Passover Cookies

These cookies are like the passover cookies that they used to make at the old My Most Favorite Dessert shop on Madison Ave in the 80's....

"Actually Good" Passover Cookies:
by François Payard

Yield: Makes 40 cookies

Parchment paper
2 1/2 cups walnut halves
3 cups (k-p) confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites (size LARGE eggs- if you have Jumbo use 3)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

note: you can also make these nutfree by substituting 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips for the walnuts.

Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Cookies can easily burn if too close to bottom heating element! Heat oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place walnuts on a work surface and finely chop. Transfer to a separate large baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 9 minutes. Let cool. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Stir in walnuts. Add egg whites and vanilla; mix with a fork until dough is just moistened. Should be like a heavy brownie batter. Drop batter by the teaspoonful onto baking sheets in evenly spaced mounds. Bake cookies until tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Cool thoroughly before carefully peeling off the parchment paper. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.


These are the best coconut macaroons ever-- nothing like those gross canned ones.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
(Gourmet Magazine, March'92)

Yield: Makes about 30 macaroons

4 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (for not-passover also use 1 tsp coconut extract)
2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup matza cake meal (for non-passover use flour)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, or bittersweet chocolate

In a heavy saucepan stir together the egg whites, the sugar, the salt, the vanilla, and the coconut, sift in the flour, and stir the mixture until it is combined well. Cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, increase the heat to moderately high, and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until it is thickened and begins to pull away from the bottom and side of the pan. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, let it cool slightly, and chill it, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until it is just cold. Drop heaping teaspoons of the dough 2 inches apart onto buttered baking sheets and bake the macaroons in batches in the middle of a preheated 300°F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are pale golden. Transfer the macaroons to a rack and let them cool.
In a glass bowl in the microwave melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth, about 2 minutes, and dip the macaroons, 1 at a time, into the chocolate, coating them halfway and letting any excess drip off. Transfer the macaroons as they are dipped to a foil-lined tray and chill them for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chocolate is set. The macaroons keep, chilled and separated by layers of wax paper, in an airtight container for 3 days. (If the macaroons are made in advance, let them stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.)

A Persian Passover Treat

Sohan Asal, Persian Almond Brittle with Saffron

 These candies, called Sohan Asal in Iran, and are a very traditional Passover treat. They make a terrific addition to any cookie platter, and are quick to make. A candy thermometer really helps.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups slivered almonds
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
2 tablespoons rose water (optional)
1/4 cup  chopped pistachios, for garnish

Preparation
Spread parchment baking paper on a cookie sheet or marble countertop

Cook the sugar, honey and oil together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Add the slivered almonds to the mixture, and continue stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden color and starts to come together.
Add saffron and rose water and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until mixture foams and turns golden. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until the mixture reaches a golden brown color, and turns very foamy.

If you have a candy or deep-fry thermometer it should read 285 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, put a few ice cubes in a glass of ice water, drop a small amount of the mixture into the water, if it hardens immediately, it is done.

Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the parchment paper at 1-inch intervals, immediately scatter the chopped pistachios.

Allow the candies to cool thoroughly, then remove them from the paper and store in an airtight container for up to a week, between layers of parchment.

Passover Brownies

Passover Brownies
Good enough for anytime

So easy, if you just throw it all in a food processor:

Heat oven to 350

put following ingredients in food processor:
4 Eggs
2 sticks k-for-p margarine (I know...but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do)
scant 2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup Matza cake meal
1 bag chocolate chocolate chips divided

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips briefly in food processor
mix in half of the chips
put in greased 8 x 11 pan. bake about 30 minutes until knife comes out clean

When you remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle on the remainder of the chips. allow to melt, and spread over the top.
Cool well, cut into squares.

Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf from bonappetit.com

Here is a tasty Passover side dish idea:
Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf Quick Recipes: bonappetit.com

Here is Amanda's version, without peas, as appropriate for passover.
At least by our in-house Rabbinic authorities... wow... "raging debate"... who knew?
Raging Debate about Quinoa

Passover Menu. Traditions with a Twist (or two)

Fish Course--on deck

Chopped Liver with Jicama Slices and Celery Sticks

Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Tri-Color Vegetable Terrine (below)

Turkey Roast with Mango Sauce and Mango Salsa

Asparagus

Cauliflower Kugel "Muffins"

Spring Garden Quinoa Pilaf

Lemon Meringue Pie (below)

Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Cookies

This recipe by Levana Kirschenbaum is from www.chabad.org. You can make it a day or two ahead of time and keep it chilled. It makes a great change from Gefilte Fish, especially if you are making two seders.

