This dense flavorful crowd pleaser has Italian, Austrian, North African and Middle Eastern cousins. This version contains apples and honey, making it perfect for Rosh Hashana. For a more Italian or Austrian feel, serve it sprinkled with icing sugar and toasted slivered almonds. For a sweeter sticky North African or Middle Eastern experience infuse the cake with syrup. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
Cake
4 large eggs
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon regular salt)
¼ cup honey
¾ cup oil (vegetable, walnut or almond oil)
1 tablespoon of orange zest
½ orange, juiced
2½ cups almond meal
1½ cups finely chopped walnuts, pecans and/or hazelnuts
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (ideally freshly grated)
1 medium apple, grated (not peeled)
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Syrup
1 lemon or orange
2 inch piece of ginger
½ cup sugar
½ cup honey
1 cup apple juice or cider
4 tablespoons pomegranate or apple brandy
INSTRUCTIONS
Cake
Combine the eggs, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk for 5-10 minutes. While whisking, drizzle in the honey, then the oil, the orange zest and orange juice. In a separate bowl, combine the almond meal, finely chopped nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly fold the almond meal mixture in the egg mixture. Fold the grated apple into the batter. Pour the batter into a 9” square pan that has been sprayed with oil and lined with parchment paper. With a sharp knife, cut the cake into small diamonds by cutting 2” rows across, then cutting 2” strips diagonal to the rows. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Remove and repeat the cutting process to maintain the diamond shaped pieces.
Syrup
Zest and squeeze the lemon or orange. Peel and cut the ginger in half and smash it with the side of a knife. Combine the sugar, honey, apple juice/cider, lemon/orange zest, lemon/orange juice and ginger in a pot. Simmer on medium high heat until the liquid begins to thicken. Do not touch it, it is very hot. Stir in 4 tablespoons of brandy and remove from the heat. Allow the syrup to cool. An hour or more before serving, drizzle the cake with syrup and sprinkle toasted slivered almonds on top.
Recipe Contributed by Cindy Silvert, food columnist, humor writer, self-taught cook, former Southern NJ JNF-USA Board President and the author of “Aliyah.” You can purchase the book here (all proceeds go to JNF-USA). In Aliyah, Cindy teamed up with Jewish National Fund-USA to take readers on a journey through the history of Israel’s immigrant migration and the food they took with them. Mixing mouthwatering recipes with heartwarming tales of Jews from all over the globe returning home, she shows how Jews arrived in Israel from a farm in Argentina, the hot deserts of Egypt, the United States, and more, as well as the delectable dishes from each location that are now a part of Israel’s culinary culture.