Down to the Final Hour Wowable Rosh Hashanah Desserts!

Here we are my friends, it's Wednesday and we're in the final hours before the big celebration of the sweet, sweet new year! Fret not for this is NO time to panic...if you haven't figured out your menu yet, here are a few more dessert recipes that will make your family and friends go crazy (or say, "huh?!" but let's hope for the former). Good luck! Happy New Year!

For the unconventional...

Manischewitz Ice Cream
Adapted from Amy Kritzer
Lizzy Bee's note: Remember, you can always lighten an ice cream with fat free half and half and nonfat milk!

Ingredients

• 1 bottle Manischewitz
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the Manischewitz to a boil with the cinnamon sticks. Reduce to a simmer and simmer until it is reduced to 1 cup, about 30-40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile. in a metal bowl, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Set aside.
3. In a separate large saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla and bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Temper hot liquid into the egg yolks by adding a little at a time and mixing as to not cook the eggs. Return the whole mixture to the cream saucepan and cook over medium heat until the custard is thick, about 10 minutes. Make sure not to let the mixture boil or it will curdle.
4. Strain the custard into a bowl and stir in the reduced Manischewitz.
5. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes until chilled. Then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the directions and then freeze at least two hours until ready to serve.

Notes: Cook time does not include freezing time.

For the less traditional...

Pomegranate Gelato

Gourmet Sept 2006

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups bottled pomegranate juice
• 1/3 cup pomegranate liqueur such as PAMA
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Special equipment: an ice cream maker

Garnish: pomegranate seeds

Directions

1. Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking occasionally, then boil, whisking, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.
2. Transfer to a bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold, at least 1 hour.
3. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.
4. Soften gelato slightly in refrigerator, about 20 minutes, before serving.

Cook's Notes:

• Cream mixture (before churning) can be chilled, covered, up to 1 day ahead.
• Gelato keeps 1 week.

For the cake lover...

Rosh Hashana Jam Cake

Adapted from "Matzoh Ball Gumbo" by Marcie Ferris Cohen 

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil or nonstick spray for pan 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for pan 
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 2 cups granulated sugar 
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1½ cups (one 18-ounce jar) seedless blackberry preserves 
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans 
• Confectioners' sugar, optional.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch-by-4-inch tube pan. In a large bowl, stir together 3 cups flour, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt. Pour buttermilk into 2-cup glass measure or bowl. Stir in baking soda and set aside; it will foam slightly.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
3. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until just blended. Beat in preserves and pecans until just mixed, then finish mixing by hand with a spatula.
4. Scrape batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until cake is springy to the touch and shrinks from sides, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes. (If baking as holiday gifts, pour into three smaller pans and begin checking for doneness after 30 minutes.)
5. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely in pan. To remove from pan, run a knife or thin spatula around the edges and center tube. Turn cake onto plate and lift off pan. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

For the very traditional (and easy peasy!)...

Apple and Honey Tart

Chanie Apfelbaum

Ingredients

• 1-2 crispy sweet apples, cored and thinly sliced (unpeeled)
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 lemon
• powdered sugar, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Unfold puff pastry sheet and cut it in half down the center (don’t worry about the creases from the folding, they will disappear during baking). Place the halves on a greased cookie sheet.
3. Add honey to a microwave-proof bowl and heat in the microwave until warm, about 20 seconds. Brush the puff pastry with the warm honey.
4. Mix the apple slices with lemon juice and place them along the length of the puff pastry, overlapping over each other. Brush the apples with additional honey (warm the honey again, if necessary).
5. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until pastry has puffed up and is golden brown around the edges.
6. Drizzle with additional honey and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
7. This tart cannot be frozen (the apples will turn soggy) but it may be prepared in advance. Just warm it in the oven to crisp up the pastry before serving.

NOTE Don’t worry if some of the honey syrup leaks off the puff pastry during baking. It will actually help caramelize the puff pastry around the edges. Just remove the puff pastry to a cooling rack as soon as you take it out of the oven.
TIP: Always make sure your puff pastry is cold otherwise it may become difficult to handle. If the dough becomes sticky, just return it to the fridge so that it can firm up again.
VARIATION: Try this tart with other fruits like sliced pears or peaches, or for a delicious dairy option, spread some goat cheese on the puff pastry, and top with figs and honey.

Happy baking and happy holiday!