A Sweet and Unleavened Passover


In the Jewish tradition, Passover (Pesach) begins at sundown on March 27 and continues through sundown April 4. The name comes from the miracle in which God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague. Passover is a celebration of spring, of birth and rebirth, of a journey from slavery to freedom, and of taking responsibility for yourself, the community, and the world. Because the Israelites had no time to let their bread rise as they hurriedly left Egypt, Jewish law forbids eating any food that contains leavened grains.  As a result of this, Jewish people eat matzah during Passover.  Matzah is unleavened flatbread (pictured below).  In light of Passover, Rob chose two recipes for this weekend's bake.


Chocolate-Matzo Layer Cake by Team Tasting Table

https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/matzo-passover-chocolate-cake-recipe   

Recipe adapted from 'Traditional Jewish Baking,' by Carine Goren

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

1¾ cups (11 ounces) chopped dark chocolate

2 cups heavy cream, divided

1 cup warm coffee

5 matzo sheets

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the dark chocolate with 1¼ cups of the heavy cream. Heat on high in the microwave oven until melted, 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk to a homogenous cream. Let cool to room temperature. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture for the frosting.

2. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the remaining ¾ cup of heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold into the chocolate mixture until incorporated.

3. Pour the coffee into a wide, flat tray. Dip each matzo sheet in the coffee for 30 seconds per side.

4. Arrange a layer of coffee-soaked matzo on the bottom of a serving tray and top with a quarter of the chocolate mousse. Repeat until you have layered all of the matzo and chocolate mousse, ending with a top layer of matzo. Cover the top layer of matzo with the reserved chocolate frosting.

5. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to let the chocolate set and the matzo soften. The next day, cut into squares and serve cold.



Matzo Crack from The Spruce Eats

https://www.thespruceeats.com/matzo-crack-4581250

Ingredients

  • 5 pieces matzo (lightly-salted variety)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed)
  • 1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup pecans (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

Directions

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place a sheet of parchment paper over the bottom. Lay out the matzo in one even layer over the baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

Heat the butter and brown sugar in a large saucepan on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once it reaches a boil, continue stirring for five minutes. Remove from the heat. 
 
Pour the toffee mixture over the top of the matzo and spread it evenly until it completely covers the matzo. 
 
Place the baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes until the top of the toffee is bubbly and deep brown. 
 
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the toffee immediately after taking it out of the oven. Allow the chips to sit on the toffee until they have softened. Spread the chips into an even layer over the top of the matzo toffee. 
 
Sprinkle the top of the chocolate with chopped pecans and sea salt while it's still warm and soft so that the nuts will stick. Allow the candy to cool in the refrigerator for 10 to 20 minutes. 
 
Break the matzo up into desired shapes and sizes. You can also cut the matzo into neat squares.  
 

These unleavened sweet treats taste wonderful.  Rob certainly put a spin on the Passover treats he grew up eating.
 
Thank you for spending time with our blog.  To those of you who celebrate this holiday, Cheg Sameach (happy holiday) and a Zissen Pesach (sweet Passover).   Rob and Linda
 

 

Break the matzo up into desired shapes and sizes. You can also cut the matzo into neat squares.


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