3 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks 1 large turnips, peeled and cut in large chunks 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut in large chunks 1 medium celery root, peeled and cut in large chunks 1/4 cup olive oil Pinch nutmeg 2 eggs 1/4 cup potato starch Salt and pepper to taste 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed thoroughly dry 1/4 cup basil leaves, packed 1/3 cup tomato paste Place the leeks, potatoes, turnips, parsnips and celery root, with water to barely cover, in a heavy pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. If you have any liquid left in the pot, reduce on a high flame. The mixture must be absolutely dry. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Add the oil, nutmeg, eggs, potato starch, salt and pepper, and process the whole mixture, in batches if necessary, until perfectly smooth. Preheat the oven to 375*f. Grease a 2-quart rectangular mold with straight sides, and line with plastic wrap, letting the excess overhang. Divide the mixture in thirds, and place in three bowls. Process one third in the food processor with the spinach and the basil until smooth. Pack tightly in the mold. Pack the second (white) third on top of the green layer in the mold. Process the last third with the sun-dried tomatoes until smooth (rinse and dry the bowl of the food processor first to get rid of the green batch), and pack tightly on top of the white layer in the mold. Fold the overhanging plastic on top of the mold. Bake for 1 hour or until the top is firm. Chill the mold. Serve alone or with red pepper sauce (recipe follows). Red Pepper Sauce: 2 red peppers 1/2 cup basil leaves, packed 2 large cloves garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons paprika Salt and pepper to taste Bottled hot sauce or cayenne to taste Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store refrigerated in a glass jar.

Another option is this one:

Roasted Vegetable Terrine adapted from Emeril Lagasse

• 1 (1-pound)  eggplant, stem and bottom end trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, stems and bottom ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, stems and bottom ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large red bell peppers (about 1 pound), roasted, with cores, seeds and skins removed
• 2 large yellow bell peppers (about 1 pound), roasted, with cores, seeds and skins removed
• 16 ounces fresh spinach, washed and stems removed, blanched and squeezed dry
• Sun-dried Tomato Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with olive oil. Lay the eggplant, zucchini, and squash slices in a flat layer, slightly overlapping. Brush with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until soft and just golden around the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining vegetable slices.
In a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, and extra-virgin olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and mix well.
In a 6-cup terrine (12 by 3 by 3-inches), arrange the eggplant slices across the bottom and over the sides, overlapping the slices to completely cover the terrine. Top with slices of red pepper, zucchini, squash, spinach, and yellow pepper.   Repeat layering with the remaining vegetable slices, brushing with parsley-basil. Wrap the overhanging eggplant over the bottom of the terrine. Wrap the terrine loosely in plastic wrap. Top with an equal sized terrine, or a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil. Place a brick or 2 heavy cans on top of the terrine and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator. Remove the weight and unwrap. Slice with a very sharp knife and serve 1 large or 2 thin slices per person with the Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce.

Sundried Tomato Sauce

• 1 cup tightly packed sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), reconstituted in hot water and drained
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, red pepper and black pepper, and puree on high speed. With the motor running, gradually add the oil through the feed tube and process until well combined.

Pour into a container until ready to serve.
Yield: about 2 cups

 Cauliflower Kugel Muffins (serves 6)

• 2 large onions thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 8 cups)
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup matzo meal  (breadcrumbs can be substituted if not for Passover)
• 3 tablespoons chopped dill 
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

• Preheat oven to 450°F Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil, reserving remainder. Place cauliflower on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes tossing occasionally or until browned and tender. Reduce oven heat to 350
• Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium-high heat and add onions. Sprinkle with salt to help the juices come out. Sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes or until onions have softened.
• Turn heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 to 20 minutes or until onions are a thick tangled golden mass. Stir in honey.
• Pulse cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in onions, eggs, matzo meal, dill and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and place in oiled baking dish, or in well-greased muffin tins.
  
  
  
  
  
  Passover Lemon Meringue Pie
  Lemon Meringue Pie (very slightly adapted from The Molly Goldberg Jewish Cookbook) 
  1 crust for a 9-inch pie or Manischewitz coconut pie shell
  
  Filling:
  3 eggs
  3 egg yolks
  7/8 cup sugar
  6 tablespoons margarine or butter
  1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  grated zest from 1 lemon
  1/2 tsp. lemon extract
  Meringue:
  3 egg whites
  1/4 cup sugar
  1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
  (If not using the Manischewitz shell, make a passover crust of your choice or this one into a 9-inch pie pan. Line the crust with a sheet of foil and fill with dry beans to help the crust keep its shape and not shrink while pre-baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden. Remove foil and beans and set aside.)
  
  Prepare filling:
  Place 1 inch of water into the bottom of a double boiler and set the double boiler onto a burner.  Bring water to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer.
  Place the filling ingredients into the top of the double boiler and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens — 10 minutes or so.  When it's ready, the mixture will coat the back of a spoon: you can dip the spoon into the filling and run your finger through the coating, but the mixture won't seep back in to fill the space. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and set aside while making the meringue.
  
  Prepare meringue:
  Place the egg whites into a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat until the whites hold soft peaks. Add the sugar slowly and continue beating until the whites hold stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the lemon filling, being sure that the meringue adheres to the crust all along the edge of the pie, sealing it completely, otherwise  the meringue will shrink and not cover the filling.
  Bake for 5-10 minutes until lightly golden.
  Refrigerate uncovered at least 4 hours or until time to serve.
  Do not cover with Plastic Wrap.

Gravlax, making it, slicing it, serving it

Serving Gravlax with Rye and Pumpernickel and Dill Sauce

3 pounds center cut, boned salmon fillet- split
1/4 cup gin, tequila, or aquavit

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 T. white peppercorns, cracked

1 large bunch loosely packed washed fresh dill, including about half the stems.

Mustard Sauce (below) and sliced rye and pumpernickel bread for serving.

Rinse salmon. Remove any of the small bones that you can in the fish, using tweezers.

Place both pieces of the salmon, skin down on a double layer of plastic wrap.
Sprinkle with gin.

Mix sugar, salt, pepper. Sprinkle evenly on the salmon.
Top with an even coating of dill.
Carefully put the two halves back together, so that the dill/sugar/salt mixture is sandwiched in the middle.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and then with foil, and if you like, put the whole thing into a plastic bag (the one the fish came in?) and close tightly.
Put the package into the fridge, and and weight with a plate or small cutting board, and a brick, or some other heavy object (cans?). The more it is compacted, the better the texture will be.

Refrigerate three or four days, turning it twice a day if you can, but I am not sure that turning it is really that important.

After curing process, carefully open up the package, drain off the liquid. Salmon will look like this.

Scrape off the dill mixture, and rinse salmon well. With skin side down on cutting board, slice thinly against the "grain", at a 45 degree angle with a very sharp knife (a sushi knife is ideal). Like this:

As you (slowly slowly) slice, using a sawing motion, arrange the slices on a platter, cutting off the skin as you go.
Fish will keep for about 10 days, well wrapped in the refrigerator.

Serve with Mustard Sauce:

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup dijon mustard,

3 T. fresh dill

Mix together, put in pretty bowl.

Winter Dessert: Honey Vanilla Roasted Pears with Gingersnaps

 

Honey Vanilla Roasted Pears

HONEY VANILLA CARAMEL ROASTED PEARS

WITH GINGER SNAPS

 I happen to adore the combination of Ginger and Pear. There is something bracing, yet soothing about the two together. At the end of a meal it seems to help with digestion, and I never get tired of it.

I have already blogged about honey roasted pears, but in that recipe, the pears are halved and roasted flat in the pan. For this recipe, I was making too many to fit in a pan that way, and so I decided to experiment with roasting the pears standing up whole in the pan. I think it worked very well. This time, I increased the amount of honey I used, added sweet wine, whole vanilla beans, and some butter, and basically poached the pears in caramel. It was really yummy.  I think you will like them too.

