11. Cakes and Desserts

Traditional Jewish cookery is not very famous for either its salads or desserts, so if you find a few dessert recipes that sound a bit too modern, please remember that I, too, am a Mama.

PASSOVER WALNUT CAKE

10 eggs (separated) ¾ c. sugar

1 lemon (juice and rind)

1 c. finely ground walnuts

3 Ts. cake meal

Beat egg yolks until light-colored, gradually add sugar, lemon juice and rind, cake meal and nuts. Beat egg whites stiff but not dry, and gently fold into batter.

Grease two 8-inch-square baking dishes and line with wax paper. Pour batter into pans and bake in moderate, 350°, oven for 50 minutes, cool slightly and turn onto cake rack. Remove paper.

PASSOVER HONEY COOKIES

1/2 c. matzo meal

1/4 c. potato flour

1/3c. honey

1/4 c. chopped almonds 2 eggs

Pinch of salt

Beat eggs, add matzo meal and flour sifted together. Add all other ingredients and let stand 1 hour. Spread potato flour over board, roll dough out on floured board. Cut into desired shape and bake on greased tins in moderately hot, 425°, oven for 15 minutes

EINGEMACHTS (candied radish)

2 large black radishes (peeled)

1 lb. honey

1 t. cinnamon

1 T. ginger (heaping)

1 T. sugar

1/2 c. walnuts (cut-up)

Shred radishes and cook in water to cover for 1/2 hour. Bring honey, sugar, cinnamon and ginger to a boil. Drain radishes well, add the shredded radish to the honey and cook on medium flame, stirring constantly, until all the honey is absorbed. Remove from stove and add walnuts.

MATZO MEAL CAKE

12  eggs (separated)

11/2  cs. sugar

Juice of 1/2 orange

1  lemon (juice and rind)

1  c. cake meal

1/4  c. potato starch

1  pinch salt

Beat yolks well, add sugar, orange juice, lemon juice and rind. Mix potato starch and salt with sifted cake meal, fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs and bake for 1 hour in moderate, 350°, oven. Bake in ungreased pan. When baked, cool for few minutes and invert on cake rack.

UPSIDE DOWN PASSOVER CAKE

3  eggs (separated)

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 t. salt

1 T. lemon rind

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. sifted matzo meal

1/4 c. honey

15 stewed prune halves

15 stewed apricot halves

Beat egg yolks with sugar, add salt, lemon juice and rind and matzo meal and beat until smooth. Beat white of eggs until stiff and gently fold into mixture.

Arrange the honey, the halves of prunes and apricots (cut side up) in an 8-inch-square baking dish. Spread honey in pan first, then pour batter over fruit and bake in moderate, 350°, oven for 1 hour. Let cake cool for a few min­utes, loosen sides and turn out on plate. Serve either hot or cold.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

3 eggs

1 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1 t. baking powder

1 T. brown sugar

Canned pineapple circles

Arrange pineapple circles in heavy iron skillet; add a little of the pineapple juice and brown sugar. Beat eggs and sugar well. Sift the flour and baking powder and add to beaten eggs. Pour over the pineapple and bake in preheated, moderate, 350°, oven for about 1/2 hour. Let stand for 5 minutes out of the oven, then turn onto dish.

QUICK CHOCOLATE CAKE

2  ozs. chocolate (unsweetened)

1  c. sour cream

1  c. sugar

¾  c. flour

2  eggs

2 ts. baking soda

1 t. vanilla

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground cloves

Sift flour and baking soda, melt chocolate and mix it with all other ingredients and beat hard for several minutes until mixture is smooth. Bake either in shallow greased and floured pan or two layer pans in moderately hot, 400°, oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Frost if desired.

NUT TORTE

3 cs. ground walnuts

1 c. sugar

6 eggs

Grated rind of orange or lemon

Separate eggs. Combine the yolks with sugar, grated rind and nuts. Beat egg whites stiff and fold in gently. Bake in shallow pan in moderate, 350°, oven.

