Lekach is a sweet cake from German Jewish culture, traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah. It is made with honey and cinnamon, and sometimes brandy, spices, nuts, raisins, and orange peel. The cake is cut into small squares and dusted with icing sugar before serving.
Lekach is a type of sweet cake from German Jewish culture. It is usually eaten as part of tradition on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish equivalent of the new year. The appearance and texture of the cake can be diverse, ranging from a light sponge-like texture to a heavy cake resembling a loaf of bread. The sweetness of the cake makes it an excellent partner to a cup of coffee or tea.
The name “lekach” is classified as a Yiddish term, but its roots are actually from the German word “lecke” which means “to lick.” It is also said that the cake recipe was based on the German spice cake “lebkuchen”. The common feature of these two cakes is the use of honey as the main sweetener instead of sugar. Some other accounts state that lekach comes from the Egyptian “basboosa”, which is mainly made from semolina and honey. The ancient Egyptians believed that honey came from the gods as a gift to man and contained supernatural powers, beliefs that were likely passed down to the Jews who were once slaves under the Egyptians.
In addition to primarily using honey to make the cake sweet and light, cinnamon is usually added to complement the sweetness. Modern lekach recipes usually combine the use of honey and sugar, as the latter is more convenient and cheaper to buy than the former. To create a contrast to the sweetness, coffee, brandy, and spices such as ginger and allspice may also be included in the batter. Nuts, raisins, and orange peel can also be mixed in to add flavor and flavor, though some conservative Jews refrain from using the nut because its numerological equivalent in the Hebrew language can mean “sin.” Other ingredients include flour, eggs, oil or butter, and salt.
Some recipes suggest that the lekach will be cooked a few days before the day it is actually eaten. This waiting period allows the flavor of the cake to “ripen” and blend together, especially when brandy or rum is added. When the cake is ready to serve, it is usually cut into small squares with a dusting of icing sugar. Jewish tradition encourages asking a parent or rabbi for a piece of cake on the eve of Yom Kippur, which is actually 10 days after Rosh Hashanah. This act reminds the Jewish people that the “sweetness” or blessings that come into their lives are gifts from God and not their own efforts.
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