Beth A. Lee, a food blogger who digs deep into family recipes (her own and others’), has organized some of them into “The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook,” an easygoing but detailed book of sweets and savories for holidays and every day. Topping the special occasion list is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, which begins this year — 5782 — at sundown on Sept. 6. Apples are a symbol of the holiday on the Ashkenazi table, and the book features recipes for a cake studded and topped with them and bits of ginger. A very basic challah recipe and the whole-wheat version are included without directions for shaping the bread round, instead of braided, as is customarily done for the holiday. Rather, challah rolls with apple filling make suitable stand-ins, and the dough can be used to make one large loaf. The recipe for pletzel, a Polish specialty that’s also called onion board, deserves to be added to your flatbread collection. The book taps traditions, including those of Sephardic and Mizrachi cultures, in addition to Ashkenazic. It also gives details on making the recipes kosher.
“The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook: 50 Traditional Recipes for Every Occasion” by Beth A. Lee (Rockridge Press, $16.99 paperback; $24.99 hardcover after Oct. 4).
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