ALMOND CAKE TORTE

6 eggs

1 c. sugar

1/2 lb. almonds (crushed very fine)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Beat egg yolks with lemon juice and 1/2 c. sugar. Beat egg whites stiff. Add nuts and remaining sugar, then fold in the whites. Pour mixture into a springform pan (un-greased). Bake slow in moderate, 325°, oven for about 1 hour or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Invert cake on rack to cool, then remove from pan.

DATE BARS

3 eggs 1 c. sugar

1 c. chopped nuts

1 lb. dates

1 c. flour

1 t. baking powder Pinch of salt

ICING

3/4 c. sugar

Juice o£ 1/2 orange or lemon

Beat yolks with sugar until creamy. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt, add to mixture with stoned and quartered dates and chopped nuts. Beat egg whites stiff and add to yolks alternately with flour mixture. Bake in shallow greased pan in moderate, 350°, oven for 1/2 hour. Cool in tin, ice, and cut into bars when cool.

CANDIED CARROTS

3  bunches small carrots

1/3 c. honey

1/4 c. (1/8 lb.) butter

Melt butter in skillet, add honey and either diced or shredded carrots, cook on medium flame until carrots are well glazed.

APPLE CAKE

21/2 cs. sifted flour

2 ts. baking powder

2 Ts. sugar

1/2 lb. butter

1 egg (slightly beaten)

1 t. vanilla

6 medium apples

TOPPING

11/2 cs. sugar

21/2 Ts. flour

1/8 lb. butter

1 t. cinnamon

Sift flour, baking powder and sugar and cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add egg and vanilla. Spread on bottom and sides of baking dish. Peel and slice apples and arrange in layers in baking dish. Mix all ingredients of topping together and spread over apples and bake for 3/4 hours in moderate, 350°, oven. Serve with whipped cream.

BISCUITS (quick)

11/4 cs. flour

1 t. baking powder

1 c. light cream

Pinch of salt

Mix soft dough, roll out on floured board to 1 inch thick­ness, cut rounds with cutter or baking powder can lid. Bake in moderately hot, 400°, oven until brown.

BEET AND HORSERADISH MOLD

1 package Kojel or Jell-O (lemon flavor)

1 c. hot water

1/2 c. vinegar

1/2 c. beet juice

1/2 jar white horse radish

1/2 c. shoestring beets

1/2 t. salt

1 T. sugar

Dissolve gelatine in hot water, add all other ingredients. Mix well, pour into mold and chill.

PINEAPPLE JELL-O MOLD

1  #1 can crushed pineapple

2  packages lime Jell-O
1 c. hot water

1 c. pineapple juice

1  pint sour cream

Mix Jell-O with hot water and pineapple juice and put into refrigerator to cool for about 10 minutes. Add sour cream and crushed pineapple, put into mold and chill.

FRUIT JELL-O MOLD

2  packages strawberry Jell-O
1 package lime Jell-O

1 package ladyfingers

1 package frozen strawberries

1  package mixed frozen fruits

2  cs. hot water

3  cs. cold water

Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Add frozen fruits and the rest of the water. Stir well and let stand. Line sides of slightly oiled mold with the ladyfingers, add mixture, and let cool. When jelled, unmold on flat plate and quickly turn onto another plate so that the tops of the ladyfingers will be seen. Trim with whipped cream. Very nice for a party.

SPICED GRAPES

3 lbs. concord grapes

1/2 c. cider vinegar

3 cs. white sugar

11/2 Ts. cinnamon

3/4 T. ground cloves

1/4 T. salt

Wash grapes, press pulp out of skins and keep the skins separate. Cook pulp for 10 minutes in a covered enamel pot, stirring frequently with wooden spoon, then put through sieve to remove seeds. Heat vinegar, spices, salt and sugar, add skins and sieved pulp, and cook over low heat for 1/2 hour. Should give you about 2 pints of pre­serves.

PLUM PRESERVE

1 qt. blue plums

1  c. water

2  cs. sugar

Wash plums, add water and cook until skins are tender. Remove pits, measure fruit and add 2/3 cup sugar for each cup of plums. Cook over moderate or low heat until thick. Pour into sterilized jars.

