Recipe: Passover coffeecake with Central European <i>charoset</i>

Active work time: 20 minutes

Total preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower or peanut oil

1/3 cup ground walnuts

5 eggs

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 cups matzo cake meal

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Juice of 2 lemons (4 to 5 tablespoons)

Grated zest of 2 lemons

1 recipe Central European charoset

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

* Lightly grease 8-inch-square baking pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with ground walnuts and set aside.

* Mix egg yolks and 1 1/4 cups sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Add matzo cake meal and salt alternately with 3/4 cup oil, lemon juice and zest, and mix well.

* Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Using rubber spatula, fold 1/4 beaten egg whites into egg yolk mixture until well blended. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites.

* Pour half batter into baking pan. Sprinkle 1 cup charoset over batter. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half over top. Drop large dollops of batter over charoset and spread evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup charoset and remaining cinnamon-sugar. Batter will fill pan completely.

* Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cake is golden brown, 1 hour.

12 servings. Each serving: 292 calories; 225 mg sodium; 89 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.14 grams fiber.

Central European charoset

Active work and total preparation time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour chilling

2 Red Delicious apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup sweet Passover wine

* Combine apples, walnuts, honey and cinnamon in bowl and mix well. Add wine and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.

About 2 1/2 cups. Each tablespoon: 27 calories; 0 sodium; 0 cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.17 gram fiber.