PASSOVER DESSERTS THAT MELT IN YOUR MOUTH

SARINA ROFÉE

I ALWAYS LOVE TO FIND NEW RECIPES, ESPECIALLY DESSERT RECIPES FOR PASSOVER. NEW TO ME ITEMS ON STORE SHELVES—LIKE ALMOND FLOUR AND ALMOND MILK, MAKE IT EASIER THAN EVER TO BAKE NEW DESSERTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS. THE TRUTH IS ALMOND FLOUR CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR FLOUR IN ALMOST ANY RECIPE. THE ALMOND FLOUR GIVES COOKIES A CHEWY, YET SLIGHTLY CRUNCHY TEXTURE.

Even if you are away for the holidays, you will find these recipes easy to prepare. My Meringue Chocolate Cake is rich but not sweet and the marble look on top looks sophisticated. It doesn’t take a lot to achieve this masterpiece. Almond Flour Thumbprint cookies are made with just six simple ingredients. I like them because they don’t require a mixer, looks beautiful and the ingredients are simple. They’re festive and perfect for the holidays. The Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies are awesome with that after dinner mint tea or to take as a snack with a brown bag lunch. My Nut-Covered Cookies use more traditional Passover baking ingredients.

MERINGUE CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients
10 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 TBS neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado
¼ C strong coffee
1 ½ tsp salt
5 large eggs separated, at room temperature
1 C sugar, divided
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ almond flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush 9 inch springform with oil, cover with parchment paper, and
   brush parchment paper with oil.
2. In a heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water, add chocolate, oil coffee,
   and salt. The bowl should not touch the water. Use a rubber spatula to stir occasionally until the
   chocolate is melted and smooth.
3. Remove from heat and add egg yolks, vanilla and ¼ C sugar. Whisk to combine. Add almond
   flour and continue whisking. Add ¼ C water and whisk. Mixture should look smooth and glossy.
4. In mixer, whisk egg whites on low speed with a dash of salt until frothy. Increase speed to
   medium high for about 30 seconds until foamy and opaque looking. Gradually add in ¾ C sugar
   in slow stream. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.
   Meringue should be glossy.
5. Reserve 1 C meringue and set aside. Fold the remaining meringue a little at a time into
   chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Take the remaining meringue and dollop spoonfuls
   on top of chocolate mixture. Use a knife or chopstick to swirl into batter and create the marble
   effect.
6. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Loosen sides if stuck. Let cool
   in pan.

ALMOND FLOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Ingredients
¾ C unsalted butter
¾ C brown sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Egg and 1 yolk
3 C blanched almond flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ C semisweet chocolate chips

1. Beat butter and sugar together using a mixer until soft and well blended.
2. Add vanilla, egg, yolk and combine with mixer.
3. Blend dry ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to loosen. Mix into butter mixture and fold in
   chips. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
5. Place dough on cookie sheet in spoonful, separating by a few inches in rows.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes.

ALMOND FLOUR THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Ingredients
1 C finely ground almond flour
3 TBS softened butter
3 TBS maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3 TBS jam, homemade or store-bought

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix almond flour, softened butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a small bowl until a
   cohesive dough forms.
3. Roll a tablespoon of dough into balls. Place the dough on the baking sheet and use your
   thumb or finger to create a thumbprint in the middle of each cookie. Add 1/2-1 teaspoon of
   jam to the indentation.
4. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until they start to turn golden brown on the bottom.
   Remove from tray to cool.

NUT-COVERED COOKIES
Ingredients
2 eggs
2 TBS potato starch
1 C cake meal
½ C oil
¾ C sugar
½ C chopped nuts
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cocoa powder
Directions

1. Beat eggs and sugar.
2. Add oil, cake meal and potato starch
3. Let stand in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
4. Form into 1-inch balls; roll in chopped nuts
5. Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and sugar to the chopped nuts.
6. Add 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to the doughBake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 20 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from oven and cool.
   
   Sarina Roffé is author of Branching Out from Sepharad (NY, Sephardic Heritage Project, 2017); Backyard Kitchen: Mediterranean Salads (NY, Sephardic Heritage Project, 2016), and Backyard Kitchen: the Min Course (NY, Sephardic Heritage Project, 2020). Visit her website sarinassephardiccuisine.com.