Chocolate Soufflé Cake

Makes 12 -14 servings . 

This flowerless, light, chocolaty dessert is truly delicious.  I love to serve it with Crème Chantilly.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for buttering the pan

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour  

• 8 ounces high quality imported semi-sweet chocolate 

• 6 eggs at room temperature (See Note)

• Scant ½ cup sugar

• 6 tablespoons cornstarch 

CRÈME CHANTILLY :

• 2 cups heavy cream, chilled

• 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or other liquor

PREPARATION:

1. Grease a 9 by 2 ½-inch spring form pan with butter and dust with flour. Invert pan and tap to shake off excess.     

2. Melt the butter and cool to lukewarm. 

3. Break chocolate into small pieces and melt in a double boiler. Cool, add the butter and combine well. 

4. Preheat oven to 350F.

5. In an electric mixer, at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Very gradually add the sugar and beat until stiff.  

6. Lower the speed to medium, add 1 egg yolk at a time and continue beating for 3 minutes.  

7. Spoon cornstarch into a sifter and sift half of it over the batter along with half of the chocolate.   Fold with a large rubber spatula making a motion like a figure 8 and scraping the batter from the sides and BOTTOM of bowl.

8. Repeat with the remaining cornstarch and chocolate. Be sure the final batter is well combined.

9. Pour batter into the prepared pan, distributing it evenly.  

10. Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes. The inside of the cake will be moist and the center will appear loose.

11.  Cool on a wire rack.  

12. Remove the rim. Loosen the bottom with a metal spatula and invert onto a platter. The bottom will now be the top.    

TO MAKE CRÈME CHANTILLY:

1. I recommend beating the cream in a metal bowl which I chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. The colder the bowl, the less likely the cream will separate, especially if the bowl is prepared in advance. 

2. When the cream begins to take shape, add the sugar and continue beating at high speed until almost firm. With a rubber spatula fold in the liquor. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.

NOTE:

I separate the eggs while they are cold. This prevents the yolks from breaking.

Noodle Cheese Kugel

Makes 8-10 servings . 

This is another version of a cheese kugel which I like to serve on Shavuot or at any other time. It is a simple oven to table light dessert.  

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ pound medium egg noodles (See Note)

• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 15 ounces unsalted farmer cheese (See Note)

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

• ¼ cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted

• Ground cinnamon

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

2. Bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a medium covered pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt, all the noodles at once and stir. Boil briskly, uncovered for 3 minutes. The noodles should be undercooked. Drain, refresh with cold water and drain well again.  

3. Grease a 9x9x2 oven proof dish with some of the melted butter. 

4. In a large bowl mix very well the remaining butter, sour cream, sugar, farmer cheese and egg yolks.

5. Add the noodles, and almonds, combine well.

6. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the noodle mixture. 

7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Smooth the top, dust with cinnamon and bake for 45 minutes.

NOTE:

Egg noodles are easily available. I use the Manischewitz  brand, which comes in ¾ pound packages.

I use Friendship unsalted farmer cheese, which comes in 7.5 ounce packages.

Honey Nut Balls

Makes about 6 dozen cookies. 

Easy to make, nutritious and not too sweet, these treats keep well refrigerated or frozen for a long time. 

I store them in a tight-fitting container with wax paper in between the layers.

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ pound almonds, about 2 cups

• ½ pound walnuts, about 2½ cups

• Grated rind of 1 lemon

• Grated rind of 1 orange

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• ½ cup honey

• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature, whisked

• ¾-1 cup flour

• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting the cookies

PREPARATION:

1. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

2. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

3. Roast almonds and walnuts in a single layer for about 10 minutes.  

4. Reduce the oven to 250F. 

5. Chop the nuts coarsely, SEPERATELY IN BATCHES, in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

6. Transfer to a bowl with the rinds, juices, honey and egg whites. Mix well.

7. Add flour gradually, mixing with a wooden spoon to form a thick, but not stiff mixture.  

8. Roll generous teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls between damp (not wet) palms. You will have to rinse your hands from time to time. Place on the cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes, until the tops feel firm to the touch. 

9. Cool on a wire rack and dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Apple Tart

Makes 9 servings. 

I like to make this tart in a square pan and cut it into square slices. The tart does not get soggy even after a few days; there is very little in the filling to create moisture.  

It is quite convenient to have the shell prebaked, frozen and ready to be filled.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all -purpose flour  

• 1/3 cup sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 8 tablespoon unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces

• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

FILLING:

• 3-4 medium Golden Delicious apples 

GLAZE:

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

• ½ teaspoon almond extract

• 1/3 cup apricot preserve

PREPARATION: 

1. Line a 9x9 inches square baking pan with parchment paper.  

2. Place the flour, sugar and lemon zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until combined.

3. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Pulse until the dough clings to the blade.

4. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.  

5. Roll out the dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of wax paper to a square shape. Peel off the top sheet of wax paper and drape the dough very loosely over the rolling pin and unfold into the pan.    

6. Pat dough gently into the sides of the pan making sure that there is a little raised rim (the dough is very malleable. Do not worry if the dough cracks, you can fix it in the pan with your fingers). Prick the bottom of the crust in several rows with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.   

7. Preheat the oven to 375F 

8. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with rice or beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove everything and bake for another 13 minutes, or until the crust is golden.  I like to freeze the prebaked shell and fill it as needed. 

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

1. Peel, quarter and core the apples.

2. Cut each quarter into 5 wedges.

3. Arrange the apples on the dough in three very tight rows. 

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:

1. In a small pan heat the butter, almond extract and apricot preserve.

2. Brush the glaze over the apples and sprinkle the almonds on top.

3. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the apples are soft, but not falling apart.   

4. Serve warm.

Pear Cobbler

Makes 6 servings. 

I make this dessert, which is both gluten free and easy to make, in the winter when pears are at their best.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 tablespoons pareve chilled margarine or butter cut into ½ inch cubes, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the ramekins.

• ¾ cup ground almond flour with skin (See Note)

• ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats

• 1/3 cup sugar

• ½ cup blanched sliced almonds

• 3 medium-ripe Bosc pears

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. 

2. Grease six ½ cup ramekins with 1 tablespoon of the margarine/butter and place on a cookie sheet.

3.  In a large bowl combine almond flour, the rolled oats, sugar and almonds.

4. Add the margarine/butter and mash with a fork to a coarse texture. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

5. Peel, core and cut the pears into small cubes.  Place the fruit in a medium bowl and toss with the lemon zest and lemon juice. 

6. Spread the fruit in the bottom of the ramekins and spread the crumble over the fruit. Cover with cling wrap.  You can do this step ahead of time and bake it straight from the refrigerator.  

7. Bake the cobbler for about 20 minutes, the topping should be light brown. Serve warm.

NOTE:

I use Bob’s Red Mill ground, not blanched almond flour.