What, why and when is a key challah (Shlissel challah)?

Forget boring braids, it’s all about key-shaped challah this Shabbat!

Shlissel challah, Yiddish for “key challah,” is a post-Passover tradition symbolizing unlocking prosperity for the coming year. Think of it as a bread-y good luck charm! Go ahead and sprinkle on some poppyseeds too, to remind us of the manna that fell in the desert starting in the Hebrew month of Iyar, which comes after Passover.

So why the key? Our ancestors relied on God’s manna during their desert wanderings, but after Passover, it was time to get their hustle on. The key symbolizes God holding the key to that sweet, sweet prosperity.

This tradition might be inspired by European Easter breads, some of which were decorated with crosses.

These days, the shlissel challah is an Instagram star, and who can resist a loaf shaped like a key? It’s the perfect way to add a touch of fun and tradition to your Shabbat table.

Ready to bake your own fortune? Here’s our recipe for a delicious challah.

Ingredients

(Serves 16)

1 3/4 cups warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active-dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg
1/3 cup olive oil
5-7 cups bread flour

Instructions

1) In a large bowl, add the water, yeast, sugar, salt, egg and olive oil. Mix until combined.

2) Gradually add cups of bread flour and mix until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead in remaining flour until the dough reaches a soft, smooth texture that’s just slightly sticky to the touch. The exact number of cups depends on how packed the cups are.

3) Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm part of the kitchen until doubled in size, about an hour.

4) Now it’s time to create your favorite shapes. Practice makes perfect! When making challah shapes, if the dough is not stretching out, set it aside for a few minutes to rest before trying to shape it again. Also, while you’re shaping only some of the dough, keep the main bowl covered with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out. Once each shape is ready, place it on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash.

5) Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.

6) Allow all the shapes to rise until they are poofy. For small shapes, this will take about 20 minutes. This step is called ‘proofing’ and it gives challah its airy texture.

7) Bake for about 15-30 minutes until challah is golden on top. This step depends on how big the shapes are, the larger shapes will need to bake longer.

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