My husband couldn't have been more delighted when I told him he'd have to judge a dessert nosh-off, unless perhaps I told him Jessica Alba was serving it to him. In the nude. Alas Ms. Alba was not available. Poor Husband.

The Tartlettes:

First I made a traditional recipe: Apple & Honey Tartlettes. These are always a hit because people love individually portioned foods. I guess it makes them feel special--like a whole tart was made just for them. This recipe is uber quick since it calls for store-bought puff pastry shells. (Generally I like to make things from scratch, but puff pastry is quite complicated for even the experienced home chefs to make at home.) After allowing the shells to thaw a bit, I roll them out to about 5 inches in diameter, top with sliced, seasoned apples, and pop in the oven. When they're done baking drizzle with honey, and serve a la mode with vanilla ice cream. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, or a sprig of mint. So lovely.

Apple and honey tartlette

The Trifle:

Trifles rose to fame in American and British households in the 1700s. A “Proper English Trifle” was made with real egg custard poured over stale sponge cake soaked in fruit and sherry. In this Toffee Apple and Honey trifle, traditional Rosh Hashanah flavors are used. Considering the praise it got on recipezaar, it sounded like a good non-trad, unexpected alternative.

Continue reading...

The traditional carrot dish served on Rosh Hashanah is called tzimmes. It consists of sliced carrots cooked in honey and flavored with cinnamon, sometimes with the addition of dried fruits. Other traditional recipes made with meat often include sweet potatoes. Variations are endless, as you'll see on Jewish-food.org. Here you'll find a traditional non-meat recipe. Here you'll find a traditional meat recipe.

But honey can be an overly pervasive flavor on the Rosh Hashanah dinner table, and traditional tzimmes provide no relief. If you want to balance out the sweetness on your menu, you'll find the recipe below for tangy, roasted sweet carrots and parsnips with oven-caramelized balsamic vinegar a welcome alternative.

Roasted sweet carrots and parsnips

Click here to return to the Rosh Hashanah dinner table for more symbolic dishes.

--

Recipe: Kitty's Sweet Roasted Carrots & Parsnips

Serves 4 - 6

• 4 large carrots, peeled, diagonally sliced into one-inch chunks
• 4 large parsnips, prepped the same
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. Lay the vegetables out on a roasting tray.

2. Whisk together the oil and vinegar, along with some salt & pepper, and drizzle over the vegetables. Stir them up to make sure every inch is coated.

3. Cook for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are browned. Either serve immediately, or store up to a day ahead and reheat in a casserole dish for 10 minutes in a 350 F oven. Sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary.