KOH-NECTION

LEAVEN CAN WAIT

Mosaic Law Passover publication 1997 – © Evie Lieb

BAKED STUFFED PEARS

4 servings

Butter or parve margarine

4 firm-ripe shapely unblemished pears, with stems

1 C mixed chopped dried fruit and nuts

¼ C honey

¼ C butter or parve margarine, softened

1 tsp cinnamon

Set oven to 350°. (You can vary the baking temperature a little if you are doing the pears in the oven with something else; adjust timing accordingly.)

Select an ovenproof dish that will hold the pears comfortably without their falling over. Lightly coat the dish with butter or margarine. Using a melon scoop, remove the core of each pear from the bottom, enlarging the cavity to accommodate the stuffing. If any of the pear are “tipsy”, trim a piece off the bottom to be sure they stay upright while baking.

Combine the fruit-nut mixture with the honey, softened butter or margarine and cinnamon. Fill the pear cavities with the stuffing. Place the pears in the dish and put any remaining stuffing around them.

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Bosc pears, especially, seem to take a little longer to bake. If the stuffing in the dish begins to brown too much, add a little fruit juice or Passover wine.

These are good warm, room temperature, or chilled. With a dairy meal (or if you do not observe Kashrut) you can “gild the lily” by serving heavy cream as an accompaniment.

You can prepare this recipe with apples, too. Core from the bottom and enlarge cavity. Remove stem and pare a circle of peel from the top. Cover during the first ½ hour of baking. These will take at least 45 minutes.

COCONUT MACAROONS

Ideas from Joyce Goldstein and Wolfgang Puck were the starting points for this recipe.

about 40 cookies

4 C unsweetened medium-shred coconut

4 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar, slightly rounded

1 vanilla bean

½ C dried apricots, cut into ¼” dice

briefly soaked in hot water and drained

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (optional)

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly toast the coconut for about 8 minutes on a baking sheet, stirring once or twice. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or Exopat.

Lower oven temperature to 275° (210° for convection oven).

Place egg whites and sugar in mixer bowl and set over pan of simmering water. Whisk together until mixture is warm. Transfer bowl to mixer and using whisk attachment beat until whites form stiff peaks. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the bowl and beat them in.

Mix the drained apricot pieces with the toasted coconut and fold into the beaten whites. Using a #60 scoop, place mounds of the mixture 2” apart on the prepared pans, staggering the rows. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until set, dry on the outside, and just barely starting to color. (Mine take 23 minutes.) Remove paper with macaroons to cooling rack, or carefully transfer cookies from pan liner if you are going to re-use it.

If you want to decorate the cookies with sprinkled chocolate, decorate them WHILE HOT with the grated chocolate. For an elegant “black and white” look, wait until the macaroons have cooled, melt the chopped chocolate, and dip half of each cookie into it. Place on parchment-lined sheet to dry. (It may seem as if they’ll never dry, but they will!)

Store at room temperature in a covered container (not air-tight). They will keep for at least 4 days this way. They can be frozen in an airtight container.

TROPICAL LIME TORTE

Serves 12 - 16 (amounts in brackets for larger group)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Melt ¼ C unsalted butter. Use some to butter a 9”x3” springform or loose-bottom pan. Combine remaining butter with

1 C flaked sweetened coconut

1 C finely chopped toasted almonds

2 TBSP granulated sugar

Make the crust by pressing this mixture first about 2” up the sides of the prepared pan, and then filling in the bottom. Use a straight-sided pan or glass to press the crust firmly and evenly in place. Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on rack to cool.

Scrub 2 [3] unblemished green limes and remove the zest with a zester. Chop the zest into very small pieces and reserve.

In a medium-sized heavy saucepan sprinkle

1 [1½] TBSP kosher unflavored gelatin OR

1 envelope [1 env. + 1 tsp] unflavored gelatin over

€ [½] C fresh-squeezed strained lime juice

Allow to sit until gelatin softens.

In separate bowl beat 4 [6] eggs; add to juice in pan along with

1 ½ [2 ¼] C sugar

3 [4 ½] TBSP softened butter
⅛ [¼] tsp salt

¼ [⅜] C rum or flavored brandy

Stir with whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and will coat a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and strain into large metal bowl. Stir in the reserved lime peel and a drop or 2 of green food coloring (optional).

