Blog Posts Related to the American Jewish Community

Recipe in Spotlight – Aliza’s Famous Honey Cake

Editor’s note: This post is part of a series highlighting recipes used by the White House Staff for the Jewish High Holidays.

This is a recipe that my Mom, Aliza Masserman, has been using for many years.  My Mom is Israeli and this is a recipe that, for our family, really symbolizes the melding between our Israeli and American Jewish roots.  It's always brought us a sweet year, so hopefully it'll do the same for other families across the country.  Shana Tova.

• 2 eggs (jumbo)
• ¾ cup honey
• 7/8 cup sugar (between ¾ and 1 cup)
• ½ cup oil plus 1 tbs.
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups flour (all purpose) plus 2 tbsp.
• 2 tsp. cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp. instant coffee
• 1 cup hot water
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (break into smaller pieces)
• ½ cup raisins

1. Pour raisins in bowl of hot water for 10 minutes then drain well and set aside.

2. Mix instant coffee with 1-cup hot water.

3. Add all other ingredients in a large missing bowl, including raisins and coffee. No need to whip egg whites separately. Mix all ingredients about 5 minutes in the mixer.

4. Pour into a well-greased bundt pan. (Grease very well, can use pam spray).

5. Bake at 350 degrees in the oven for about 40-45 minutes. Don’t over bake it! 

6. Take out of the oven as soon as it’s done.   Note - the cake slides out easier when it’s still warm. 

Michael Masserman is the Executive Director for Export Policy, Promotion & Strategy at the U.S. Department of Commerce

Recipe in Spotlight – Aunt Leona’s Kugel

Editor’s note: This post is part of a series highlighting recipes used by the White House Staff for the Jewish High Holidays. 

My Aunt Leona was 10 years older than my mother.  In fact, she got to name my mother, Dolores, because by the time my mother came along my immigrant grandparents, Sam and Molly, were running a dress shop and tailoring business in Washington Heights, Manhattan, near or on Dyckman Street.  They had survived immigration from Eastern Europe, separately; they met in NYC.  They fought in and lived through WWI; the death of a son; another daughter 10 years or more older than Leona; a move from the lower East Side up to Washington Heights, and then came my mother.  They were probably a little tired. No? So, when you asked a 10 year old girl born and raised in Washington Heights, Manhattan, for a name for her brand new baby sister in 1931, that 10 year old is going to say “Dolores,” naming my mother for the STAR of the day: Dolores Del Rio.

Aunt Leona made this kugel for all holiday meals that I recall.  I don’t remember ever specifically asking her about it or sitting with her when she made it; I don’t even really remember the first time I made it - it’s just always been a part of my family. A sweet kugel for a sweet new year!

Aunt Leona’s Kugel

• 1 package of Egg Noodles (the really broad ones)
• 1 container of cottage cheese (small curd is the best) – 12 or 16 ounces depending on how much you like cottage cheese-y-ness
• 4 eggs, beaten
•  ½ cup or a cup of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your kugel
• A pinch of salt
• A sprinkling of vanilla
• Raisins (black or white or both)
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon

1.  Cook the Egg Noodles until done. Drain and rinse.
2.  In a separate bowl, mix the cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla.
3. Mix the cooked Egg Noodles in with the cheese mixture.
4. Add raisins into the eggs and cheese- it doesn’t really matter how many as long as everyone gets some raisins in their serving.
5. Place kugel in a heavily buttered baking dish – your call as to size since it will depend: do you like a tall, thick creamy kugel or do you like a flatter, shorter, crispier kugel?
6. Before baking, sprinkle brown sugar and butter crumbled together and cinnamon on top of the kugel.
7. Cook until done at 350 degrees. (Your house should smell like a home when it’s done.)

Sarah Bittleman is Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Recipe in Spotlight – Oma’s Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

Editor’s note: This post is part of a series highlighting recipes used by the White House Staff for the Jewish High Holidays.

Every year, my grandmother, “Oma,” is showered with accolades for her triple chocolate bundt cake. All guests pay homage to the many difficult hours of preparation that must go into such an ancient, secret and complex family recipe. She graciously thanks them for their compliments, and always explains how happy she is to take the time to prepare this labor of love.

For the first time, she has allowed us to share the truth – this is about the easiest recipe out there!

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake (as transcribed by “Oma” Rychter)

·         1 package chocolate cake

·         1 package, 4-oz size, instant chocolate pudding mix

·         1-3/4 cups whole milk

·         2 eggs

·         1 pack (12 oz.) chocolate chips

1.      Combine all in big bowl and hand mix until well blended (about 2 minutes).

2.      Pour into well-greased (I grease by hand) bundt pan.

3.      Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Do not overbake!!!

4.      Cool 30 minutes in pan. Pray fervently and turn upside down to remove from pan. Finish cooling on rack, right side up, of course.

Josh Friedmann is Special Assistant for the White House Council on Environmental Quality.