In a large bowl, combine the warm water and two tablespoons sugar. Mix until sugar has dissolved.

Spread the yeast over the top of the mixture and let it bloom for five to 10 minutes.

Add in three eggs, the olive oil and the honey and mix until combined. Pro tip: I add the oil using a 1/3-cup measuring cup, and then use the same one for the honey. The honey slides right out!

Add in your flour and salt, mixing until it starts to become a craggly ball of dough.

On a clean surface, dust with flour and pour out your dough mixture on top. cover your hands with flour and start to knead. It will be very sticky at first… just keep adding bits of flour here and there as you knead and after about 10 minutes, it will become a smooth ball of dough. It should be tacky, not sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl with olive oil, place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for one and a half to two hours. In the summer, it could be one to one and a half hours.

Once the dough has doubled in size, split the dough into eight equal sized pieces (I’m using four strands for each challah), rolling each out into a log. As you braid, tuck in the marjoram so the gorgeous leaves are poking out between the braids. Place the challahs onto a baking sheet lined with Gefen Parchment Paper, brush with egg wash, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size (two hours). With about 30 minutes left, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Pro tip: lightly brush the plastic wrap with olive oil so it doesn’t stick to the dough!

After the second rise, once the braids have gotten large and puffy, uncover the challahs. Brush with another coat of egg wash and top with flaky salt. Brush the exposed marjoram will a little bit of olive oil.

Bake for 29 minutes, rotating halfway through for an even bake. Now I know 29 minutes seems very specific, but let me tell you – 29 minutes is the perfect amount of time. Just trust me on this one!

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before eating. Enjoy!