ROASTED HONEY CARAMEL PEARS

• about 18 small, perfect pears  D'Anjou work very well
• 2 vanilla beans
• 2 cups sweet white wine (can use water or pear nectar)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1. Preheat oven to 425 set rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Carefully peel the pears leaving the stems, cut a slice off of the bottom so they will stand, and arrange in a baking pan that is at least 2 inches high.
3. Add the wine, sugar, honey, butter, and vanilla beans to the pan, they will magically become caramel.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes until tops of pears are turning brown, and the pears start to shrink.
5. Remove from oven, push pears onto their sides and spoon syrup over pears to coat them well and return to oven for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and rotate pears to the other side, spoon syrup over pears to coat them well and return to oven for 20 minutes.
7. As the fruit continues to cook they will caramelize, and turn a delicious dark brown, almost black at the stems. When they are evenly browned, and a knife pierces the flesh easily, stand them back up, and continue to roast for a half hour or 45 minutes more, basting occasionally with the caramel. When done, the pears tops will almost be black and the flesh a shiny deep caramel color.
8. Pears can be served warm or cool. To serve, spoon onto a shallow plate or fruit bowl, spooning caramel over. If desired, serve with vanilla or ginger ice cream, and the ginger snaps below. 

Chewy and Crisp TRIPLE GINGER COOKIES

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon  ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
•  1 cup Earth Balance margarine (or 1/2 cup Earth Balance and 1/2 cup butter)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses (blackstrap if you have it)
• 2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 cup turbinado or gold sanding sugar

  

• Arrange racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar, shortening, and butter in a large bowl, scraping down sides halfway through beating, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add egg, molasses, grated ginger, and vanilla; beat just to blend. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Mix in crystallized ginger (dough will be very soft and sticky).
• Place raw sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a teaspoon measure, scoop out dough. Using a second spoon, scrape dough from tablespoon, dropping into the bowl with raw sugar; turn to coat well. lightly roll into ball. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with half of remaining dough and sugar, spacing balls 1 1/2" apart.
• Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are firm and centers appear cracked, 10–12 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar, using cooled baking sheets.

Most Delicious Carrot Cake ever

Really Good Carrot Cake
 Vegan Friendly, Moist, Festive, Keeps Well, Loves to Travel.

(What else could you ask for in a cake, really?)

Moist and tasty Carrot Cake, packed with Coconut, Crystallized Ginger, Pineapple, and Macadamias

2 1/3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut- or the organic, dried type
1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts

3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract

2 cups finely grated peeled carrots

2 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple in its own juice, slightly drained (leave about half the juice) 

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides, or one half-sheet pan.
2. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray.
3. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 3 ingredients in processor. Process until nuts are finely chopped.
4. Whisk remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend.
5. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend.
6. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Beat in vanilla and coconut extract.
8. Beat in flour-spice mixture.
9. Stir in coconut-macadamia mixture, then carrots and crushed pineapple.
10. Divide batter among pans.
11. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. If using a sheet pan, rotate pan half way through baking.

Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes.

Turn cakes out onto racks, and cool completely

Make the Frosting:
(This recipe makes a ton of frosting, enough for the 3-layer version of the cake. If you are making a sheet cake, you can reduce the ingredients by 1/2)

Frosting

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, or tofutti cream cheese (don't have to soften)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, or Earth Balance Sticks (fridge temp)

2 cups powdered sugar

about 3/4 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)

1 teaspoon coconut extract

Beat softened cream cheese and butter in mixer bowl until smooth.

Beat in powdered sugar, then both extracts. Slowly add the cream of coconut allowing it to absorb into frosting mixture. I have rarely used the entire amount, especially when making the vegan/pareve version.

Chill until firm enough to spread...at least 30 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter.

Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of the cake.

Top with second cake layer, flat side up.

Spread 3/4 cup frosting over.

Top with third cake layer, rounded side up, pressing slightly to adhere.

Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake.

Chill cake and remaining frosting 30 minutes.

Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Arrange whole nuts and ginger around top edge of cake. Sprinkle on more coconut if you like.

Chill 1 hour.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.
Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

Happy New Year. Honey Cake with Salted Caramel Thyme Roasted Plums

Honey Cake with "First Fruits" following tradition.

For Rosh Hashanah Dessert, the first thing that springs to mind is Honey Cake, of course. But how many disappointing honey cakes have we all had? Lots, right?
They look pretty enough, sure, but the dry, tasteless cake rarely lives up to it's reputation. But ever on the hunt to perfect the "golden oldies", I tried once again, and I do believe that this honey cake, served with a garnish of  Italian Plums in salted-caramel-thyme glaze might be the retro-modern kind of dessert that we can all stand behind. Feel free to garnish with a dollop of creme fraiche, or thick Greek Yogurt.

