Due to COVID-19 the 2020 Jewish Food Festival has been postponed.


Select Recipes from the San Diego Jewish Food Festival


Freda Heller is a remarkable woman. At 98 years young, she is still going strong and oversees some of the baking at Adat Shalom. We are fortunate that Heller has shared her famous recipe for Mandel Brot, a cookie which is much like biscotti. People at the synagogue rave about it!

Walnut Chocolate Chip Mandel Brot by Freda Heller

To make Freda Heller's Mandel Brot, you'll need a 4-sided baking sheet.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour - (Not bread flour)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup, plus 2 tbs. sugar, (place in separate mixing bowl)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 extra large eggs
  • 1 cup of corn oil plus 2 tbs. added to amount
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Baking sheet must be buttered, (not PAM) before you begin. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine all dry ingredients, except for sugar and set aside.

Place sugar in a separate bowl and set aside.

With a whisk, beat oil, eggs and vanilla until frothy. Add this mixture to the bowl of sugar.

Mix vigorously with a large wooden spoon until creamy.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg/oil/vanilla/sugar mixture and stir together until it forms a ball.

Sprinkle flour around the edge of the bowl, and continue to form the batter into a ball. (This should take a few minutes.)

Place the ball of dough onto a baking sheet and flatten to fit edge to edge. There should be enough batter to fill three sheets, about half an inch thick.

Place in preheated oven and bake 28 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. While cookies are still in the pan, cut across with a spatula to make 6 separate sections; remove 2 at a time.

Slice wide, about 3/4-inch slices.

On an empty baking sheet, place the cookies, cut side facing upward.

Place in the oven to complete baking again for 9 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, allow to cool completely before placing in a sealed container

To taste Freda's Mandel Brot without any of the muss and fuss, visit Bubbe's Bakery at the San Diego Jewish Food Festival.

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