Monday, April 13, 2020

PASSOVER CAKE - A Traditional Favorite

A Passover Traditional Favorite, we make this every year. We use the leftover matzo meal. It is easy to make, but actually, I make it because it brings back wonderful memories of my Grandma Rose. She gave me this recipe over 45 years ago. She was quite a remarkable woman, in her time, opinionated, independent and always well-dressed and elegant. 

The recipe itself is very straight forward and I must admit, for sentimental reasons, I kept the recipe in her original handwriting, it is attached below. 

  • You will need two bowls, one large bowl for the egg yolks, etc.
  • The other bowl large enough to beat the egg whites until stiff in. 
  • You can use a hand mixer or large Kitchenaid type mixer, both work.
  • A rubber spatula works great to fold in the stiff egg whites.
  • A large high sided bundt pan (greased).

Ingredients:
*9 medium-sized eggs (separated)
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1 lemon rind - grated
1/2 cup lemon or orange juice

1 cup matzo meal
1/4 cup potato starch or potato flour
A dash of salt.

*(due to the egg shortage I only used 7 medium-sized eggs)

Preparation:
In the large bowl with the well-beaten egg yolks (the yellow), Add the sugar.
Mix well (by hand).
Add the grated lemon rind and the lemon or orange juice.
Mix well (by hand).
Sift the matzo meal, potato starch, and salt together.
Add it to the egg yolk mixture.
Mix by hand.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until they are stiff.

Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites (by hand with a rubber spatula).
Be careful not to overmix, but the mixture should be uniform.
Pour into a high sided lightly greased bundt cake mold.
Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour, check it, it may need more time in the oven depending on the size of your pan.
[The cake rises quite a bit so be sure whatever pan your using has high enough sides to allow for the cake to rise.]

Dust with powdered sugar to serve.
 
A 7-egg cake

Grandma Rose's original handwritten recipe
PS After tasting this lovely fluffy cake it occurred to me that I might consider adding 1/4 cup of ground coconut, it just might enhance the flavor even more.
What do you think?

  



Tuesday, April 7, 2020

PASSOVER ROLLS - a tried and true recipe


Hi - I'm back!!!

Passover is a time when we use traditional recipes to celebrate this special holiday. 

I cannot say enough nice things about the recipe - it's easy, simple and fast. But what makes it special is that it was given to me many years ago by my sister Jerri-Ann and it has become a family tradition and an essential part of our family's Passover Celebration. 

This year, because of the Corona Virus quarantine we only made one batch; every year, when we are invited to a Passover Seder we make about 4 batches.

Preparation time: 

  • 15 minutes to prepare the mixture
  • 40-45 minutes to bake at F375 / C180

You will need a medium-sized pot for mixing all of the ingredients and a lightly greased cookies sheet.

[The amounts given below are for one batch of about 8-10 rolls.]

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of oil (canola)
1 cup of water
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of matzo meal
3 eggs (medium size are okay)

Preparation:
Add into the pot - the water, salt, oil and sugar.
Bring to a boil.
Remove the pot from the heat.
Add the matza meal.
Mix well (the mixture will be hard to stir).
Let cool a bit.
Start adding the eggs - One by One.
Mix each egg in thoroughly (I use a soup spoon to mix with)
After the last egg mix again to be sure you have an even mixture.

Drop by the soup spoonful, onto the cookie sheet, leaving space between each - they actually puff up.


See how they fluff up!!
Bake for 40-45 minutes at F375 / C180.

Makes 8-10 depending on the size.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me!!!