or chocolate chips. You've now pictured
your own desserts.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE
12 oz. bittersweet or semisweet choco-
late (not unsweetened), chopped (or
about 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or mar-
garine, cut into pieces
7 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Use butter or
margarine to grease a 9-inch-diameter
spring-form pan. Place the pan on a sheet
of parchment or wax paper and trace a
circle around the pan with a pencil. Use
scissors to cut the paper just inside the
line and place the circle of paper in pan.
Butter the paper.
Combine chocolate and butter in a
microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high,
uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove from
oven and stir until smooth. If the choco-
late is not completely melted, cook for 30
seconds more.
Alternately, cook the chocolate and
butter in a medium saucepan over low
heat until melted, stirring constantly until
smooth. Set aside.
Meanwhile, beat egg yolks and half
the sugar in large bowl with an electric
mixer until mixture is very, thick and light
in color. Beat in the vanilla. Use a rubber
spatula to fold in the chocolate mixture.
Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites
until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in the
remaining sugar and continue beating
until the whites are stiff Use a rubber
spatula to fold the egg whites into the
chocolate mixture.
Transfer the mixture to prepared pan
and bake for 50-60 minutes (the cake
will rise, then sink as it cools — this is
normal). Run a knife around the edge of
the pan and remove the collar from the
spring-form pan.
Chill the cake until ready to serve.
Sprinkle the cake with cocoa powder
before serving. Alternately, turn the cake
over onto a serving plate and carefully pry
off the metal bottom and peel off the wax
paper. Makes 12 servings.
MERINGUE CRUST OR NESTS
3 egg whites
1/8 t. salt
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 250F.
For round crust: Use butter or mar-
garine to grease a 9-inch-diameter spring-
form pan. Place the pan on a sheet of
parchment or wax paper and trace a circle
around the pan with a pencil. Use scissors
to cut the paper just inside the line and
place the circle of paper in pan. Butter
the paper. Set aside.
For piecrust: Grease a 9-inch pie dish.
Set aside.
Beat the egg whites until frothy. Add
the salt and beat the egg whites until stiff
Gradually beat in the sugar. Spread the
meringue into the prepared pan or pie
dish.
Bake for 75-90 minutes, until dry and
hard to the touch. Cool completely
before filling or topping with your
favorite topping. Makes 6-8 servings.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
10 oz. bittersweet (not unsweetened)
or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold margarine,
cut into pieces (or butter for dairy)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup nondairy creamer (or half-
and-half for dairy)
Combine all ingredients in a medium
saucepan over medium heat, stirring fre-
quently until mixture is smooth. Chill for
1-2 hours, until cool and thickened.
Whip with a whisk or electric mixer until
fluffy. Makes 2-1/2 cups of frosting.
DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
1/2 cup whole milk or nondairy
creamer
2 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup bittersweet or semisweet
chocolate, chopped (or use chips)
1 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. salt
Whisk milk, egg yolks and 2 table-
spoons sugar in small saucepan over low
heat and stir constantly until mixture is
thick, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from
heat and add chocolate, stirring until
melted and smooth. Set aside.
Beat egg whites in a large bowl until
soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the salt
and remaining sugar until stiff.
Fold chocolate into the whites and
transfer the mixture to a serving bowl or
into 8 small individual dessert cups or
wine glasses. Chill for 3 or more hours,
or up to a day ahead. Makes 8 servings.
PECAN CRUST
Use for cheesecake, tarts, bars or pies.
1 1/3 cup matzah cake flour or meal
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans
3 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup ice water
Make crust: Position rack in center of
oven and preheat to 375F. Combine all
ingredients except butter in the bowl of a
food processor and pulse until crumbly
and combined.
Pesach Cream Puffs-
With the motor running, add water, a
drop at a time, until the dough is just
combined (do not overprocess). Wrap the
dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1
hour, up to 2 days.
Pinch off pieces of the dough and
press into a pie dish or individual tart
pans. Add pieces of crust to the edge and
pinch or crimp into thicker edge.
Use a fork to make several holes in the
crust. Bake crust until edge of crust is
beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and fill with filling of
choice and bake as any other piecrust, or
bake until about dry and golden. Cool
completely before filling with your
favorite unbaked filling.
PESACH CREAM PUFFS
1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine,
cut into pieces
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 cup matzah cake flour or meal
4 large eggs
Preheat oven to 400E Line a baking
sheet with parchment paper or nonstick
cooking spray and set aside.
Combine water, margarine, sugar and
salt in medium saucepan over medium-
high heat. Bring to a boil. Add cake meal
and stir with wooden spoon until the
mixture is very thick, about 1 minute.
Remove from heat and transfer the
mixture to a medium bowl. Mix in eggs
1 at a time, beat until smooth after each
egg.
Use a spoon to form 8-12 mounds on
the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15
minutes. Turn the trays around and bake
another 20-30 minutes, until puffed and
firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and pierce the
pastry with a sharp knife (this allows the
steam to escape). Can be made up to a
week ahead and frozen until ready to eat
and reheated at 375F to re-crisp.
Cut the puffs in half horizontally and
fill with ice cream, sorbet, fresh fruit,
whipped cream or filling of choice.
Makes 8-12 cream puffs.
RASPBERRY SAUCE
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries,
thawed (not in syrup)
Combine sugar and water in a small-
saucepan over medium-high heat and
bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dis-
solved. Allow the syrup to cool for 10
minutes or more.
Place the raspberries in food processor
or blender. Pour the sugar syrup over and
process or blend until smooth. Strain, if
desired, to remove seeds. Chill until ready
to serve. Makes 1 1/2 cups of sauce. ❑
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