GOOSEBERRY CONSERVE

2 qts. gooseberries 5 cs. sugar

1 orange

1 lemon

Clean and wash gooseberries. Grind or chop orange and lemon. Add all other ingredients and mix with wooden spoon; cook slowly for about 2 hours, stirring frequently. When thickened put into small jars and cover tightly.

PICKLED WATERMELON RIND

7 lbs. watermelon rind

7 cs. sugar

2 cs. white vinegar

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground cloves

Make a syrup of the vinegar and sugar. Remove thin green skin from the white section of the watermelon and soak this pared rind in ice water overnight. Cook the syrup for about 5 minutes, add the rind and cook slowly for 20 minutes, then cover and let stand overnight. The next day add the cinnamon and cloves and cook for 1/2 hour or until rind is clear. Put into sterilized jars and seal.

SPICED ORANGE WEDGES

4  oranges (unpeeled navels)

1/2  t. baking soda

2  cs. sugar

11/4  cs· water

1/2 c. vinegar

12 whole cloves

3  sticks cinnamon

Cover oranges with water, add soda and bring to a boil; lower flame and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and cut oranges into eighths. Combine sugar, water, vinegar and spices and simmer about 5 minutes or until sugar dis­solves. Add orange wedges and cook for 20 minutes. Put in covered dish and refrigerate.

TEIGLACH

DOUGH  PREPARATIONS

4 eggs

4 Ts. oil

1  T. sugar

2  cs. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

HONEY  PREPARATION

11/4 lbs. honey

3 Ts. sugar

1 t. ground ginger

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 c. water

1/2 lb. filberts

1/2 lb. pecans

Sift all dry ingredients together; add eggs, oil, make soft dough. Roll into ropelike shape; cut into small pieces. Roll in the palm of your hand. Bake in shallow baking dish in a moderate, 375°, oven until brown—about 10 minutes.

Heat honey and the rest of the ingredients until they come to a boil. Drop dough and nuts into boiling syrup, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, then uncover. Simmer slowly and keep stirring until all the honey is absorbed, then turn out on wet board. Form desired shape and let cool on board.

A  VARIATION

The same recipe as above, cut dough into pieces—put a seedless raisin in each piece of dough. Roll in palm of your hand until nice and round. When everything is ready, put into boiling honey and add the nuts as in the previous recipe—or first bake in shallow baking dish and then put into honey.

ANOTHER VARIATION

4 eggs

2 cs. flour 1/4 t. salt

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 lb. walnuts (halved)

SYRUP

11/4 lbs. honey

1  t. sugar

1  t. ground ginger

1  t. cinnamon

Beat eggs slightly. Add sifted dry ingredients and stir. Make dough that handles easily. Put on lightly floured board—form into ropelike shape in palms of your hands. Dip knife in hot water, cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Flatten pieces of dough with palm of your hand. Enclose a walnut half in each piece of dough, pinch edges together.

Bring honey and sugar to a boil. Gently drop in the enclosed walnuts. Simmer for about 10 minutes (covered). Do not stir. Shake pot a little at intervals, then uncover and test. If not quite done keep on flame a while longer. Teiglach will be done when syrup hardens on cooled walnut.

INGBERLOCH (gingerettes)

1 lb. honey

3 Ts. sugar

1 T. ground ginger (level)

1/4 c. water

Dash of salt

1 lb. walnuts (in shell)

21/4cs. matzo farfel

Bring honey, water and ginger to boil. Put in farfel, turn off light and let stand for 15 minutes; then add shelled walnuts, broken up into small pieces (leave about a cupful to be ground for later use). Put mixture on flame again, simmer until all the honey is absorbed. Wet board, sprinkle with finely ground walnuts, flatten out. Let cool, then cut into desired shapes.

