Pistachio Hamentaschen Makes 4 dozen
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4-5 drops green food coloring
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup shelled pistachio nuts, ground fine
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting parchment and dough
one 11-ounce can pistachio nut paste
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, and orange juice, and mix well. Add green coloring to achieve desired shade of green. Add the baking powder, ground nuts and flour and mix until the dough comes together. You can chill the dough at least one hour or overnight or bake right away.
Divide the dough in half. Take another two pieces of parchment and sprinkle flour on one, place one dough half on top, and then sprinkle more flour on top of the dough. Place the second piece of parchment on top of the dough and roll on top of the parchment until the dough is about ¼ -inch thick. Every few rolls, peel back the top parchment and sprinkle more flour on the dough.
Use a glass or round cookie cutter about 2 to 3 inches in diameter to cut the dough into circles. Place a teaspoon of the pistachio paste in the center and then fold in 3 sides to form a triangle, leaving a small opening in the center. Pinch the 3 sides very tightly. Place on the prepared cookie sheets. Repeat with the rest of the dough and re-roll and cut any dough scraps you have.
Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. The baking time often depends of the type of cookie sheet used: cookies on darker sheets bake faster. Just watch the cookies until they look done—you do not want them to be brown on top because then they will be too hard. Slide the parchment onto racks to cool the cookies.
Whole Wheat Passover Granola
makes 6-7 cups
3 cups whole wheat matzoh farfel
1 cup dried coconut flakes
1 cup pecan halves, chopped into ½ inch pieces
½ cup cashews, chopped into ½ inch pieces
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped apricots (about 10 halves)
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper, making sure the paper goes ½ inch up the sides. In a large bowl, mix together the farfel, coconut, chopped pecans and cashews, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
Place the honey, oil and brown sugar into a glass measuring cup or microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds, until the honey and sugar can be dissolved. Stir well. Pour over the farfel mixture and toss to coat. Spread on the prepared baking pan and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until the farfel and nuts are browned. Let cool on the pan for 30 minutes. Mix in the fruit. Store in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Chocolate Almond Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Makes one 10-inch cake, 12 to 16 servings
Cake
1 cup whole almonds
Parve margarine for greasing pans
10 ounces parve semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup ground walnuts
3 large eggs plus 2 whites
3/4 cup sugar
Glaze
7 ounces parve semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped or broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup parve whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a parchment-lined jelly roll pan and toast for 15 minutes, or until the almonds are browned and fragrant.
Take a 10-inch springform pan and detach the bottom. Trace the bottom onto a piece of parchment and cut out. Cover the top of the pan bottom with aluminum foil and then wrap the excess foil under the bottom. Attach the pan sides to the bottom, lock in place, and then unwrap the foil and wrap up around the sides of the pan. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan. Press the parchment circle into the bottom of the pan. Grease the top of the parchment circle.
Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the toasted almonds, ground walnuts, whole eggs, egg whites, and sugar and process until the mixture becomes a smooth batter. Make sure there are no large chocolate chunks in the batter.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until set. Let cool for 20 minutes.
To make the glaze: Melt the chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the cream and vanilla just to a boil. Pour the cream into the melted chocolate. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed or vigorously by hand with a whisk for 2 minutes to thicken the glaze.
Release the sides of the pan. Use a wide knife or long metal spatula to separate the parchment circle from the foil and slide the cake and parchment onto a serving platter. Place small pieces of waxed paper under and around the bottom of the cake to catch any extra glaze. Pour the glaze over the cake and use a silicone spatula to smooth the top and cover all over the sides. Store in the refrigerator until serving. Remove the waxed paper pieces and serve.
Chocolate Souffles makes 6
1 tablespoon butter or margarine for greasing
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
5 large eggs, separated, whites at room temperature for at least 2 hours
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
If baking immediately, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub the butter or margarine around the sides and bottoms of 6 small ramekins. Add the tablespoon sugar to one, turn to coat and then tap out excess into the next ramekin. Repeat until all coated, using more sugar if needed. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate.
In a medium bowl, place the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of the 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix vigorously with a hand whisk. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave: heat for one minute and mix well, another 45 seconds and mix well and then 30 seconds and mix well, each time stirring the unmelted pieces into the melted parts. Add the chocolate to the egg yolk mixture and whisk.
Beat the egg whites on high speed until thick. Turn the mixer speed to low, add the remaining sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, and when all added, turn the speed up to high for 30 seconds or until whites are shiny and stiff. Mix into the chocolate mixture in four parts, mixing a little slower each time until all the whites are mixed in. Divide among the ramekins. If baking later, cover with plastic and refrigerate until baking. Bake for 18 minutes. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.
