Tip From A Reader: Shlissel Challahs

Do your shlissel challahs (key-shaped (or containing a key) challah baked for first Shabbos after Pesach) lose their key shape during baking? Last year, we found that the challah comes out looking pretty good if you shape the entire challah as an old-fashioned key, like this: use three small balls of dough at one end (arranged in a sort of triangle configuration), attach them to a long piece of dough, and stick two short straight pieces of dough on one side of the long straight piece (to look like the “bit” of the key).  Let the challah rise long enough so the pieces smoosh together a bit, then egg and bake. Enjoy!