I normally don’t make my own challah, but this Shabbat was different.
I don’t have a machine or a Kitchen Aid mixer, so I get lazy and just buy our weekly challah from Trader Joe’s.
However this week I made it myself.
You see this past Friday was the first Friday after Passover. Which makes the challah extra special. Some customs include adding a key in their challah to symbolize the key to livelihood. It is said, “This was the time of year when the Jews entered the Holy Land and the manna stopped falling from heaven. Then they began to eat from the produce of the land and to earn their livelihood in a natural manner. The key-shaped challah symbolizes the key to livelihood which is in G-d’s hand, and our prayers to Him to open the gates of livelihood for us.”
Some people have a custom to insert a key in their dough before baking. (TIP: If your want to place a key in your challah, make sure to wash the key very well. Many keys contain lead so it usually best to wrap the key in foil as well.
I didn’t want to use the actual key so instead I took a piece of dough and shaped it into a key.
My rookie move was slathering the dough with too much egg wash. It quickly filled up the house with a smoky smell.
For the recipe I used click here.
For more meanings and blessings click here.
Shabbat Shalom friends!
I smell it here :) looking gooood