Kichelach/Nothings
This cookie is an old-time Jewish favourite. When done right, each crumbly bite melts instantly - so light, it's like eating nothing - hence the English name, Recipes that use flour are often affected by humidity, but with this version, given to me by the late Suky Pitch of Winnipeg, you'll be able to make them in any weather. The secret is to use cake meal - finely ground matzah meal, as well as potato starch with the eggs, oil and sugar. Follow the instructions precisely and you'll be the talk of the baking crowd. If you don't eat them all at once, store them in the freezer. They keep well and defrost in minutes. To be honest, I often eat them right out of the freezer.
Note: Fresh eggs are imperative to make the cookies puff up. If your eggs have been hibernating in the fridge for a few weeks, use them for an omelet, not kichelach.
Cake meal can be hard to find in the grocery store, especially outside of Passover. Make your own by processing matzah meal for five minutes or more at the highest speed.
Note: The recipe instructs you to use a well-rounded teaspoonful of batter for each cookie. Follow the instructions! If you use too much, the kichelach will be too big, they'll stick to the next one on the pan and the cooking time may be altered.
Makes 32-36 cookies. Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Ingredients
6 fresh eggs (see Note above)
1 cup vegetable oil
6 teaspoons sugar
1 cup cake meal (if you don't have any, see Note above)
6 teaspoons potato starch
Plain sugar, crystal sugar or sesame seeds for topping (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs, oil and sugar in a food processor, hand mixer or mixmaster for 3-4 minutes.
Add the cake meal and potato starch all at once, processing for at least 3 minutes, until the batter is firm.
Take 1 heaping teaspoon of batter, dip in topping if using and twist if desired. Place the dough on the parchment paper.
Note: Don't crowd the cookies or the ones in the middle will not bake as well as those on the outside.
Bake at declining temperatures:
400 degrees for 12 minutes
350 degrees for 30 minutes
325-300 degrees for 8 minutes.
0 degrees for 2 minutes (optional - depending on the amount of browning)
Watch that the cookies don't get too brown. Skip the last 2 minutes if necessary.
Let the cookie sheet sit for a few minutes before moving the kichelach to a cooling rack. Kichelach freeze well and can be eaten without thawing (which makes sneaking them easy) .
This cookie is an old-time Jewish favourite. When done right, each crumbly bite melts instantly - so light, it's like eating nothing - hence the English name, Recipes that use flour are often affected by humidity, but with this version, given to me by the late Suky Pitch of Winnipeg, you'll be able to make them in any weather. The secret is to use cake meal - finely ground matzah meal, as well as potato starch with the eggs, oil and sugar. Follow the instructions precisely and you'll be the talk of the baking crowd. If you don't eat them all at once, store them in the freezer. They keep well and defrost in minutes. To be honest, I often eat them right out of the freezer.
Note: Fresh eggs are imperative to make the cookies puff up. If your eggs have been hibernating in the fridge for a few weeks, use them for an omelet, not kichelach.
Cake meal can be hard to find in the grocery store, especially outside of Passover. Make your own by processing matzah meal for five minutes or more at the highest speed.
Note: The recipe instructs you to use a well-rounded teaspoonful of batter for each cookie. Follow the instructions! If you use too much, the kichelach will be too big, they'll stick to the next one on the pan and the cooking time may be altered.
Makes 32-36 cookies. Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Ingredients
6 fresh eggs (see Note above)
1 cup vegetable oil
6 teaspoons sugar
1 cup cake meal (if you don't have any, see Note above)
6 teaspoons potato starch
Plain sugar, crystal sugar or sesame seeds for topping (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs, oil and sugar in a food processor, hand mixer or mixmaster for 3-4 minutes.
Add the cake meal and potato starch all at once, processing for at least 3 minutes, until the batter is firm.
Take 1 heaping teaspoon of batter, dip in topping if using and twist if desired. Place the dough on the parchment paper.
Note: Don't crowd the cookies or the ones in the middle will not bake as well as those on the outside.
Bake at declining temperatures:
400 degrees for 12 minutes
350 degrees for 30 minutes
325-300 degrees for 8 minutes.
0 degrees for 2 minutes (optional - depending on the amount of browning)
Watch that the cookies don't get too brown. Skip the last 2 minutes if necessary.
Let the cookie sheet sit for a few minutes before moving the kichelach to a cooling rack. Kichelach freeze well and can be eaten without thawing (which makes sneaking them easy) .