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FOOD

A Tasty Ending

Some great desserts to conclude the holiday meal.

Annabel Cohen
Special to the Jewish News

batter and beat until just combined (the
batter will be thick). Transfer the batter to
the prepared pan and bake 75 minutes.
Remove cake from oven and allow it to
cool in pan before removing it to a serving
platter. Makes 12-16 servings.

Everything about the food for Rosh
Hashanah is sweet! Like any dessert
course. choosing just the right end-
ing to a meal is an art. While some
people think that the dessert course
isn't complete without chocolate.
others insist on apples, apples,

CHOCOLATE MANDELBREAD

apples — especially for this holiday,
While anything goes, it is appropri-
ate to include some "traditional"

holiday desserts. These include
honey cake, compote, mandeibread
and anything with apples — from
strudel to spice cake. In fact, in my
family. the same apple cake recipe
we use for Passover (complete with
matzah cake meal) is served at
Rosh Hashanah — it's that good.
The following recipes include a little
of everything.

5-INGREDIENT
CHOCOLATE TORTE

This is a dense torte, much like a rich
brownie. Serve it plain, dusted with pow-
dered sugar, or with fresh berries and
whipped cream or an apricot glaze made
from melting apricot preserves and driz-
zling it over each slice.
For the cake:
16 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine,
softened
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
Preheat to 425F. Place an 8-inch spring-
form pan on top of a sheet of parchment
paper. Use a pencil to trace around the
pan (this will leave a circle on the parch-
ment). Cut inside the circle to create a
slightly smaller circle of parchment. Place
this circle in the pan. Spray the parchment
and sides of the pan with nonstick cook-
ing spray. Set aside.
Place the chocolate chips and butter in a
microwave-safe bowl and cook on high for
2 minutes. Remove from oven and stir
until smooth (if the chocolate is not

IN

September 29 2005

smooth, microwave again in 30-second
increments and stir until smooth). Set
aside.
Using an electric mixer at high speed,
beat the eggs and sugar until very light
colored, about 5 minutes. Add the flour
and beat on medium until just incorporat-
ed. Beat in the flour. Fold in a large spoon-
ful of the egg mixture into the chocolate
mixture. Repeat once again. Add remain-
ing egg mixture and fold in gently until
there are no more white streaks.
Transfer this mixture to the prepared
pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove
from oven and cool before running a knife
around the edge of the pan and removing
the sides.
To serve, invert the cake onto a serving
plate and carefully remove the springform
bottom and peel off the parchment.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Makes 12 servings.

LARRY'S MOM'S APPLE CAKE

Dense and rich, the cake freezes well.
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
3 cups peeled 1/2-inch apple chunks
Preheat oven to 350E Grease and flour a
9-inch Bundt or tube pan.
Beat oil and sugar in a large bowl with
an electric mixer, until combined. Add
eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
Combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking
soda in a medium bowl and whisk to
combine. Add this to the oil-and-egg mix-
ture and beat until incorporated.
Add the nuts, raisins and apples into the

8 oz. chocolate chips
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
6 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups slivered almonds or chopped
walnuts
Preheat oven to 350E Line two large
baking sheets with parchment paper or
spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set
aside.
Place chocolate chips and sugar in the
bowl of a food processor and process until
fine. Set aside.
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl
and whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs
and vanilla until smooth. Mix in the
chocolate-and-flour mixture and beat
until combined. Add the nuts and beat
until incorporated (the dough will be
thick).
Use wet hands to foim the mixture into
2 logs (one on each baking sheet). Flatten
the logs slightly. Bake for 30-40 minutes
until the logs are firm and slightly
cracked. Remove from oven and allow to
cool completely (preferably overnight).
Preheat oven to 300E Place one loaf of
mandeibread on a cutting board and,
using a long serrated knife, cut the loaves
into about 1/3-inch slices. Place the slices
cut side down back on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the
mandelbread slices are firm and crispy.
Remove from oven and cool. Store in an
airtight container for up to several weeks.
Makes about 60 mandeibread.

JEWELED CHALLAH
BREAD PUDDING

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