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Everything you need to know to bake it right this Rosh Hashana.
Every Jewish holiday has its special foods and Rosh Hashana is no exception. The first thing that comes to mind when baking for the Yom Tov season is round challah that we consume during the High Holiday season all through Simchat Torah. The round challahs are sometimes sweeter than the rest of the year with added raisins and they're dipped in honey for their symbolism. Round symbolizes completeness. We want our year to be wholesome, round and sweet. Additionally the concept of a circle reminds us of God's infinity and omnipresence, as it has no beginning or end.
Round challahs also resemble a crown, symbolizing that we are crowning God as our king, which is the essence of the High Holiday season.
Braiding challah into a round shape can be an art. Inasmuch as there are many ways to achieve the round look, the following pictorial instructions can help simplify the task.
After experimenting with many methods these were found to show the best results.
Round Sweet Challah for Rosh Hashana
Ingredients:
Directions:
Put all ingredients slowly into the mixer in the order given. Allow to mix for at least 12 minutes, until you get elastic and perfect dough. Should the dough be too dry add some water. Should it be too wet add more flour. Use your discretion to obtain the right consistency. Sprinkle with some flour so it does not stick to the bowl. Cover with a plastic bag (for faster rising) and then a dishtowel.
Allow dough to rise for 1 hour then punch it down, allow to rise another hour and punch it down again.
Cut the dough into desired amount of challos you want to obtain.
This is the simplest way of achieving a crown looking challah. Cut your dough in the preferred size and twirl it around into this shape, tucking in the end under the challah. Feel free to use illustrations below to braid the white challah.
Whole Wheat Round Challa
Ingredients:
Directions:
Put all ingredients slowly into the mixer in the order given. Allow to mix for at least 12 minutes, until you get elastic and perfect dough. Should the dough be too dry add some water. Should it be too wet add more flour. Use your discretion to obtain the right consistency. Sprinkle with some flour so it does not stick to the bowl. Cover with a plastic bag (for faster rising) and then a dishtowel.
Allow dough to rise for 1 hour then punch it down, allow to rise another hour and punch it down again.
Cut the dough into desired amount of challahs you want to obtain.
For a fancier and braided look cut each piece of dough into six pieces and roll them out into six strands. Shape the strands into tic tack toe shape then you will have three strands on each side. Braid each side and then tuck them under the challah. Allow to rise another 20 minutes.
For a beautifully glaze use only the egg yolk to “paint” your challah. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds, or leave as is.
This is what your challah will look like.
Shaping Small Individual Challah Rolls
Cut pieces of challah dough weighing no more than two ounces each. Roll out each into a long shape. Then place them crossed over each other.
From the two long pieces you can now obtain four pieces to work with
Once the challah is braided form it into a round shape
Here is the perfect result of the braided roll
Healthy Honey Cookies
These cookies are traditional for the Rosh Hashana season. These were made with spelt flour. They are very light and melt in your mouth.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix all ingredients well, Refrigerate overnight covered so it does not dry out. You can also work with it after one hour of refrigeration
Make balls with wet hands and put them into a cookie sheet.
Preheat oven and bake them for 12-15 minutes.
Delicious!
Preparation time 20 minutes
Yields 24 cookies
Best Apple Cake
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine th
e first three ingredients; set aside.In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Combine oil and orange juice and add alternately with dry ingredients to egg mixture. Beat until smooth; add vanilla and beat well.
Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured tube pan. Arrange half the apples over the batter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle half over the apples. Top with remaining batter, apples and cinnamon/sugar.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 1 hour before removing from pan. Cool, apple side up, on a wire rack. Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar if desired.
Preparation: 15 minutes
Serves 12-16
Honey and Spice Chocolate Cake
A tender, moist and lightly spiced honey-chocolate cake that will definitely please the chocolate lover's at your Rosh Hashanah dinner. Makes a sweet and "oh so yummy" ending to your meal. This cake is sure to please even the most discerning palates.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
Grease well a 10-inch tube, angel food or Bundt style cake pan. Set aside
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground cloves and allspice. Set aside.
In bowl of electric stand mixer (or a hand mixer may be used with a large mixing bowl), combine honey, oil, and both sugars. Beat mixture on low to medium-low speed for 1 minute.
Add in the eggs, seltzer (or cola, if using) and vanilla and beat for 2 to 3 minutes on low speed.
Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed for another 2 minutes until batter is smooth and well combined, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed (you want to make sure all of the honey and other ingredients are well combined, not sticking to the bottom of mixing bowl).
With a wooden spoon, fold in chocolate chips and grated coconut (if using), then pour batter into prepared tube or Bundt pan and bake in preheated 350 degree F (180 C) oven for 50 to 65 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean (without any moist crumbs).
Remove from oven and let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack and let cake cool completely. When cake has cooled, transfer to a serving plate or platter.
If desired, place several strawberries over top of cake, drizzle with chocolate sauce or ready-made store-bought chocolate syrup and dust cake with confectioner's sugar just before serving.
Preparation time 20 minutes
Serves 12-14
Apple Tarts
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.
Layer the apple filling in prebaked tart pan piling it higher towards the center. Pat crumbs on top.
Preheat oven to 450. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and bake for additional 15 minutes.
One can also use 1 - 9” frozen pie crust or 2- 6” frozen pie crusts
Prebake the crusts for 10 minutes at 350. Adjust baking time. Bake 350 about 45 minutes or until top is brown
Preparation 30 minutes
Serves 12-24
Baked Apples
This is a great dish anytime, because it is a great finish for a heavy meal and filling enough for anytime. Makes a nice dessert for company anytime.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Bake apples with a little granola and raisins in the center, and a dash of cinnamon at 400 for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Preparation time 10 minutes
Serves 4
Wishing all our readers a Shanah Tova!