MUNAELOCH (poppy seed candy)

1/2 lb. (about 21/2 cs.) poppy seeds

1 c. honey

1/4 c sugar

Pinch of salt

1/3c. chopped nuts

Boil poppy seeds in 1 qt. of water for about 1/2 hour. Strain through cheesecloth and beat with mallet. Bring honey, sugar and salt to a boil. Put in poppy seeds, add chopped nuts. Keep on flame, stirring all the while until it candies (for about 1/4 hour). Wet your board and spread the poppy seeds on the board. Roll out to desired thick­ness. Wet hands in cold water; pat down, and dip knife in hot water. Cut into desired shape before it hardens. If ground poppy seeds are used, omit boiling and pounding step. Simply rinse in hot water in cheesecloth and add syrup.

MOHN COOKIES

3 eggs

1/3 c. mohn (poppy seeds)

¾ c. sugar

2 Ts. shortening

1 t. baking powder

1 c. flour

Pinch of salt

Mix shortening, baking powder, salt—fold in eggs. Add flour. Flour board. Roll out dough lightly (if necessary for consistency, add a little more flour); sprinkle with mohn. Cut with cookie cutter or small glass. Bake on greased cookie sheet in moderate, 375°, oven for about 15 minutes.

LEMON CREAM DESSERT

3  eggs

1/2c. sugar

1 c. heavy sweet cream

Juice of 1 large lemon

Pinch of salt

6 graham crackers

Crush graham crackers and line the bottom of a pie plate. Leave out some of the graham crumbs for use later. Separate the eggs. Mix egg yolks, sugar, salt and lemon juice. Put on small flame and stir until egg thick­ens. Cool. Whip egg whites stiff and fold into egg yolk mixture. Whip the sweet cream and fold. Put mixture into pie plate and sprinkle with graham crumbs. Chill.

CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

1/2 lb. butter

1/2 lb. cream cheese

2  Ts. sugar

3  cs. flour

Pinch of salt

Mix well (cream the butter and cheese) and refrigerate overnight. Roll out and cut into desired shape. Bake in a moderately hot, 400°, oven on buttered cookie sheet, and sprinkle with sugar.

CHEESE BALLS

1  lb. pot cheese

2  eggs

1  T. flour (heaping)

Pinch of salt

2  qts. water

1 T. salt

3  Ts. melted butter

3/4 c. matzo meal

Form cheese mixture into round balls. Drop into boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or until they rise to the top. Remove, drain water. Brown some bread crumbs (lightly) in butter, roll balls in bread crumbs.

HAMANTASCHEN

DOUGH

6 cs. flour 1 t. salt

1/2 lb. butter (softened)

1  cake yeast

1/2 c. warm water

2  eggs

21/2 cs. warm milk

1 egg (well beaten for glazing)

Mix salt, flour and butter together; dissolve the yeast in the warm water; add all other ingredients; knead well and let rise overnight. Roll out dough on floured board, shape into triangles, fill with filling given below, and let rise for l/2 hour. Bake in slow, 300°, oven on buttered cookie sheet for about 1/2 hour or until brown. Before putting in oven, brush surface with a well-beaten egg.

cookie dough for hamantaschen (an easier dough)

3  cs. flour

2 ts. baking powder

4  Ts. vegetable shortening

1  t. salt

2  Ts. sugar

4 eggs

Cut 2 Ts. of shortening with knife into flour; add all other ingredients; mix thoroughly; put on floured board; gradu­ally fold in 2 Ts. shortening; and roll into 1/4-inch sheet. Cut into triangles. Use any of the fillings in the following recipes and bake as directed.

FILLING

1/2 lb. poppy seeds (ground)

1/2 lb. white raisins

1/2 lb. chopped nuts

1/2 lb. prunes (cut-up)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. honey

Boil poppy seeds for about 20 minutes, drain well and add all other ingredients.

CHEESE  FILLING FOR  HAMANTASCHEN (michig)

1  lb. pot cheese

3 or 4 oz. package cream cheese

2  Ts. melted butter

1 t. salt (level)

1 T. sugar

1/2 c. white raisins

Mix all ingredients together. Brush surface of rolled-out dough with some of the melted butter; fill and bake as above.

PRUNE FILLING FOR HAMANTASCHEN

1  lb. prunes

1/2 lb. raisins

1/2 lemon (juice and rind)

2  Ts. sugar (heaping)

10 walnuts

Pit prunes; cook prunes and raisins for about 20 minutes. Crush nuts; mix all together thoroughly and fill haman-taschen.

