It is the custom among some Jews to make a challah in the shape of a key or with an actual key baked inside it for the first shabbat after Passover. This is called a schlissel challah, literally "key" in Yiddish. The schlissel challah is supposed to be a good omen for livelihood.
Last year, the local synagogue's Sisterhood sponsored a huge community challah bake for women and girls. It was so much fun. We learned how to make challah from scratch, several braiding methods, and the spiritual meaning of the mitzvah of challah baking. Afterwards we went home and baked the bread.
Below are a series of pictures from the event:
I make my family's challah in a breadmaker on the dough cycle, then take it out and braid it. I'm not used to the manual method. It's messier but you can make more or larger loaves. It also seems more spiritual to make it by hand without a mixer or breadmaker. I may have to do it on my own more often.
Here's the recipe we used...
BTW, NONE of the fancy braiding below is done by me. I haven't been able to get the hang of it though I my tween daughter can.
The baked product. My schlissel didn't come out that pretty this time around, but it sure tasted good. Plus I had a really nice time making it.
The non-schlissel challahs came out much more attractive. That's something, right?
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