand (it now becomes the new middle strand). Continue braiding, alternating sides, until loaf is braided. Pinch ends together and fold underneath for a neat look. Repeat with remaining dough ropes. Place 4 loaves onto the prepared baking sheets; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30 to 45 minutes. Brush egg glaze coating onto tops of loaves; reserve remaining glaze.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove from the oven and brush another glaze coating onto loaves. Continue baking until tops are shiny and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Let cool before cutting.