TARTS

Use the cookie dough recipe given for Hamantaschen; roll the dough; cut into rounds with a cup or cookie cutter; use any of the Hamantaschen filling; pinch edges together, either with your fingers or a floured fork. Brush with well-beaten egg, and bake same as the Hamantaschen.

MONDEL BROIDT

11/2 cs. flour

2  ts. baking powder

3  eggs

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. almonds (cut into quarters)

Beat eggs well, gradually adding sugar; beat until thick. Sift flour and baking powder and add to mixture; add nuts; stir well. Bake in oiled and floured loaf pan in mod­erate, 350°, oven for ¾ hours. Cut into thick slices and return to oven to brown 5 minutes more.

ONION KUCHEL

2 large onions

2 eggs

1/2 c. oil

23/4 cs. sifted flour

2 c. poppy seeds (ground)

ts. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Dash of pepper

2  Ts. water

Grate onions; beat in eggs and add oil. Sift dry ingredients and add together and mix well. Add poppy seeds and water. Drop mixture on greased cookie sheet by table-spoonfuls. Bake in hot, 425°, oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

FLUDEN

3  cs. flour

1/2 t. salt

1/4 lb. butter

1/2 cake yeast

1/4 c. warm water

Pinch of sugar

2 eggs

11/4 cs. warm milk

Mix salt, flour and butter together. Dissolve the yeast in warm water and add to the flour with all the other in­gredients. Knead well and let rise overnight. Roll two-thirds of the dough out on floured board; spread dough in baking dish; stretch to cover sides of baking dish; spread either of the two fillings in the following recipes. Roll the remaining third of the dough on floured board; cover baking dish with the rolled-out dough and let stand for another 1/2 hour. (With knife make several cuts on top of dough.) Brush with a little sweet cream for glazing, and bake in moderate, 375°, oven for about 1/2 hour or until brown.

poppy seed (mohn) filling

1/2 lb. poppy seeds (ground)

1  c. white raisins

1/2 c. nuts (chopped)

1/2 c. honey

2  Ts. sugar

Boil poppy seeds for 20 minutes—drain well and add all other ingredients.

APPLE STUFFING

6 tart apples

q lemon and rind

1 c. white raisins

1 c. walnuts

3 Ts. sugar (heaping)

1 T. cinnamon (heaping)

1 T. minute tapioca (heaping)

Pare and grate apples, lemon and rind; add all other ingredients and mix well. (Fluden can also be made with a cookie dough.)

CHREMZLOCH

1 c. matzo meal

4 eggs (separated)

3 Ts. chicken fat

Pinch of salt

1 c. sweet Passover wine

1 T. sugar

Mix egg yolks with matzo meal; add salt, sugar and boil­ing wine to mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Drop mixture into hot fat one tablespoon at a time; brown on both sides and drain on brown paper.

A VARIATION

2 cs. matzo meal

5 Ts. chicken fat

1 t. salt

1 c. sweet wine

1 T. sugar

4 eggs (separated)

FILLING

1 c. pineapple marmalade 1 c. chopped nuts

1  T. lemon juice

11/2 cs. honey

2  Ts. sugar

2 Ts. water

1 T. ground ginger

Mix the matzo meal, egg yolks and 2 Ts. melted fat to­gether; add salt, wine and sugar. Mix well. Put a little fat into the bottom o£ each cup o£ a muffin dish and heat in oven to melt fat. Add stiffly beaten white of eggs to the dough. Drop the mixture into the heated muffin dishes, enough to fill a third o£ each muffin dish. Mix the marma­lade, nuts and lemon juice together; add heaping T. of the marmalade mixture to each cup. Add another third of the matzo-meal mixture on top o£ the filling in each cup. (Cups must not be too full.) Bake in a moderate, 375°, oven for about 20 minutes. Mix honey, sugar, water and ginger, bring to a boil; pour over the baked matzo meal muffins, and put back in oven for about 5 minutes.

