Some more Passover treats

Well, it's less than a week to Seder.  Cleaning is at full steam ahead.  Hopefully a lot of the shopping for staples is done.  All that's left for me are the perishables.  Those I'll probably go to the market for on Sunday.
First, I have a wonderful non-cooked dessert.  I did this one in a Passover class I taught at Chef Central a couple of years ago.  I've had a lot of good feedback on this and I hope you enjoy it.  It is published in my second cookbook, KOSHER SALT AND EXOTIC SPICES, with a lot of other great recipes.

Israeli Matzo Cake (D) 

A wonderful no bake dessert for a busy time of the year

Makes 8 to 12 servings

8 Matzot
2 tsp. Coffee mixed with
1 cup hot water
2 sticks soft butter or pareve margarine if you want to serve it for dessert after meat
1/2 cup sugar
4 oz. cocoa 

2 ounces of chocolate, shaved
1-2 tablespoons Sabra ® Liqueur
  

Break the matzot into small pieces (1 inch square approx.)  Pour the hot coffee over it. Mix well.  Cream the soft butter or margarine together with the sugar, cocoa and the liqueur. When all ingredients are well mixed, combine them with the matzo mixture and transfer into a square dish.  Decorate with the shaved chocolate. 

Refrigerate overnight. Cut into diamond shaped pieces and serve. 

Next is a wonderful chocolate sponge cake.  Absolutely delicious and light.  Great as a birthday cake.

Chocolate Sponge Cake

Makes 8 servings

Cake:

1 Tablespoon grape seed oil

1/4 cup cocoa powder plus more for the pan

1/4 cup matzo cake meal or potato starch

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 large eggs at room temperature, separated

1/2 cup pus 6 teaspoons extra fine sugar

1 teaspoon kosher for Passover vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

Raspberry jam

Chocolate Icing:

1/2 cup almond milk (KP Parve) or 3/4 cup parve cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Oil a 13 x 9 x 2 metal baking pan, line with parchment paper and oil that and the sides 

of the pan.  Sprinkle with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.

Sift the cake meal (or potato starch), cocoa powder and cinnamon into a small bowl and set aside.

Place the egg yolks into a deep bowl.  Add the 1/2 cup sugar and beat well with an electric mixer set at medium, until thick and pale lemon in color.  Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle in the remaining sugar and beat the egg whites until thick and glossy and almost at firm peak stage.

With a rubber spatula, fold half the egg whites into the yolk mixture.  Sift half of the cake meal mixture over the  batter and fold together until just blended.  Repeat with the remainder of the egg whites and the cake meal mixture, gently folding together until just blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, gently spreading it evenly to the edges.  Bake until the cake springs bake when gently pressed, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack.  Run a paring knife around the outside to loosen the cake.

Placing a cutting board over the top of the pan, invert the cake on to the board.  Remove the pan.  Gently peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake.  Using a serrated knife, trim the cake and then divide into three even pieces.

Spread the raspberry jam evenly on two of the pieces and stack with the unspread piece on top.

Chocolate Icing:

Put the chocolate chips into a small, deep bowl.

Bring the almond milk to a simmer over medium-low heat.  Pour over the chocolate chips and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir until the icing is smooth.  

Let the icing cool to thicken slightly.  Spread over the top and sides of the cake.

(This cake can be made 2 days ahead.  Store it in an airtight container.)

Sharyn Rosler (c) February, 2012

Next is a wonderful torte that is gluten free so it is great for Passover and all year long.

Pecan Torte (P)

A delicious, gluten free cake for Pesach or any time of the year.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

9 egg whites

9 egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla sugar

1 teaspoon salt

12 ounces pecans, toasted and finely ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put egg yolks, sugar, zest, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium high until pale and thickened, about 4 minutes.

Fold in the pecans.

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into yolk mixture.

Pour into a 10 inch spring form pan.

Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour.  (If top browns too quickly, tent the cake with foil.)

Let cake cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove the sides of the pan and let the cake cool completely.  Run a knife around the edge and the center of the pan.  Remove gently and place on a serving platter.

Serve with either whipped cream and berries or pareve lemon curd (p. 143) and berries.

Pareve Lemon Curd (P)

I love lemon curd with raspberries or plain with a meringue.  It is also delicious as a spread for scones or muffins.

Makes enough for 1 tart

2 large eggs

6 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 stick pareve margarine cut into small pieces 

Grated zest of 3 lemons

Place the eggs, yolks, sugar and salt into a medium metal bowl.  Whisk together and add lemon juice.  Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water, being careful not to let the bottom of the bowl to touch the water.  Whisk constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes (an instant read thermometer should read 160 degrees F.)  Remove the bowl from the water and strain the mixture into a clean bowl.  Add the butter and lemon zest and stir until the butter is melted.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  The mixture will thicken as it cools.

