8 NIGHTS, BRIGHT LIGHTS HANUKKAH'S FOOD AND FESTIVITIES A MATTER OF TASTE.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

At sundown on Dec. 21, Jews will begin the eight-day Hanukkah celebration, also known as the Festival of Lights. Candles will be lighted on the menorah each of the eight nights to commemorate the Maccabees' victory over their Syrian oppressors who tried to make the Jews give up their religion.

Hanukkah is a joyful, fun-filled time with dreidel spinning and a festive meal.

When Woodland Hills resident Mitzie Cutler and her family - including husband Marty, three children and three grandchildren - gather for Hanukkah this year, they'll be celebrating, as usual, with a feast of family favorites passed down through generations. Besides latkes with sour cream and homemade applesauce, beef brisket and a salad, Cutler will offer a wonderful array of sweets from her collection.

Cutler is no stranger to the culinary scene. Currently she coordinates C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) for Los Angeles Unified School District high schools and was the former co-owner of Le Kookery, a cookware shop in Sherman Oaks.

``For modern Jews, Hanukkah is a time to stop, take time from busy schedules and enjoy one another. It's a time for celebrating togetherness,'' she said.

``Hanukkah is a sweet family time,'' adds Cutler, noting that, although many Hanukkah foods are fried in oil to celebrate the miracle of the oil (there was only enough oil in the temple for one day, but miraculously, it burned eight days), there aren't as many traditional or symbolic foods as at other times.

Food for Hanukkah is more flexible - and every family has its own specialties depending on its roots. Some favor serving kugels, others stuffed cabbage rolls and such. Because of Cutler's Hungarian heritage, many of her sweets have European-style overtones, with flavors and memories from her childhood years.

Doughnuts from the Danube - which are to die for - are Cutler's rendition of her Aunt Sylvia's recipe.

``My aunt would make the yeast dough and let let it rise in the car during the 45-minute drive to the festivities. She would fry the doughnuts up at the party (in Crisco), and we practically burned our tongues eating them hot out of the pan as quickly as she made them.''

But when her aunt died 30 years ago, no one had the recipe. So Cutler and her cousin - after using family members as guinea pigs at holidays for many years (and failing to come up with a close copy) - holed themselves up in a kitchen in Laguna Beach for a week of extensive testing of various doughnut creations. Five years ago, they finally achieved success in their quest for a reasonable facsimile. Cutler has been making the doughnut recipe ever since - and it's a winner.

Belle's Chocolate Date Cake was a specialty of Cutler's mother, who would never give out the recipe.

``I think she got the recipe from a caterer who made her promise to never give it out. We always tried to figure out what the secret ingredient was - we thought it was chocolate, but it turned out to be dates.''

When her mother died, Cutler found the recipe in her hand-written recipe journals.

``The cake tastes like a light cocoa cake, but dates give it rich flavor,'' adds Cutler, who has been baking it ever since.

Overnight Coffee Cake, a recipe shared by another of Cutler's aunts, is a boon to today's cooks as it's prepared a day in advance, refrigerated and baked the next day. Be sure to remove it from the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to baking for best results, notes Cutler, who has been making this sweet for more than a decade.

Kipli - cookie crescents wrapped in a butter-cream cheese dough and filled with a mixture of chopped nuts, raisins, sugar and vanilla - are another handed-down tried-and-true favorite. The unbaked dough can be made ahead, if desired, and stashed in the freezer, up to two weeks. The dough can also be varied with a sweet cheese filling.

The Old-Fashioned Cheesecake, which is more dense than many, gets top marks from Cutler's husband. It's another creation passed down from Cutler's mother. Unlike most cheesecakes, this one features cottage cheese that has been drained and pressed through a sieve. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese with any size curd, notes Cutler.

Cutler also loves to make a Party Trifle. It lends itself to lots of variations, including different fruits and liqueurs used as layers between the store-bought pound cake slices and homemade custard sauce.

When baking, use the best quality ingredients for the best results, stresses Cutler. She prefers using unsalted butter - and never substitutes margarine. She also avoids freezing baked dessert items.

``The taste just isn't the same,'' she says.

Give some of Cutler's creations a whirl. They just may become a tradition at your home in the years to come.

DOUGHNUTS FROM THE DANUBE

2 packages active dry (granulated) yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup lukewarm milk

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

Solid vegetable shortening (Crisco)

Cinnamon-sugar mixture OR powdered sugar for sprinkling over fried doughnuts

In a small bowl, combine yeast, water and 2 tablespoons sugar; set aside to rise.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, place 2 cups flour; add yeast mixture and beat well. Place lukewarm milk, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, salt and butter in a bowl and stir until butter is melted. Add milk mixture to flour and yeast; add eggs and egg yolks, beating well after each addition. Beat 2 minutes (OR 4 minutes by hand). Add remaining flour, except for 1/2 cup, to make a medium-soft dough. Add last 1/2 cup flour as needed.