ANOTHER VARIATION

3  large eggs

2  Ts. chicken fat

1  c. matzo meal

1  t. salt

1/2  c. sweet wine

1  t. sugar (heaping)

11/2  cs. honey

3/4c. sugar

Beat eggs, stir in melted chicken fat. Add salt and 1 T. sugar to matzo meal. Stir into egg mixture, together with the wine. Moisten hands to form matzo balls.

FILLING

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 c. chopped nuts

1/2 c. marmalade (any flavor)

Put a little of the nut mixture into each matzo ball. Lightly grease baking dish and heat. Put matzo balls in heated baking dish. Bake in moderate, 375°, oven for about 1/2 hour. Glaze by brushing top with a stiffly beaten egg. Bring honey and sugar to a boil; put baked matzo balls into boiling honey (make sure you use a deep pot); boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from honey and sprinkle with ginger.

SPONGE CAKE

5  eggs

6  1 c. flour

1/3 c. orange or lemon juice

Pinch of salt

1 t. baking powder

1 c. sugar

Rind of 1 lemon

Cream egg yolks with sugar, juice, salt. Add rind. Beat up egg whites until stiff; fold in slowly. Sift flour and baking powder; slowly fold into batter, one spoonful at a time. Pour into floured baking pan. Place in moderate, 375°, oven for about 40 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Then invert pan on rack to cool.

PASSOVER SPONGE CAKE

12 eggs (separated)

11/2 cs. sugar

Rind of 1 lemon

1/2 c. orange juice

1 c. matzo cake meal

1/4 c. potato starch

Pinch of salt

Beat yolks, sugar and orange juice and rind. Sift cake meal and potato starch and salt. Add slowly to mixture one spoon at a time. Beat whites until stiff; fold into mixture. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan; line with wax paper (dampen the paper)—pour mixture in and bake in moderate, 350°, oven for about 1 hour.

CHEESE PIE

2 eggs

1/2 pint sour cream

1/2 c. sugar (scant)

9 graham crackers

3 3-oz. bars cream cheese

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. sugar

1/8 lb. butter or margarine (melted)

Pulverize graham crackers. Add melted butter and line an 8-inch pie plate on bottom and halfway up on sides. Cream eggs, sugar and cream cheese to a custard-like texture; add vanilla; pour into pie plate and bake in a moderate, 350°, oven for about 15 minutes or until top is firm to the touch. Let cool. Add 1/2 t. sugar to sour cream and cover the top of the pie and bake in moderate, 350°, oven for about 10 minutes. Cool and cover; place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

LECKACH  (honey cake)

2 cs. flour

2  ts. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. honey

1 c. coffee (brewed)

Pinch of salt

3  eggs

1 c. blanched almonds

Mix all the dry ingredients together with the flour. Put in bowl. Make a well; put eggs, oil and coffee (cold) into the well, mixing thoroughly; add 1/2 cup chopped-up almonds and the honey. Put in oiled loaf dish. Break up the balance o£ the almonds in halves and put over the surface of the loaf. Bake in moderate, 350°, oven for ¾ hour.

NUT HONEY CAKE

5 eggs (separated)

q c. honey

1 c. flour

1 c. hazel nuts or walnuts (finely ground)

1 t. sugar

3 Ts. heavy cream

Mix the honey and the yolks of 5 eggs together. Work this mixture with a wooden spoon for at least 5 minutes. Little by little stir in the flour and the ground nuts; mix with the granulated sugar. Stir the heavy cream, unbeaten, thoroughly into the batter. Beat the egg whites until they are very stiff and fold them into the nut mixture. Pour the batter in a buttered cake tin. Bake in a slow, 300°, oven for about 40 minutes. Test cake with a fork. If it comes out clean, your cake is done.

STRAWBERRY TAPIOCA

1 box frozen strawberries (pulped)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Pinch of salt

1 t. vegetable shortening 4 Ts. instant tapioca

1 pt. cold water

Mix everything except the shortening, and let stand for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil, slowly, stirring, then add shorten­ing and simmer until fruit is well cooked; add sugar to taste while cooking.

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