The curd will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Wishing everyone a "Sissen Pesach!"

B'tayavon

Some Passover Odds and Ends

PASSOVER SUBSTITUTIONS

It happens every year.  You wish you were able to make your fantastic lemon or apple cake for Passover. 

Well, you can!!!!

Just use these substitutions and you will find you will be able to recreate your prized recipes any time you want to during Passover!

5/8 cup potato starch                         =                  1 cup flour

¾ cup matzo cake meal                    =                   1 cup flour

1 cup matzo meal                              =                   1 cup breadcrumbs

1 cup ground nuts                              =                   1 cup flour

7/8 cup potato starch                         =                   1 cup matzo cake meal

¾ cup matzo cake meal                     =                    5/8 cup potato starch

To replace vanilla extract in baking, place a vanilla bean that has been broken in half in a jar with a cup of granulated sugar.  Allow this mixture to stand for a week or more and you will have vanilla sugar.  1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

To make confectioner’s sugar for Passover, place 1 cup of sugar and ½ tablespoon of potato starch in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Process for 2 to 3 minutes until very fine.  The texture will be grainier than regular confectioner’s sugar.  It makes 1 cup.

Use finely ground almonds, walnuts, pecans or pistachio nuts to coat chicken, fish or veal that has been dipped in beaten egg whites.

Use one grated white potato in place of bread crumbs when making meatloaf or hamburgers or in kugels other than potato if you don’t want to use matzo meal.

Sharyn J Rosler (c) April, 2000

This is such a great recipe for Passover, especially when you're wondering what to have for breakfast besides matzot, matzo brei, chremslach, etc.  It can be prepared ahead of time and warmed in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes.  These are delicious and non-gebrakt!  Enjoy!

Dried Cherry or Blueberry Muffins for Passover (P)

Something besides matzoh for breakfast.  Delicious!!!!

Makes 12 mini-muffins

1/3 cup pareve margarine

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or vanilla extract

3 eggs

¾ cup potato starch

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup dried cherries cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line a mini-muffin tin with paper muffin cups

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and the sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together the potato starch, cinnamon and salt.  Gradually add to the egg mixture until well blended.  Stir in cherries.

Spoon into prepared muffin tins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool int the pan, then turn out and place on a platter to serve.

Blintzes for Passover

I love cheese blintzes.  I never made them during Passover.  Now I do.
This recipe is fairly easy and the blintzes freeze well and do well in a blintz souffle.
To make the crepes parve, substitute almond milk.  They  can then be used with a meat or fish filling.
Enjoy!

Cheese Blintzes for Passover with Blueberry Compote

Crepes:

4 eggs

5/8 cup potato starch or 3/4  cup matzo cake meal

1/4 cup fine sugar

1 cup milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Grape seed oil

Filling:

1 cup farmer cheese or ricotta cheese, well drained

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 egg yolk

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all the ingredients for the crepes together until smooth--use a hand mixer or a blender. 

Heat a nonstick skillet until hot and a drop of water sizzles on the surface. 

When hot, add enough oil to the pan to coat the bottom. 

Using a 1/3 cup measure, pour the crepe mixture into the pan and swirl the batter around the pan until the batter covers the bottom in a thin pancake. 

Cook until the edges of the crepe and the bottom are a light golden brown. Do not turn over, just slide out of the pan onto a plate covered with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining batter, placing a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between the crepes. You should have 8to 10 crepes. 

Once the crepes are finished, it's time to make the filling.  

Put all the filling ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir until combined, but not smooth. 

To fill the crepes and make the Blintzes, place a crepe on a flat surface, golden brown side up. Put 3 tablespoons of the filling mixture on the lower 1/3 of the crepe, leaving an inch at the bottom.  Fold the bottom over the filling and fold the sides in. Roll the crepe up forming the blintz.  Repeat with the remainder of the crepes until all are filled and rolled. 

To fry the Blintzes, heat about 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Place the Blintzes, seam side down, in the hot oil and fry 3 or 4 at a time, about 2 minutes on each side, or until browned. 

Serve the Blintzes warm with blueberry compote, sour cream, or creme fraiche. 

Sharyn Rosler (c) March, 2010

Blueberry Compote

2 pints blueberries, washed, or 1 large bag frozen blueberries

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

Stir the blueberries with the sugar and juice in a heavy 3 or 4 quart saucepan. 

Over high hear, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook about 10 to 12 minutes until most of the berries have popped and the sauce has thickened slightly. 

Serve with the Blintzes or the blintz soufflé. 

Also good over ice cream. 

Sharyn Rosler (c) March. 2010