Beat 1 ½ [2 ¼ ] C heavy cream until it mounds softly—do not overbeat! Chill

the cooked mixture over ice until it is thoroughly cool, then fold in the whipped cream. Turn filling into the prepared crust. Freeze for at least 3 hours. Remove from pan and serve frozen OR allow to soften ½ hour in refrigerator after removing from pan. Decorate with toasted coconut and/or whipped cream lightly sweetened with vanilla sugar.

This dessert can be prepared without the crust and served in individual ramekins or foil paper cups (serve frozen in the latter instance).

MINI PRALINE CHEESECAKES

This recipe will make abut 20 “midget”* cheesecakes or 8 “cupcakes”

In muffin pan or on rimmed baking sheet set out foil cupcake papers of the size and number you want to make. Prepare the crust:

In processor fitted with steel blade process until nuts are finely chopped:

¾ C crumbs from packaged Passover mandel cuts

3 TBSP chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

3 TBSP sugar

Pulse in 3 TBSP melted unsalted butter

Place 1 TBSP crumb mixture in each paper muffin cup or 1 tsp in mini ones. (You may have some mixture left over. Keep in freezer for future use.) Using a flat surface the same size as bottom of foil cup, press crust down firmly. Preheat oven to 325°.

Prepare the filling: Combine in clean processor bowl with steel blade:

9 oz. cream cheese (can use reduced fat kind)

½ C golden brown sugar

2 extra-large eggs

½ tsp sweet white Passover wine flavored with vanilla bean

Process until smooth. Divide mixture among prepared cups, filling ¾ full or a little more. (They’ll puff up and then sink after baking, leaving room for the topping.) Bake about 20 minutes, or until cakes seem a little soft in middle and firm around edges. Remove to rack and allow to cool.

Prepare topping, using amounts in brackets for mini-cheesecakes. Combine in small heavy saucepan ½ [3/4] C heavy cream

½ [3/4] C golden brown sugar

Bring to a full boil and boil 1 minute. Add

½ [3/4] C toasted pecan pieces

Spoon rounded TBSP topping [2 tsp] on each cheesecake. Chill until ready to serve. These can be prepared several days ahead and can be frozen for longer storage.

* Midget papers have bottom diameter of 1 ½” and are 1” deep. Laminated paper is preferred for both sizes to achieve neater finished product.

As alternative topping try fresh berries glazed with melted, strained jam.

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE PIE

This recipe originated with crust from Baker’s chocolate and filling from a recipe by Steven Raichlen in an old COOK’S magazine.

8 Servings

PIE SHELL

4 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

2 TBSP very hot water

Parve margarine or Crisco

4 eggs, separated

¾ tsp sweet white Passover wine flavored with vanilla bean

€ C sugar + extra for pie plate

Coat a 9” Pyrex pie plate with margarine and sprinkle with sugar. Preheat oven to 350°.

Place the chocolate and 2 TBSP hot water in a metal bowl over hot water; hold over hot water until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the egg yolks and the flavored wine.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually adding the sugar, continue beating until stiff and glossy. Add about ¼ of the whites to the melted chocolate to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Turn the mixture into the prepared pie plate and smooth the top; avoid getting the chocolate on the rim of the dish. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until just set.

Cool on rack, where you will observe that the very high “cake” will sink in the middle! This will make room for the filling, so do not despair. Place in refrigerator while preparing the filling.

FILLING:

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted

1 C sugar

¼ C water

¾ C egg whites (about 6)

¼ tsp cider vinegar

Chocolate curls for garnish (optional)

Stir the chocolate until smooth and keep barely warm over hot water.

Place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer, placed near the stovetop and fitted with whisk beater.

In a small heavy saucepan combine the ¼ C water with ½ C of the sugar. Bring to a boil, swirling pan to dissolve the sugar. Cook until syrup reaches 240° on a candy thermometer (or broad-range instant-read thermometer).

While syrup is cooking (it will take a few minutes), beat the whites until foamy, then add the vinegar. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form, then beat in the remaining ½ C sugar until mixture is stiff and glossy. Beat the hot sugar syrup into the beaten whites, avoiding pouring the liquid directly into the beater or onto the sides of the bowl, where it may harden. After all syrup in incorporated, continue to beat until meringue is no longer warm. Fold in the melted chocolate; the meringue will deflate considerably, but will remain creamy and smooth.

Turn the filling into the prepared shell and smooth the top. It may be quite full, but meringue should be firm enough not to run over the sides or onto the rim. Decorate with chocolate curls if desired and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can also freeze the dessert and serve it frozen.

This can be prepared at least a day ahead. You could serve with a sweetened berry purée for added color and flavor.

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