A very pretty Thanksgiving centerpiece that doubles as a bread basket.
Ingredients
For the cornucopia forms
1 roll heavy-duty aluminum foil
1 roll unbleached parchment paper
Nonstick cooking spray
For the challah
One batch of my challah dough, prepared through first rise
1 large egg, for egg wash
Instructions
Make the cornucopia forms: Tear off a 24-by-12-inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold it in half to create a 12-by-6-inch rectangle. Roll the foil diagonally into a hollow cone, keeping the opening wide—about 4 inches at its widest point. Crumple small pieces of foil and pack them inside the cone until it feels sturdy. Bend the narrow end slightly up and then down to create the classic cornucopia shape. Place the form on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat to make a second foil cone and set aside.
Shape the challah: Punch down the risen challah dough and divide it into pieces: nine larger, fist-sized balls and six smaller, half–fist-sized balls. Roll each of the larger pieces into long ropes. Starting at the tip of one foil cone, wrap a rope of dough around the form, pinching gently to secure. Brush the end of the rope with egg wash and attach the next rope, continuing to wrap until the cone is covered. Slightly overlap the strands to avoid gaps, and tuck the seams underneath whenever possible. Repeat with the second cone.
Roll the smaller dough pieces into three ropes and braid them together. Brush the open edge of each cornucopia with egg wash, then gently press the small braid onto the opening to finish the loaf. Tuck the ends underneath and pinch to secure. Cover both loaves loosely and let rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make the egg wash by whisking together the egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the loaves generously with egg wash and bake for 35–40 minutes, until deeply golden brown. If the tips or braided openings begin to brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil partway through baking.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet before carefully removing the foil forms. Fill (with bread rolls, gourds, fruits, etc.) and serve as desired. If freezing, leave the foil in place for support and remove after thawing.