Channukah, Oh Channukah...

I love Channukah time...the latkes, the doughnuts...all of the oil. I've been busy in the kitchen, working through my holiday cookies: gingerbread cake, gingerbread cookies, seven layer cookies, meringue and cookie bars, chocolate chocolate cookies...I've been busy! But in the meantime, I've also been planning a big Channukah feast for Saturday. While my menu is set on doughnuts (pics next week I hope), there are so many ideas for the holiday from some of the great Jewish bakers. Here are a few delicious recipes to spice up your 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th nights of Channukah!

The great Joan Nathan...knower of all things Jewish food. This one is designed to be done with a child...
Sufganiyot
Joan Nathan, The Children's Jewish Holiday Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 scant tablespoon (1 package) dry yeast
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 cup lukewarm milk or warm water*
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or pareve margarine, softened*
• Apricot or strawberry preserves
• Sugar
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

*Use butter and milk if serving at a milk meal, and water and pareve margarine for a meat meal
Directions

1. Child: Mix together the yeast, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the milk. Let sit to make sure it bubbles.
2. Child: Sift the flour and mix it with the remaining sugar, salt, cinnamon, egg yolks, and the yeast mixture.
3. Adult with Child: Knead the dough until it forms a ball. Add the butter or margarine. Knead some more, until the butter is well absorbed. Cover with a towel and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Adult: Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
5. Child: Cut out the dough into 24 rounds with a juice glass, or any object about 2 inches in diameter. Take 1/2 teaspoon of preserves and place in center of 12 rounds. Top with the other 12. Press down at edges, sealing with egg whites. Crimping with the thumb and second finger is best. Let rise for about 30 minutes.
6. Adult: Heat 2 inches of oil to about 375°. Drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, about 5 at a time. Turn to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
7. Child: Roll the doughnuts in sugar.

A Jewish classic, no matter the holiday from one of my favorite Jewish baketresses...

Rugelach

Dorie Greenspan

• Ingredients

For the dough

• 4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling

• 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam, apricot jam or marmalade
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I prefer pecans, but you can use walnuts or almonds)
• 1/4 cup plump, moist dried currants
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For the glaze

• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon cold water
• 2 tablespoons sugar, preferably decorating (coarse) sugar

Directions

To Make the Dough: 

1. Let the cream cheese and butter rest on the counter for 10 minutes—you want them to be slightly softened but still cool.
2. Put the flour and salt in a food processor, scatter over the chunks of cream cheese and butter and pulse the machine 6 to 10 times. Then process, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, just until the dough forms large curds—don't work it so long that it forms a ball on the blade.
3. Turn the dough out, gather it into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. (Wrapped airtight, the dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.)

To Make the Filling: 

1. Heat the jam in a saucepan over low heat, or do this in a microwave oven, until it liquefies. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (Silicone baking mats are great for rugelach.)

To Shape the Cookies: 

1. Pull one packet of dough from the refrigerator. If it is too firm to roll easily, either leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 11- to 12-inch circle. Spoon (or brush) a thin gloss of jam over the dough, and sprinkle over half of the cinnamon sugar. Scatter over half of the nuts, half of the currants and half of the chopped chocolate. Cover the filling with a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough, then remove the paper and save it for the next batch.
3. Using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 wedges, or triangles. (The easiest way to do this is to cut the dough into quarters, then to cut each quarter into 4 triangles.) Starting at the base of each triangle, roll the dough up so that each cookie becomes a little crescent. Arrange the roll-ups on one baking sheet, making sure the points are tucked under the cookies, and refrigerate. Repeat with the second packet of dough, and refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes before baking. (The cookies can be covered and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; don't defrost before baking, just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.)

Getting Ready to Bake: 

1. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To Glaze: 

1. Stir the egg and water together, and brush a bit of this glaze over each rugelach. Sprinkle the cookies with the sugar.
2. Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until they are puffed and golden. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

Serving: Tea is traditional, but we drink coffee with rugelach. These are pretty and, even with their jam-and-fruit filling, not overly sweet, and they are even good with sparkling wine. 

Storing: The cookies can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months.

What holiday doesn't need a coffee cake?Ashkenazic Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Gil Marks, The World of Jewish Desserts

Ingredients

Streusel Topping:

• 1/2 cup granulated or brown sugar, or 1/4 cup each
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cloves (optional)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, grated coconut, golden raisins, or chocolate chips, or 1 cup any combination (optional)

Batter:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated or brown sugar or 1/2 cup each
• 4 large egg yolks, or 3 large eggs
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Glaze (optional):

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F if using a glass pan). Grease one 9-inch square pan,9-inch Bundt or tube pan, or 9-inch springform pan. Line with parchment or waxed paper, grease again, and dust with flour.
2. To make the streusel: Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg if using. Cut in the butter to resemble coarse crumbs. If desired, stir in the nuts.
3. To make the batter: Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and zest if using. Stir in the flour mixture.
4. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Carefully cover with the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining streusel.
5. Bake until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 50 minutes. Set on a rack and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Wrap the kuchen in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
6. To make the glaze if using: Combine all the glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth and of pouring consistency. Drizzle over the cake and let stand until set.

HINT:

1. When baking and storing a cake containing acidic ingredients such as sour cream in an aluminum pan, line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent the juices from reacting with the aluminum and creating a metallic flavor.

Single-Layer Coffee Cake:

1. Spread all the batter in a 13-by-9-inch pan, sprinkle with all of the topping, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Fruit-Filled Coffee Cake:

1. After adding the middle layer of streusel, top with 1 cup peeled, cored, and thinkly sliced cooking apples, 1 cup peeled, pitted, and sliced peaches, or 1 cup pitted cherries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.

Cheese Coffee Cake:

1. Combine 8 ounces softened cream chees, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Spread over the top of the batter, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. If desired, spread 1/2 cup melted blueberry, cherry, raspberry, or strawberry preserves or pie filling over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the streusel.

Happy baking!