When most people think of Jewish desserts, the same old rugelach, babka, and stale macaroons come to mind. This book proves that Jewish baking has much more to offer, including cookies, Charlottes, turnovers, loaf cakes, layer cakes, Bundt cakes, Napoleons, and tarts. Most Jewish desserts are also laden with fat, but Penny shows you, with her absolutely delicious recipes, how to cut the fat by as much as 75 percent in some cases—without sacrificing any of the taste.

Jewish holidays are steeped in culture and tradition, so the chapters are organized by holiday and explain why certain foods and recipes are significant. Some recipes, though, are just fun, like the Chocolate Nut Roulade that can be shaped to look like a Torah for Simkat Torah. For Passover (Pesach), very strict guidelines must be followed, like no consumption of wheat flour, so Penny offers a Fresh Strawberry Torte with a crust made from ground matzoh.

Many of these recipes are so delicious, home cooks will want to prepare them year round. But come high holidays, these recipes are sure to impress family and friends.

PENNY WANTUCK EISENBERG has been working as a caterer and cooking instructor for over ten years. Her specialties include desserts, bread making, Jewish cooking and special diets. She is a graduate of Boston University and North Bennet Street Industrial School. A native of Long Island, she now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her family.