• First make Sourdough Starter
• In a bowl add sourdough starter, flour and water and mix well and set aside for 5 hours or until it doubles in volume.
• Make Tangzhong
• In a medium saucepan add flour, milk, and heat until it thickens and reaches around 65C /150 F .
• Dough
• In a kitchen-aid bowl add sourdough starter, milk, tangzhong, salt, sugar, eggs, Vanilla extract and Mahaleb/ Mahalepi and mix well
• Gradually add all purpose flour and mix well. To this add butter pieces few at a time and incorporate well into the dough.
• Set aside dough for 8 hours or until dough double in volume. (Make sure to keep the dough in a proofer as it as good amount of sugar)
• Next morning divide the dough ( about 805g) into 3 pieces of 267g .
• On a large clean work surface, shape the dough into desired shapes as follows.

Shaping of Choereg

• For braid shape: Cut off ⅓ length of dough and set aside. Roll out rest of the piece of dough between your hands and the work surface until you have a ½-to-¾-inch thick rope. Then make rope with ⅓ length of the dough . Then attach it to the center of the longer piece by pressing the pieces together. Very loosely braid the ropes together (the braid will proof and get bigger later, so do not braid tightly). Press the ends together to “seal” the braid.
• For snail/spiral shape: Divide 1 piece of dough into two equal pieces . Roll out a piece of dough between your hands and the work surface until you have a ½-to- ¾-inch thick rope. Gently and loosely wrap the dough around itself starting from the center and moving outward. Tuck the end under the dough and gently press to seal it closed.
• For Twist : Roll the 3rd piece of dough into long rope and twist them from the middle and finally tuck in at the ends. Make sure to keep opening in the middle.
• Place assembled Choereg onto parchment paper-lined or greased baking sheets (leaving adequate space between the Choereg as they will rise and expand further during baking).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Make egg wash with one egg and 1 tablespoon of water and brush all the Choereg (including the sides) with the egg wash mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and Nigella seeds
• Bake Choereg for 28 to 32 minutes until golden brown (baking time will be dependent on the size of your Choereg and the shapes you have made), rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through to ensure even baking.