Looking for a fun, easy Rosh Hashanah baking project for the little human(s) in your life? May I present the humble Australian party classic, the Honey Joy. It’s sort of a cross between a Cornflake cookie and a Rice Krispie treat, and it tastes just like it sounds: sweet and happy.

Honey Joys are de rigueur at Aussie birthday parties, and they’re super-easy to make. (In fact, it was the very first recipe I made on my own.) Kids aged 8 and up can wing it solo, but they might need a grown-up assist at the oven end of the business. Littler ones will love helping older siblings with the measuring and mixing. And everyone will schep nachas when these are served up at the Rosh Hashanah table or as a shul treat.

Let’s get this sugar high show on the road!

Ingredients:

4 cups cornflakes
1 tbsp honey
⅓ cup sugar (you can probably use a little less, adjust to taste)
3 oz. butter or margarine

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Line two cupcake trays with 24 cupcake liners. (Cookie trays are fine too.)

2. Melt butter, sugar, and honey together in saucepan until frothy. (Kids can do this in the microwave.)

3. Combine liquids with cornflakes in big bowl. Mix together with wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cups.

4. Bake Honey Joys at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Optional: top with coconut flakes, sprinkles, decorative cake balls.

5. Let cool. Eat!

(Image: Clara Alim, via Flickr)

The post Honey Joys: Easy Rosh Hashanah Recipe for Kids appeared first on Jewcy.

The various ethical, environmental, and cultural issues surrounding honey have been considered and discussed on Hazon’s blog The Jew and the Carrot, both in posts and comments. Leah has explored whether honey is “kosher” for vegans, and wondered if there’s “any ethics-based diet that *doesn’t* have a little bit of hypocrisy clouding up its ideals.” Michael Croland from HeebnVegan explained that the issue does little to promote veganism, and pointed us in the direction of this Satya Mag article on the subject.  Meanwhile, Rabbi Shmuel has suggested that we should critically re-examine the Rosh Hashanah custom of dipping apples in honey, and explore alternatives such as maple syrup, while Rabbi Debbie Prinz joined the conversation with a lip-smacking guest post on how we can integrate chocolate into our Rosh Hashanah celebrations.

Rather than continue the debate on whether honey is vegan, eco-kosher, or even just kosher (Leah notes that she has always “puzzled over how eating a food created by a decidedly non-kosher creature could be considered okay for the Tribe”), I’m offering a number of delicious, vegan, kosher, and organic ideas and recipes for a sweet new year.

Agave Nectar: Derived from the succulent plant of the same name, agave is like honey’s sophisticated big sister. Satisfyingly sweet and sticky, it makes for a perfect apple dip, plus it has a low glycemic index, a long shelf-life, and it won’t crystallize.  Madhava Agave Nectar is available in different grades, is certified organic, and is kosher. It’s available online and at many markets across the U.S.

Maple Syrup: As Rabbi Shmuel noted, maple syrup is an ideal choice for Rosh Hashanah thanks to its rich symbolism and earthy sweetness.  “Maples,” he explains, “represent the ultimate in chesed (loving-kindness) giving freely of not only their wood and shelter but their sap—their very essence.” Shady Maple Farm offers certified organic, kosher, pure maple syrup, as do Coombs Family Farms, Highland Sugarworks, and a host of others.

Brown Rice Syrup: Rich in rice protein concentrates, brown rice syrup has been said to have a healthy effect on cholesterol levels, and may help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Because it’s produced from a whole food source and is composed of simple sugars, brown rice syrup is considered to be one of the healthiest sweeteners in the natural food industry.  With a light, sweet flavor and the consistency of honey, this is another great option to experiment with on Rosh Hashanah. Lundberg Family Farms offers brown rice syrup that’s organic, eco-farmed, vegan, kosher, and gluten free!

Date Honey: References to honey in the Torah are believed to have been about honey made from dates. This is quite possibly the ultimate symbolic Rosh Hashanah food, and also the hardest to find. Our own Leah offered a recipe on the Lilith’s blog, but you may still have time to track some down at a local Middle Eastern market, or order it online in time for the holiday. Try here and here.

Chocolate: It’s incredibly easy to find vegan chocolate these days, and what’s more, you can often find vegan chocolate that’s also organic and fair-trade. Simply melt some semisweet, vegan chocolate chips with a drop of soy milk or oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to cool a bit before dipping your apples, bread, and fingers!

Vegan Caramel Sauce: Little goes better with apples than sweet, sticky, mouth-watering caramel. Unfortunately for vegans, caramel often contains milk and butter.  Not to worry, though!  Try one of these recipes for vegan caramel sauce, which creates a thick, sweet, pourable alternative.

(Image by Chiot’s Run, via Flickr)

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