Lekach
Every Ashkenazi family in Israel seems to have its own lekach, and in the days before Rosh Hashanah the smell of honey and spice drifts out of kitchens all over Kfar Saba and Jerusalem. It is a dark loaf of honey, brown sugar, strong coffee, cinnamon and cloves, made with oil so it stays dairy free for the festive meat meal. It tastes even better after two days wrapped, when the crumb turns sticky and deep. Slice it thinly and eat it with tea, wishing for a sweet new year. The common mistake is an oven that is too hot: honey burns quickly, so the outside darkens before the middle sets. Chef's tip: bake low and slow, and tent with foil once the top is mahogany.



