What Is Hanukkah Gelt?
Gelt is the Yiddish term for money. For decades, coins were a common gift given from parents to children on Hanukkah. Today, kids receive elaborate gifts for Hanukkah, so the coins given are usually made from chocolate. Hanukkah gelt is traditionally round pieces of chocolate wrapped in gold foil, made to look like coins. American candy companies first introduced gold and silver-wrapped chocolate gelt in the 1920’s. Today, the majority of the chocolate gelt sold and eaten in the United States is produced in Israel. If you would like to make your own, here is a simple recipe that makes three to four dozen coins: Homemade Chocolate Gelt • 1 cup high-quality dark or milk chocolate chips • 1 teaspoon canola oil • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • Gold and silver foil wrappers (optional) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a double boiler over medium-low heat, melt chocolate chips, oil, and vanilla extract, stirring constantly until chips are completely melted, about 5 minutes. The
