Cornbread Challah orig

The Jewish High Holidays

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.  It is the anniversary of the creation of Man, a time when we acknowledge G-d as Creator of the entire universe.  We recognize not only G-d’s historic role in the world but G-d’s continuous presence in our lives.  During services we pray to G-d to grant us a happy and healthy new year.  The shofar (an instrument made of a ram’s horn) is blown to serve as a wake-up call to repentance.

This is one of the most important holidays of the Jewish calendar and begins the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and the fast day of Yom Kippur. During the ten days we ask people for forgiveness for any sins we may have committed against them and then on Yom Kippur we fast and spend most of the day in the synagogue asking G-d for forgiveness for our sins and praying that G-d grants us a year of peace, health, prosperity and happiness.

Cooking for Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is one of the the holidays when I entertain large groups, so I try to make a few recipes and double and triple those, rather than focus on variety. The New Passover Menu cookbook is a collection of the recipes I cook for my family and guests all year long, not just on Passover. See below for recipe ideas for Rosh Hashanah meals.

Baking for Rosh Hashanah

My first baking priority for Rosh Hashanah is making sure I have enough challahs to serve the crowds I entertain. Make sure to count the challahs you need for lunches as well as dinners when planning. I make individual challah rolls for each guest and give each person a small bowl of honey to save time passing everything around to 20 plus people. Try to get your challah baking done at least 2 weeks before the holiday. All the recipes in The Kosher Baker and The Holiday Kosher Baker have storage instructions so you know what you can bake in advance and freeze.

Baking for Yom Kippur Break Fast

All baking must be done in advance of Yom Kippur as we are not permitted to cook on the holiday. I prepare my grandmother’s dairy kugel in advance and freeze it, as well as babkas and cookies that I can thaw during the holiday and be ready to serve when the fast is over.

The Kosher Baker

Easy Desserts

Chocolate Chip Mandelbread
Lemon Rosemary Biscotti Sticks
Orange Tea Cake
Apple Upside Down Cake
Date Cake
Lime Poppyseed Pound Cake
Apricot Pastries
Apple Pastry
Cinnamon Palmiers
Quick Apricot Tart

Two and Multiple Step

Coffee Cardamom Shortbread
Linzer Tarts
Almond Anise Biscotti
Raspberry Bars
Lemon Bars
Rugelach Three Ways
Cinnamon Horns
Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
Basic Scones
Layered Baklava with Orange Blossom Syrup
Cinnamon Apricot Pull-Apart Babka
Chocolate Babka
Chocolate Rolls
Pear and Almond tart
Challah Chapter
sugar-free babka and mandelbread

The Holiday Kosher Baker

Easy Desserts

Pizza Ebraica
Babka Bites
Honey Cake Biscotti
Chocolate Madeleines
Orange Honey Madeleines
Pignons
Cranberry and Orange Spelt Scones
Chocolate and Almond Croissants
Cheese Danish
Whole-Wheay Chocolate Babka
Pecan Sticky Buns
Whole Grain Carrot Cake

Entertaining

Quinoa Pudding with Caramelized Apples and Honey
Nana’s Holiday Apple Cake
Apricot and Berry Strudel
Vanilla and Chocolate 12-Layer Cake
Chocolate Ganache Layer Cake
Ombre Layer Cake
Apple Pizza Tart
Raspberry and Rose Macaron Cake
Apple and Honey Challah Rolls

Menu ideas for Rosh Hashana from New Passover Menu

Fresh Salmon Gefilte Fish Loaf
Chicken Soup with Chicken Meatballs and Zucchini Spaghetti
Brisket Osso Buco
Whole Chicken with Dried Fruit Stuffing
Smothered Chicken with Wine and Herbs
Sweet Potato Tzimmis
Crunchy Quinia with Sweet Potatoes and Cranberries
Parsnip and Apple Puree
Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
Cauliflower Slabs with Basil Pesto
Roasted Eggplant with Bell Pepper Vinaigrette
Asparagus, Zucchini and Leek Kugel

More dessert recipes for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Break Fast