GRAND MARNIER HONEY CAKE

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 Tbs. orange peel, grated
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 Grand Marnier (or brandy)
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)

Fits in three loaf pans, two 9-inch square or round cake pans, one 9 or 10 inch tube or bundt  pan, or one 9 by 13 inch sheet cake.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease pan(s) with non-stick cooking spray. For tube or angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper, cut to fit.
Or use one of my favorite disposable (non aluminum) baking pans available here- these are amazing to have on hand especially if you often bake and bring, as I do.

Method:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Make a well in the center, and add oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, coffee, orange juice and Grand Marnier, if using. (If you measure your oil before the honey, it will be easier to get all of the honey out.)
Using a strong wire whisk or in an electric mixer on slow speed, stir together well to make a thick, well-blended batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom.
Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). Sprinkle top of cake(s) evenly with almonds, if using. Place cake pan(s) on two baking sheets, stacked together (this will ensure the cakes bake evenly- otherwise the bottom will overbrown due to the high sugar content.


DO NOT OVERFILL THE PANS, MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE AT LEAST 1/2 INCH FOR RISING.

Bake until cake tests done, that is, it springs back when you gently touch the cake center. For LARGE angel and tube cake pans, this will take 60 to 75 minutes, loaf cakes, about 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet style cakes, baking time is 40 to 45 minutes. Set timer for minimum time, and keep an eye on them.
Let cake stand fifteen minutes before removing from pan.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen via  Marcy Goldman’s Treasure of Jewish Holiday Baking

Salted Caramel -thyme Roasted Plums 

Anyone who knows me knows my passion for salted caramel, so when I decided on the honey cake, I thought, "hmmmm, compote?" and wrinkled my nose. Because, yeah, compote. But then I looked at the Italian Plums on the counter, that were going to become (yet another) plum torte, and I thought of the honey-roasted pears from last year, and decided to improvise.  In France we had a thyme-plum dessert that was yummy, and I have a lot of thyme in the herb bed. So I came up with this

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 tablespoons Earth Balance or unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. Sel de Guerande or Maldon fleur de sel or another good salt
• 6 big fresh thyme sprigs
• Italian plums, about 15

Method:

Preheat oven to 475°F. 

Stir Sugar, honey, margarine, salt and thyme together in large ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat until butter melts. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will bubble vigorously). 

Add plum halves, cut side down. Cook plums without stirring for 2 minutes. Turn plums over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until caramel is deep brown, checking frequently to prevent burning, about 4 minutes. 

Divide among dessert plates, spooning caramel over, leaving thyme behind.

Sprinkle with a bit of fresh time (optional) and

Serve with Honey Cake, or crème fraîche, or Greek Yogurt.

What To Do With ALL Those Yolks: Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd
From Cake Art
Makes 3 cups

1 cup butter, cut into cubes
1 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
zest of 3 lemons
10 egg yolks

Add 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a wide saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occassionaly.

In another bowl, separate 10 egg yolks and combine with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Slowly temper the boiling lemon juice mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. When fully combined, return the mixture to the saucepan and continue to cook until the whisk leaves a trail in the curd.

Remove from heat and strain into a shallow dish. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the curd and let set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Store in the fridge for up to one week.

Here is a link to the website with a very good tutorial on it:
Completely Delicious Lemon Curd

Honey Baked Pears like Grandma's Passover Fruit Compote but Better!

Red Bartlett Pear

In Case you never got around to trying the wonderful Baked Pears I posted a few weeks ago, it occurred to me that those would be a wonderful, modern version of the "Compote" I dreaded as a kid when seder dessert FINALLY appeared!
 
Of course, the usual thing is to poach pears in red wine, but this eliminates poaching, and its incredibly simple ingredients are easy on Passover requirements.

Incredibly Simple Baked Pears

Ripe Pears. (1/2  to one per person)
Pear Nectar (or any other fruit juice you have)
Honey
Cinnamon or Nutmeg
Optional: Piece of Vanilla bean or Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the pears, and cut them in half the long way (if you can keep the stems intact they look prettier. Taste the same).

Use a teaspoon or a melon baller to scoop out seedy core.
Arrange pear halves flat side down in baking pan.
Pour pear nectar into pan, to the depth of about an inch, or almost to the top of the pears.
Drizzle with honey, dust with spices, add optional Vanilla.

Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour until the pears are soft, and the liquid is reduced to a thick syrup.
turn off oven and leave pears in until dessert time, or use warming drawer. (Its not just for aluminum foil any more.)
Or, refrigerate pears and syrup until you need them or keep them warm in a warming draw, or rewarm before serving.

These are delicious as they are, or you can pimp them with anything you love.
Crumpled Macaroons would be a natural, Or honey cake crumbs.
Ginger and pears are a natural, so think of doing them with ginger snaps, ginger bread. Creme Fraiche. Or ice cream.

Check this out!
Chozen Ice Cream
Chozen Ice Cream

Today is good day to make Curried Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

I had a bunch of apples and squash still not spoken for on the Thanksgiving Menu,  so we decided to turn this into another Thanksgiving Side Dish, knowing that the leftovers would be easily turned into a delicious soup. In fact, lots was, and it is. So add this to the arsenal.

As a plus, it is very healthy and low in fat.

SQUASH
• 1 butternut squash, about 1-1/2 pounds, washed well
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper

APPLES
• 2 apples, cored, chopped into half-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Set oven to 375F.
Peel and seed the squash, reserving seeds.
Cut into dice-sized dice (hmmm)

Believe it or not, if you put the whole squash into the microwave for three minutes, it is amazingly easier to peel and slice
Mix the squash with  with oil (butter) and spices.
Transfer to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Combine apples, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar.
Arrange apples over the squash. Re-cover with foil, bake for another 10 minutes.
Uncover the dish, stir and bake for about another 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the squash is fully cooked and the liquid is absorbed. Check seasoning to taste.

Clean the reserved squash seeds, removing anything icky. Arrange on baking sheet in one layer, and sprinkle with more curry powder, pepper and sea salt. Bake until crisp along side the squash, making sure not to burn them.
Sprinkle over finished dish.

SOUP OPTION
Put leftovers into food processor or blender, or mash well with potato masher.
Put in saucepan and add vegetable or chicken stock till it is the thickness you want.
You can finish the soup with a swirl of cream or butter, or creme fraiche, or coconut milk
If you are very skinny or have an evil metabolism you can forget about the stock entirely and use half and half.

French Apple Cake

Simple Delicious French Apple Cake: The Aroma of Fall

When we were in France, there was a simple little apple cake at our local Patisserie, this is a good rendition of it.
It is a wonderful addition to ANY fall table, and of course, Thanksgiving is the Iconic fall table, isn't it?
I wasn't really thinking of this cake, but we have a birthday at the table this year, and Henry and I both bought apples on our daily errands, so I think you will join me in appreciating this easy, but delicious bit of France.

The batter in the springform, foil bottom.

3/4 cup  flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
4 large assorted apples, peeled and cubed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons Calvados (can sub. dark rum)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons  butter,  melted and cooled to room temperature (or Earth Balance)
(Turbinado Sugar for Sprinking if desired)


1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.
2. Heavily butter a springform pan and place it on a baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. Peel and core the apples, then dice them into 1/2 inch pieces.
5. Beat the eggs until foamy then whisk in the sugar, then rum and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, then gently stir in half of the melted butter
6. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.
7. Fold in the apple cubes until they’re well-coated with the batter and scrape them into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top a little with a spatula.
8. About 10 minutes before the cake is finished, sprinkle top with some Turbinado Sugar, or other coarse sugar if desired.
9. Bake about 55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan and carefully remove the sides of the cake pan, making sure no apples are stuck to it.
Enjoy with ice cream or whipped cream.
The cake keeps well loosely covered for three or more days.

Pumpkin Bread

Today is a great day to start Thanksgiving Prep, by baking Pumpkin Bread, or Cranberry Bread, or both!
Snack on one today, then wrap it well in foil, and freeze it for Thanksgiving, or bring it to work, or send it off to someone you love.

A couple of years ago, Amanda and I had a great time making this with Stella and Juliette. It is easy and fun to make, and totally yummy. And non-dairy, making it very versatile. The recipe makes three loaf pans if you use the disposable foil or paper ones, or two if you use full size (mine are pyrex) ones. They also work very well in muffin or mini muffin tins.
disposable paper bake pans

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16 oz can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 or 3 loaf pans depending on size.
Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin.
Sift flour, spices, baking soda and baking powder together in a large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in two additions. Mix in walnuts if using.
Divide batter equally between pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, and bread start to pull away from the side of pan, about 1 hour and 10 minutes for two breads in the large pans.
Allow to cool on racks. Can be frozen directly in disposable pans.

