Traditional mains and side dishes, from brisket to tzimmes, may fill your holiday table. However, apples and honey are the true stars of the meal.
Traditional mains and side dishes, from brisket to tzimmes, may fill your holiday table. However, apples and honey are the true stars of the meal.
“This Apple Olive Oil Cake is a great way to conclude a meal, new year or not,” chef and spice master Lior Lev Sercarz, owner of global spice brand La Boîte, told The Journal. “Depending on the season or occasion, this dessert can take on different varieties.”
For instance, swap out our Reims blend for your favorite pumpkin spice, and use fruits like pears and figs in place of apples.
Lior Lev Sercarz’s Apple Olive Oil Cake
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 extra large eggs
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup pomegranate juice
½ cup olive oil
¾ cup silan
Juice of 1 orange + zest
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Reims blend
For the apples:
½ cup sugar + ¼ cup water
½ tsp Reims blend
2 Fuji apples
Also:
9”x 2” round cake pan
9” circle of parchment
Nonstick cooking spray
For the apples:
Prepare the cake pan by spraying with nonstick spray. Then place the circle of parchment in the bottom of the pan and spray again.
Peel the apples and cut them into 8 equal wedges each. Laying each wedge on its side, trim the seeds out with a straight cut to make a flat edge.
Toss the apples in Reims and arrange them evenly in the bottom of the pan, all facing the same way, with 2 apples in the center. There may be an extra apple wedge. The wedges should be about ¼” in from touching the cake pan and not touching each other.
In a small heavy bottom pan, cook the sugar and ¼ cup water until it reaches an amber caramel.
Remove from heat and pour evenly directly into the prepared cake pan with apples.
For the cake:
Cream the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat for 3-4 minutes or until noticeably lighter in color and texture.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the pomegranate juice, olive oil, silan, orange juice and zest to the eggs and sugar and stir well to combine.
Gently incorporate the dry ingredients, mixing until it just comes together, a few lumps are ok.
Pour the batter over the apples and caramel and bake for 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove to a rack to cool until the cake pan has cooled down enough to handle.
Unmolding the cake:
Lay a 10” flat plate or cake platter centered on top of the cake.
Holding the cake pan and plate securely, flip the cake and plate over and set the cake down.
Remove the cake pan to unmold the upside-down cake and carefully peel back the parchment paper, peeling horizontally, to reveal the shiny apples and delicious spiced cake.
Note: The cake will be easier to unmold while still a little warm – before the caramel completely cools and sets back in the pan. If the cake feels too set in the pan, prepare a baking dish with ½” of boiling hot water to dip the bottom of the pan for a minute or two to soften the cake again and continue unmolding.
Pam Stein’s honey apple cheesecake is the decadent dessert you never knew you needed to cap off your High Holy Day dinner or any special meal.
Not only is her cheesecake delicious and easy to make, it’s gluten-free!
“Sweet honey, juicy apples, creamy cheesecake and crunchy pecans come together for the perfect combination of flavors and textures,” Pam Stein, founder of In Pam’s Kitchen, told the Journal. “One scrumptious bite and you’ll have a sweet new year.”
Pam Stein’s Honey Apple Cheesecake
Makes about 20 cookies
For the crust:
5 cups Honey Nut Chex cereal
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large peeled apple, thinly sliced – I used Gala apples
For the filling:
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup raw honey
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp cornstarch
For the topping:
1 1/2 cups peeled apples, chopped – I used Gala apples
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup caramel sauce
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a food processor or blender, add the cereal and process into crumbs (heaping 1-3/4 cups crumbs).
In a medium bowl stir together the crumbs and melted butter until blended. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom and 1-1/2 inches up sides of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
When the crust is cooled, lay the thinly sliced apples on top of the crust.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in brown sugar and honey. Add eggs, vanilla and cornstarch; beat on low speed until just combined. Pour filling over apples and crust.
In a small bowl toss the chopped apples with lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans. Spoon on top of the filling. Place springform pan on baking sheet.
Bake for 70-75 minutes, until the center is almost set. It is done when the edges are set but the middle still slightly jiggles.
Remove from the oven, and gently run a knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen from the sides of the pan. Do not remove the sides of the pan. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature.
Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for 6-8 hours.
Remove sides of springform pan. Before serving, drizzle cake with 1/2 cup warmed caramel sauce. Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator.
