Rosh Hashanah desserts: Easy and tasty

On Rosh Hashanah, we prepare wonderful, joyous meals, which culminate of course with special, tasty desserts.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 15:49

ROSH HASHANAH DESSERTS (photo credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN AND KEREN TIBI) — ROSH HASHANAH DESSERTS

(photo credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN AND KEREN TIBI)

On Rosh Hashanah, we prepare wonderful, joyous meals, which culminate of course with special, tasty desserts. Many traditional Jewish New Year desserts include honey and apples, and so I’ve included below three easy and quick recipes that your friends and family will thoroughly enjoy.

The first recipe, which takes a little more effort and time to make, is apple brioche. These scrumptious cakes are so delicious, they make every minute you invested making them worthwhile. The version I offer here is parve, so that you can serve it after a nice, festive meat holiday meal.

The second recipe is for a rich and juicy date cake, which is so tasty your guests will all ask for the recipe. Lastly, are the honey cookies, which you can box up, tie with a bow and bring as a beautiful present for hosts.

Shanah tovah to everyone!

HONEY COOKIES ( Credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN AND KEREN TIBI)

Apple brioche

This version is parve so that it can be served with a meat Rosh Hashanah meal. If you’d like to make it dairy, use milk in place of water and butter in place of margarine.

Use a 24 cm diameter pan.

Dough:

75 ml (1/3 cup) water

100 g (1/2 cup) dry yeast

600 g (3 cups) flour, sifted

8 g (1 Tbsp.) sea salt

300 g (6) eggs

300 g margarine, cubed

Filling:

10 granny smith apples

150 g sugar

100 g margarine

½ tsp. cinnamon

50 g light raisins

Syrup:

50 g sugar

50 ml water

50 ml brandy

To prepare the dough, add the water, sugar and yeast to a bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough attachment, mix the flour and salt. Add the water mixture and yeast mixture and mix on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, while mixing. Continue until well blended. Put the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Mix the dough on medium speed and add the margarine cubes. Mix well.

Remove the dough from the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

To prepare the filling, arrange the apples on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Brush with margarine and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Bake for 20 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 200° until the apples caramelize. Add the raisins and mix.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a square that is 40 cm wide.

Add the apple pieces and roll up the dough. Slice the roll into 10 pieces and arrange on one or two baking trays. Place them in a warm spot and let them rise for another 90 minutes.

To prepare the syrup, add the water and sugar to a pot and heat until the sugar melts. Remove from the flame and add the brandy. Let syrup cool.

Bake the brioche for 35 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 150°. Let cool 15 minutes and then brush with syrup. Let them cool.

Level of difficulty: medium.

Time: 7-8 hours, including time to let dough rise.

Status: Parve.

Date cake

You can crush dried dates, or use store-bought date spread.

Use 2 loaf pans.

400 g crushed dried dates (can be bought in vacuum-sealed package)

1 cup orange juice

¾ cup sugar

100 g butter or margarine, melted

2 large eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

1 Tbsp. orange zest

2 cups spelt flour, sifted

1 packet baking powder

1 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely

Sugar (optional)

200 g powdered sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

Toppings:

1 Tbsp. orange zest or orange peel strips

Cut the dates into small pieces and place them in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed and gradually add the orange juice, sugar, butter or margarine, and eggs. Mix until smooth.

Slowly add the cinnamon, ginger and orange zest. Gradually add the spelt flour and baking powder. Mix on slow speed for 3-4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the nuts. Pour into the greased and floured pans and flatten. Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 180° for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

To prepare the icing, add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a bowl and mix. Cover the cakes and then add the orange peel pieces and orange zest, or sprinkle with sugar.

Level of difficulty: easy.

Time: 90 minutes.

Status: Dairy or Parve.

Honey cookies

Makes 30 cookies.

100 g butter, softened (or 80 ml canola oil)

¼ cup (50 g) sugar

¼ cup (60 g) dark brown sugar

3 Tbsp. (60 g) honey

2 Tbsp. (40 g) silan

1 egg

2 cups (280 g) rye flour (or whole rye flour, or half rye flour and half wheat flour)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground ginger or cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. baking soda or 1 heaping tsp. baking powder (or a combination)

Add the butter or oil to a bowl and mix on slow speed with the sugar, brown sugar, honey, silan and egg. Mix until smooth.

Gradually add the flour, salt, spices, baking soda or baking powder and mix well.

Wet your hands and then form balls with a diameter of 3-4 cm. Pour sugar in one bowl and powdered sugar in another. Roll the balls in the sugar and then in the powdered sugar, and then place on the baking paper. Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 180° for 10-11 minutes and then let cool on a metal rack. Store in an air-tight container.

Level of difficulty: easy.

Time: 25 minutes.

Status: Parve / vegetarian.

Translated by Hannah Hochner.
Text and styling: Pascale Perez-Rubin