UPDATE:
A couple of footnotes to the above post.
First, and most important: It is often a problem getting the middle of a large pumpkin bread to cook sufficiently without the edges being overcooked. This problem is easily solved by baking it in a ring pan, such as the paper one here:

These paper baking rings are available from baking supply sources like King Arthur Baking Company.

Two: Lisa Friedland suggested adding chocolate chips, and was happy with the result, I wanted to make some of the breads without nuts for Emily, so I divided the batter. One loaf plain, one with walnuts, and one with dried cranberries and walnuts.

Stuffed Vegetables in Roasted Tomato Sauce

SUKKOT DINNER OF STUFFED VEGETABLES IN ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE and/or ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

 It is traditional to serve Stuffed Vegetables for the holiday of Sukkot. The vegetables within the vegetables represent  the bounty of the holiday. Of course, it makes sense, when the farmer's markets are overflowing with the wonders of the late summer harvest. Peppers of all colors and Scoville Units, weird squash, eggplant, cabbage, whatever.

1. Assorted heirloom tomatoes, sprinkled liberally with olive oil,  sea salt and pepper, roasted with unpeeled cloves of garlic. 450 degrees until they look like this... about 45 minutes. Cool. Slip garlic out of peels.

2. Blend tomatoes, and any of the accumulated juices in blender until smooth. The puree will be very thick. You can thin it with some water, milk, cream, chicken stock, or tomato juice.  This is a wonderful thing as the base of a soup or a pasta sauce.  See the end of the post for a picture of it as a soup with fresh basil. (I always ask the guys at the farm stands for their ugliest tomatoes, and store as much as I can of this at the end of the summer)

3. Prepare an assortment of vegetables into cute little containers for stuffing. I used a variety of squash and peppers. Some of the peppers were actually quite hot, and they turned out to be the most popular players on the team.  Hollow out the squash with a small spoon or a melon baller, leaving a good shell of about 1/4 inch all around. Prop them up in a baking pan.

4. Prepare stuffing.

For this you can use any stuffing that you like. Be creative or be safe. Saute the chopped up flesh of the squash and pepper trimmings with onions, peppers, and any other vegetables you like/have (certainly: celery, carrots etc.). To this you can add some partially-cooked rice (brown, jasmine, whatever) couscous, quinoa, bread cubes. or bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and fresh herbs. Mix in a half- cup or so of the roasted tomato mixture for moisture and seasoning. For this dish,

I used some of the house made Spicy Tunisian Sausages that I found at the  Kosher Marketplace in NYC, removed from the casings, crumbled, and cooked, so I will not be adding cheese, but you can do it your own way. I have done this with cubes of cheddar and it was delicious. Cook it all up and let it cool off enough to handle.

5. Carefully fill up the vegetables with the stuffing mixture, and gently pour enough of the the thinned tomato sauce around the vegetables so it comes about half way up the vegetables.

6. Cover well and seal up with foil, and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until its all bubbly and the squash and peppers are tender.

BONUS:

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP:

Look above for a picture of the Roasted Tomato Soup that I made from the same process as the sauce. Idea: make up a super size batch of the roasted tomato puree, and be all ready for the next dinner or lunch. This soup ROCKS, and if you eat it you will practically live forever, what with all that lycopene, and all the goodness from the phenols in the olive oil and the cardio-protectiveness of the flavanoids in the fresh basil. Now for the SUPER health/taste treat, add on these Kale Chips-- so delicious floating on top of that soup. Try this even if you (like me) think you don't like kale.

For the soup, Roast the Tomatoes as above- puree very well in the blender.

Add chicken stock, vegetable stock, water, cream or milk to thin to your liking.

Thicker soup is heartier, more rustic, great for lunch with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Thinned with chicken stock it is rich and velvety, refined enough for a dinner party.

Kale Chips:

Wash kale (any kind, or collards, or whatever leafy green thing calls your name from the farmstand or the bins at Whole Foods). and remove the heavy stems. Spread out in one layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with about a Tablespoon of olive oil and some sea salt, and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. You do have to watch it, the timing is approximate, because I have found that each batch of kale seems to cook differently. You want it crisp, like a potato chip.