Passover 2013

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My Hybrid Charoset

Well, better late than never, I say. We’re having first Seder at my friend Debbie’s, but will have 18 for second Seder at our house.

Here’s the menu:

  • Wine
  • Matzo
  • Gefilte Fish, Horseradish
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Saltwater
  • Charoset
  • Relish Tray
  • Jon’s Chicken Soup & Matzo balls
  • Roast Chicken
  • Crispy onion potato kugel (from The Gefilte Variations)
  • Fresh broccoli salad
  • Frozen lemon torte
  • Mocha pudding cake
  • Passover Strudel Roll (from A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking)
  • Decaf Coffee

Most of you know that my charoset recipe was featured in the Tallahassee Democrat last year. For those of you that don’t have a copy of the recipe, I’ve added it below:

Barbara’s Hybrid Charoset

A food processor is very helpful for preparation. Make at least 1 day in advance.

  • 10 oz package pitted dates, chopped fine
  • 6 oz (or similar) package dried apricots, chopped fine
  • 6 oz (or simiar) dried figs (remove any stems)
  • 10 oz pitted dried plums, chopped fine
  • 1 cup baking or jumbo red flame raisins, chopped
  • 3 small or 2 medium apples, cored and chopped fine
  • 1 cup pecans (or other nut of choice), chopped fine
  • 1 can dark sweet cherries, drained and rinsed (Oregon brand uses no corn syrup and therefore is safe for Passover)
  • juice and grated rind of one large orange
  • 1/4 tupelo honey
  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup white passover wine or grape juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon EACH: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, dried ginger, coriander, cardamon

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Taste and adjust spices to suit. Refrigerate for a day or overnight. Check moisture level the next morning, adding more wine, grape juice or orange juice if mixture seems too dry.

Post-Seder uses for this haroset:

  • Serve with mazto brei and sour cream
  • Spread Passover cream cheese and haroset on matzo or a Passover ‘roll’ for a delicious lunch
  • Mix with cream cheese and stuff celery sticks
  • Great on Passover pancakes
  • Mix with coconut and Passover cookie crumbs and form into ‘truffles’

 

Butterscotch Pecan Bars

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Butterscotch Pecan Bars

Adapted from the classic magic cookie / 5 layer bars recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cornflake crumbs
  • 1/4 light brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter melted (salted or unsalted, your choice)
  • 1 12 oz package butterscotch chips
  • 1 small package flaked coconut
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

 Equipment

  • 9×13 cake pan, bottom lined with parchment paper, with overhang. Spray exposed pan lightly with no-stick spray
  • Measuring cups
  • Bowl
  • Rubber spatula/scraper
  • ‘Church Key’ can opener
  • Firm plastic (or other non-stick) spatula
  • Heavy knife or baker’s bench knife (my fave tool)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a bowl combine cornflake crumbs and brown sugar, mix thoroughly to evenly distribute sugar. Add melted butter and stir to combine. Pour crumb mixture into the prepared pan and using the rubber spatula, press into an even layer to form the bottom crust.

In order, layer these ingredients evenly over the crust: chips, coconut, chopped pecans.

Open the can of sweetened condensed milk with the opener – one small hole and one big hole. Drizzle the milk over the entire pan of ‘stuff’. You should be able to completely cover every bit with the milk.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set and the top is barely golden.

Let cool on a rack for about 15 minutes. Using the firm spatula, loosen the sides of the cookie from the exposed sides of the pan. Leave in the pan until completely cooled.

If necessary, use the firm spatula to make sure the cookie hasn’t reattached itself to the pan. Using the overhang of parchment paper, lift the cooled cookie out of the pan.

Cut into 1 to 1 1/2″ squares.

Next time, I might sprinkle these with a teensy bit of kosher salt for that salt-caramel ‘thing’. If you try that, let me know!

Nondairy Dessert Challenge

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We recently discovered that Kidlet has followed in his parents footsteps and is lactose intolerant. Although there are a number of lactose free frozen dessert options out there, they can get pretty pricey. I adapted a recipe from the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Cookbook to see if I could create a tasty frozen dessert at home. We liked how this turned out – good coconut flavor, not too sweet and the texture was similar to ice milk.

For the Base:

2 eggs whisked until pale yellow
Slowly add 3/4 cup sugar and continue whisking.
Whisk in 3 cups Silk Vanilla Coconut Milk and one envelope coconut cream powder. (you can purchase coconut cream powder at a well-stocked Asian or Thai market)

Chill the base for 4-6 hours in the fridge and the churn in your ice cream machine as directed by the manufacturer. Before it comes out of the churn, add in 1/4-1/3 cup toasted unsweetened coconut and a similar amount of chopped or grated good quality dark chocolate. I use Bob’s Red Mill unsweetened coconut.

Decant into a freezer safe container and let rest in the freezer for several hours.

Scoop up and enjoy!