Making a key shaped, or Schlissel, challah the Shabbat following Pesach is a Chassidic tradition dating back as early as the Eighteenth Century.
Schlissel is the Yiddish word for key.
Challah baked in this shape signifies an increase in financial blessings. We ask God to open the Gates of Heaven for our prayers and on Passover, we ask God to recall how He opened the gates for the entire Nation of Israel in the days after they left Egypt and were welcomed in to the “Promised Land.” When the challah is made to represent a key, we are asking for the key to unlock the Gates for us as well.
Many still bake the challah with an actual key baked into the dough and many form the dough into the shape of a key. Some people do both and place a key into their key shaped challah. It is a challah with a good omen. So if you use a real key, make sure you wash it well!
If you use 100% whole wheat dough, as opposed to my 50% whole wheat, certainly the dough will rise less, and the end results will be more beautiful.
You can shape the dough using a line of knots or plaits.
Ingredients:
7g fast action dried yeast
600g strong bread flour – use a mixture of spelt, wholemeal and multigrain
20ml vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
50g caster sugar or honey
2 large eggs
350ml warm water
1 tablespoon oil – to grease the bowl
Glaze: 2 egg yolks
Toppings: Sesame seeds/ black onion seeds
Method
Combine 100ml warm water with the dried yeast.
Put the flours into a large bowl, add the salt, oil, sugar or honey, eggs into the mixer. Add the remaining water slowly ( you may not need it all) to form a ball.
Remove the dough, knead by hand briefly.
Grease a large bowl with oil and place the dough inside. Cover and leave for about 2 hours or until double in size.
Knock out the air in the dough. Shape according to the images with a 3 strand plaits and knots. Enclose the key if using.
Glaze with egg yolk.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 200C. Leave on a rack to cool.
