Here are directions for shaping the bread into a coil, but it can be shaped into whatever form you prefer. To braid it (as above), just divide each piece of dough into three, roll out the sections into long strands, and braid the dough just as you would hair.

New year's spiral

JIM SCHERER / Artisan (ENLARGE)
Braided challah
JIM SCHERER / Artisan (ENLARGE)
Pinwheel round challah
JIM SCHERER / Artisan (ENLARGE)
Pinwheel round challah, step 8
JIM SCHERER / Artisan (ENLARGE)
Pinwheel round challah, step 9
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1. Roll out the dough into a long, even strand.

2. For a flat spiral, make a very loose spiral of dough starting at the center and winding the dough around, leaving space between the loops and tuck the end of the strand under the last loop.

High-rising spiral

1. Tightly wind the dough around without leaving any space between the loops and be sure that the last loop is bound with a bit of tension. This will force the dough to rise in the center as it is proofing and especially during oven rise.

2. Position the loaves on the prepared sheets, and cover them well with plastic wrap. (This is another point at which the loaves can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Let loaves proof until tripled in size, about 2 hours. (You may need to add up to 1 hour more if loaves were refrigerated.)

Pinwheel round

This yin-yang inspired shape is especially appropriate for the High Holidays. The directions may seem intricate, but once you try it with some dough in front of you, you will see how easy it is.

1. Line a 10-inch pie plate with parchment paper.

2. Roll out 2 pounds of dough into an 18-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick.

3. Cut the circle in half and slide the top half around so that the rounded end is closest to you.

4. Roll up the dough very loosely like a carpet, starting with the rounded end and ending up at the long straight cut.

5. Seal the long seam by pinching the long edge into the roll. Use a little water if you need it to help the dough stick to itself.

6. Starting from the center of the roll, lightly press out the roll to the open edges, to force out any air bubbles that might have formed during rolling. Seal the ends of the roll by pinching them together.

7. Check the seals again, roll the strand under your hands to create a tapered strand with a thicker middle and slender pointed ends.

8. Ask a helpful person to hold both ends of a chopstick or other thin stick vertically. Pull the strand around it, using it to anchor the thick center of the strand. Now cross the strands over each other, pulling tightly to create as many twists as possible. When complete, just slide the chopstick out of the top. Repeat with the other strand.

9. Now curve one twist into a C shape and set it into the lined pie pan. Loosely fit the fat end of the second twist into the concave curve of the first and wind its end around, so the ends of both twists are wrapping in the same direction, just like a yin-yang symbol.

10. Let the round proof in the pan. For a tight high circle, leave the twist in the pan for the bake; for a more spread and defined round, slide the proofed bread on its parchment paper onto a baking pan just before glazing and baking.