I so badly want to tell you…that these little challah picnic baskets are easy to make.
That whipping them up at home will be a gosh darn breeze.
That you’ll just cross your arms, blink your eyes, and they’ll appear on your Shabbat table like you’re in some Jewish remake of I Dream of Jeannie.
But I can’t. Because I do not want to deceive you. Because I like you. Because, at the very least, I do not hate you.
Friends, these challah “picnic baskets” were among the most unwieldy, unyielding things I have ever had the misfortune of creating. I feel neither compelled nor qualified to share any sort of recipe or tutorial with you. And so I will not.
You know that famous FDR line that’s like, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”? Yes. Well, clearly the man never attempted a mini challah picnic basket. I am veritably filled with fear. Terrorized by the prospect of ever again baking something on the underside of a muffin tin. Of ever again looking in the direction of a muffin tin. Regretful—deeply, profoundly regretful—of every moment that led to this one.
Let us discuss.
From the outset (carefully weaving together all those flat strands of dough on an upside-down popover tin = headache central) all the way through to the stitching together of the bottom basket part with that braided “handle,” it was a total and complete mess. Even once I got them all properly assembled—which took, like, twelve toothpicks and all of my sanity and another twelve toothpicks—you can actually see the toothpicks in there if you look closely!—EVEN AFTER THAT…there was the matter of actually setting them right-side-up.
Nope. No can do. The bottom of the basket is sort of curved, which makes positioning them upright impossible.
You can’t see it, but in these photos, there’s actually a lone strawberry holding the basket up from behind.
My sad, sad, leaning tower of carbs.
‘Twas simply not to be.
HOWEVER.
However…
They sure are cute.
And so very appropriate for summertime.
So I really couldn’t help but share these three illusively PERF photos—the few I managed to take before the whole thing toppled over and shattered. (Did you know challah was even capable of shattering? It is, but only if you bake it up on the underside of a muffin tin.)
Let’s forget this ever happened. Happy Thursday to you. OH! And while I’m here, I should remind you to sign up for the challah-baking class happening this Sunday with Mandy Silverman! YA? Ya. Here’s the registration page. It’s only $5 and all the proceeds go to HIAS.
See you then.