Tayglach
Crunchy dough boiled in honey.
Tayglach is a traditional New Year’s treat that consists of crunchy dough boiled in honey. Almond or walnuts are often included, as are Maraschino cherries. My grandmother always made tayglach on Rosh Hashanah, and we always wanted to visit her when she made them because she would let us lick the spoon from the honey syrup after it had cooled.
Ingredients
1 cup candied cherries
1 cup almonds
1 cup broken walnut pieces
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 lb. honey
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs
3 Tablespoons oil
Directions
Place the honey, water, lemon juice and sugar in a very large, heavy pot, about 6 quarts. Heat to boiling and continue to simmer gently.
While the honey syrup is heating, Mix the eggs, oil, spices and salt together. Sift the baking powder and flour and add to the liquid. Mix together until the mixture forms a sticky dough. Dust with flour and roll out into 8 or 9 ropes about 3/4 inch thick, cut into pieces about 3/4 inch long. Drop the pieces of dough into the boiling syrup and simmer slowly for about an hour. Stir every 10 minutes and add more boiling water as needed, about 1/3 cup at a time.
While the tayglach is cooking, place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet and grease the foil.
Set aside.
Ten minutes before the hour is up, add the nuts and cherries. Stir well and add more water if needed. The tayglach is done when it is a deep mahogany color, a rich, golden brown. Spoon the tayglach on the greased cookie sheet and spread out. Let cool and form the tayglach into small groups of a few tayglach and some nuts and cherries. Let cool and put into a bowl. Cover lightly.
Makes a delicious candy treat.