Knead by hand or with a bread hook until dough leaves the sides of bowl and is very smooth. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn out onto a floured board and roll out dough to about 1-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter. Cover (with tea towel) and let rise about 30 to 35 minutes.

In a large deep skillet, heat shortening to 375 degrees F on top of stove. Fry doughnuts four at a time (do not crowd pan) in hot shortening b(over medium-high heat), a minute or so per side, until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve warm, sprinkled with a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar or powdered sugar. Makes 20 to 24.

NOTE: To make jelly doughnuts, allow doughnuts to cool slightly. Then make a thin slit in side of doughnut and insert melted jelly, flavor of your choice.

PARTY TRIFLE

RASPBERRY SAUCE:

2 (12-ounce) bags frozen unsweetened raspberries

3/4 cup sugar

CUSTARD SAUCE:

4 cups milk

1/2 cup cornstarch 

1 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE:

1 (20-ounce) large frozen pound cake (such as Sara Lee), thawed

Grand Marnier OR other fruit-flavored liqueur 

1 package ladyfingers

Sliced almonds

Fresh raspberries

Whipped cream (for top)

For Raspberry Sauce: Combine raspberries with their juices and sugar in a blender and puree. Strain sauce into a bowl, then cover and refrigerate.

For Custard Sauce: In a saucepan mix a small amount of milk into cornstarch. Blend in sugar and salt and gradually whisk in remaining milk. Heat to boiling, whisking well, until thoroughly blended and mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in egg yolks and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute longer. Stir in butter and vanilla.

To assemble: Cut pound cake into slices and use some to cover bottom of a trifle dish or attractive serving bowl. Stand ladyfingers up around edges of dish. Sprinkle cake with Grand Marnier. Spread layer with some Raspberry Sauce, sliced almonds and fresh raspberries. Then top with some Custard Sauce. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used. Top with whipped cream, fresh raspberries and toasted sliced almonds. Keep refrigerated until serving time. Makes 12 servings.

OLD-FASHIONED CHEESECAKE

2 1/2 pounds cottage cheese

1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 eggs

Grated peel of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan.

Drain cottage cheese in a sieve 1/2 hour; press through with a wooden spoon, if possible, or press out as much moisture as possible. Beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in cottage cheese until mixture is well-combined. Add lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla; blend well. Add flour and salt and beat until blended. Fold in raisins and turn into prepared springform pan, spreading evenly.

Set pan on a cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 250-degree oven 2 hours. Turn off oven and allow to cool in oven for 1 hour with oven door open. Serve warm or cool to room temperature, cover with foil and refrigerate.

Before serving, let cake come to room temperature and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

OVERNIGHT COFFEECAKE

TOPPING:

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

CAKE:

1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon EACH baking soda and baking powder

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup dairy sour cream

Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan. For Topping: Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and walnuts in a bowl. Add butter pieces and rub until crumbly, using your fingers or two forks; set aside.

For Cake: Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl; set aside. In another bowl, beat together butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and beaten egg until mixed well. Add 1/2 of dry ingredients and mix just until flour is blended. Add sour cream until blended, then add remaining dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Spread cake batter evenly in prepared springform pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of topping mixture over cake batter and fold in lightly, using a spatula, so nut mixture is swirled into batter. Sprinkle remaining topping evenly over top of cake; cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Remove coffee cake from refrigerator and let stand 20 minutes prior to baking. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 1 coffee cake.

BELLE'S CHOCOLATE DATE CAKE

CAKE:

1 cup pitted, sliced dates

1 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour

TOPPING:

1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

For Cake: In a small bowl, combine dates, boiling water and baking soda; allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar; add beaten eggs, salt and cocoa. Gradually add flour, alternately with date mixture, beating until well-blended. Spread cake batter in a buttered and floured 10x10-inch or 9x9-inch baking pan.

For topping: Mix all topping ingredients and sprinkle over cake batter. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven about 50 minutes (start testing for doneness at 35 minutes). Cut into squares. Makes 1 cake.

KIPLA

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 pound Neufchatel cream cheese OR hoop cheese which has been put through a sieve

2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup toasted, finely chopped walnuts

3/4 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup golden raisins

Melted butter OR egg wash for top

For dough, mix softened butter, Nefchatel cheese, flour and 1/3 cup sugar until well blended. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove dough from refrigerator 1/2 hour before rolling out.

For filling, combine walnuts, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, milk, vanilla and raisins.

Roll each portion of dough into a thin circle. Cut each portion into 8 to 12 triangles. Place filling at wide end and roll to point creating a crescent; pinch ends. Brush with melted butter. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes or until golden. Makes 32 to 48.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Hanukkah fare shines

Celebrate Festival of Lights with sweets and tradition

(2 -- color) Make batter for this coffeecake a day in advance and refrigerate in the baking pan. It's ready to bake when you are.

(3 -- color) Mitzi Cutler fries and sprinkles her fabulous doughnuts with cinnamon sugar.

(4 -- color) Party Trifle can be made in a variety of flavors using different berries, liqueurs and cakes.

Photos by Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer