Ingberlach: A Jewish homemade candy for Passover

Candy making can confound even the most careful home cook.

Luckily, Passover gives us an excuse to make a simple candy that is delicious and requires little fuss. And you don't need to celebrate Passover to appreciate it.

Ingberlach is a traditional Jewish candy flavored with ginger and honey. It also can contain nuts and other ingredients and is reminiscent of a sticky, chewy caramel popcorn cluster.

For our version, we added crumbled matzo and chopped hazelnuts, as well as a few extra spices. All you do is boil everything for 20 minutes, then pour it onto a baking sheet.

Once it is cool enough to handle, break it up and roll it into balls.

Spiced Hazelnut

Ingberlach

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Makes 8 dozen

1 and one-half cups honey

One-half cup sugar

One-half cup orange juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

One-quarter teaspoon ground cloves

One-quarter teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons dry ground ginger

One-quarter teaspoon kosher salt

5 sheets (5 ounces) matzo, finely crumbled

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the honey, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in the matzo and hazelnuts.

Cook until golden brown and thick, about another 10 minutes.

Using a silicone spatula, spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet.

Allow to cool until easily handled, then scoop up the mixture and, using lightly oiled hands, roll into half-inch balls.

Store in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers.

Nutrition information per piece: 35 calories; 5 calories from fat (12 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 0 g protein; 0 mg sodium.