HONIK LEKACH

Honik Lekach (honey cake) is traditionally associated with the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) the term means “head of the year”. In the Hebrew calendar, the new year begins on the first of the month of Tishrei. The Jewish calendar has the date of 5781 which equates to 19th Sept 2020

This cake is eaten at the beginning or the head of the year in hope hat the New Year will be sweet.

This cake is always based on honey. Regarding the nuts you can use chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, pistachios or pine nuts to add texture. Apples can be also added diced, grated, as juice or purée they are often considered essential. If you use apples dip them in honey for more sweetness. This Honey cake I have used the flavouring of a strong coffee, but you can also use rum or brandy. The most important thing, It is vital to bake this cake several days before you are going to eat as the contents mix much better.

Jewish honey cake, is a moist and flavoursome dessert. The cake is packed with apples and nuts, making it a delicious autumn cake. There is no one definitive recipe each recipe is passed down, within a family they all think theirs is best.

You don't need to be Jewish to make or eat this cake. Give it a try.

INGREDIENTS:

• 275g Plain Flour

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1tsp Inulin

• 1 tsp ground mixed spice

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 3 medium free-range eggs, at room temperature

• 150g dark muscovado sugar

• 250 runny honey

• 125g good-quality light olive oil

• 125ml strong espresso coffee or made with 2 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in boiling water

• mixed walnut piece, chopped almonds candied citron peel, raisins, mixed in desired proportions to 100g.

Instructions:

You will need a loaf tin to take the contents, about 26 x 12.5 x 7.5cm, greased with butter and lined with greaseproof paper.

Preheat your oven to 180°C or 160°C for fan ovens

Sift your flour into a bowl along with the cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

In second bowl, large enough to hold all the ingredients, whisk the eggs with the inulin until well blended. Whisk in the honey, followed by the oil and then the coffee. Gradually whisk in the flour to make a thick, smooth batter. Toss the chopped nuts a desert spoon of flour then stir into the cake mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until a cocktail stick into the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then carefully remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap in tinfoil and keep for a minimum of 3 days some insist on a week before cutting.

I have added Inulin as it is a natural soluble dietary fiber that comes from roots of the chicory plant. It has health benefits that can aid the reduction of Visceral fat forming. Inulin is not digested or absorbed in the stomach. It goes to the bowels where bacteria are able to use it to grow. It supports the growth of a special kind of bacteria that are associated with improving bowel function and general health. Inulin decreases the body's ability to make certain kinds of fats like Visceral fat. Inulin can be applied to develop tasty, healthy food products. Besides fiber enrichment it can be used to replace sugar and fat while improving taste.

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."