Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and the first of the High Holy Days, will arrive at sundown on Sunday, September 29th. On Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate God’s creation of the world, and we eat sweet foods to symbolize hopes for a sweet New Year.

In our home, I like to honor my husbands Ashkenazi Jewish food traditions as well as my own Japanese American food traditions. Sometimes that means weaving in a new flavor into a dish that’s been passed down, and sometimes that means creating something entirely new like this baked apple and miso honey sundae. We’re heading into a time of year that’s heavy on the holiday entertaining, so I also try to keep things as simple as possible. All components of this dish can be made ahead (just reheat the apples before serving), or you can make it even easier on yourself and set up a sundae bar for your guests to assemble this dessert themselves!

Baked Apple and Miso Honey Sundae

Makes: 8 servings

Total Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
4 apples, peeled, cut in half (the long way) and cored
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon miso (I used white miso)
1/2 cup honey
1 quart vanilla or coconut ice cream
1/4 cup toasted crushed almonds

Instructions:
Set your oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, toss apples, sugar, lemon, cinnamon, and butter together. Place apples cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until it’s easy to cut the apple with a spoon, but still slightly firm.

Make the miso honey. Warm 1/2 cup honey in a small pot over low heat. Whisk in the miso until well-combined.

Place apples cut side up on small dishes or bowls. Place one scoop of ice cream atop the still-warm apple. Drizzle with miso honey and dust with crushed toasted almonds. You can also create an ice cream sundae situation, and let guests serve themselves.

*Pro tip: Slice a bit of the round part of the apple off, so it sits flat on the plate.

If you liked this post, check out our Modern Guide to Rosh Hashanah, our Seven Species Cheese Board, or our favorite brisket recipe, braised in Japanese BBQ sauce.

Head here to visit our Modern Heirlooms web shop, where I've thoughtfully co-created ritual objects with my favorite artisans (in limited runs) to help you elevate your sacred rituals. 

I truly believe that cuisine is the most accessible gateway into learning more about our rich heritages. In addition to food, there are so many ways to celebrate, honor, and even reclaim, our time-honored traditions. I believe ritual objects really help anchor us in these moments-- especially around the table.