To Life! FOOD Chocolate Dayenu! With these desserts, • your seder will cross the Red Sea. sugar. Stir in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Stir in matzah cake meal. Spread batter in baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the brownies onto a cutting board. Cut brownies into 16 squares. Makes 16 servings. CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE 12 oz. semisweet chocolate pieces Annabel Cohen or chips Special to the Jewish News 2 cups heavy whipping cream plus 1 cup whipping cream here are those who don't 1 cup seedless raspberry preserves believe a meal is com- 1 Tbsp. sugar plete without a bite of chocolate. These Passover recipes fresh raspberries, garnish Combine chocolate and 2 cups are for them. whipping cream in a microwave- In the past, desserts were not safe bowl. Microwave on high for the highlight of a Passover meal. 2 minutes. Remove Boring sponge cakes and cakes from oven and stir and cookies from mixes are not until the mixture is sweets we crave. When a good smooth. If the choco- dessert suddenly appears on the table, the remaining ones remain, late is not completely melted, cook/stir in some barely cut into, for later 30-second intervals meals and worse. The following recipes are moist until smooth. Meanwhile, place (except for the mandelbread, of the preserves in a bowl course) and feature everybody's and microwave for 1 favorite ingredient, chocolate. But man cannot live on chocolate minute, until melted. Stir the preserves into alone, so serve fresh cut fruit as the chocolate mixture. well. Set aside to cool. In a cold bowl, whip the FUDGY BROWNIES 6 oz. semisweet chocolate pieces or remaining 1 cup cream until thickened. With the motor run- chips ning, sprinkle the sugar into the 1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine or bowl and continue whipping butter, until the cream is stiff. Fold the cut into pieces cream into the chocolate mixture 3 large eggs until there are no more white 1 cup sugar streaks. Transfer this mixture to 3/4 cup matzah cake meal a glass serving bowl or 8 individ- Preheat oven to 350F. Line ual dessert bowls or wine glasses. bottom and sides of an 8-inch- Garnish with fresh raspberries. square baking pan with parch- Makes 8 servings. ment paper. Combine the chocolate and CHOCOLATE APRICOT TORTE margarine in a microwave-safe 1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate bowl. Microwave on high for 2 pieces or chips (24 oz.) minutes. Remove from oven and 8 oz. margarine or butter stir until the mixture is smooth. If the chocolate is not completely 6 large eggs separated 1 Tbsp. sugar melted, cook/stir in 30-second intervals until smooth. Stir in the 1 Tbsp. matzah cake meal T 39 April 6 • 2006 iN Apricot Filling: 2 cups apricot preserves Glaze: 12 oz. semisweet chocolate pieces or chips 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine 1 1/2 cups whipping cream Preheat oven to 425F. Place a an with sides (large enough to hold a 9-inch springform pan) in the oven. Pour about 1 inch of very hot water into the pan. This is to bake the cake in a water bath. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Place a large length of foil under the pan and bring up over the bottom of the springform pan. (The foil must come higher than the water when the plan is placed in the water.) Combine the chocolate and margarine in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and stir until the mixture is smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, cook/stir in 30-second intervals until smooth. Allow to cool for 3 minutes. Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, then stir in the cake meal. Set aside. In a clean, dry bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until frothy. While beat- ing, sprinkle in the sugar and beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Stir a large spoonful of egg whites into the chocolate mix- ture to lighten. Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the mixture (this must be done slowly and carefully so as not to deflate the egg whites). Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan and place in the water-bath. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely (the torte will deflate). Chill for several hours. Assemble the cake: Place 4 Or 5 narrow lengths of foil around the perimeter of a serving plate (this is to catch the spills from • the glaze). Remove the collar from the springform pan and place the forte upside down on the serving plate (be sure some foil remains under the torte). Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and peel off the parch- ment paper. Make the glaze: Combine choc- olate and butter in a microwave- safe bowl and cook on high for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Stir in the whipping cream until smooth. Chill for about 10 minutes. Place the preserves in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute, until melted. Carefully spread the preserves over the cold upside-down torte. Use a knife or spatula to spread the glaze over the top of the torte and carefully around the sides of the torte. Chill until ready to serve. Remove the foil pieces from around the torte before serving. Makes 12 serv- ings. MANDELBREAD 3 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups matzah cake meal 1 1/2 cups chocolate • chips Topping: 3 Tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 350F. Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add the salt and oil and mix well. Combine chocolate with cake meal and stir to corn- bine and add to the egg mixture. Dough will be sticky. (I wet my hands with a small amount of oil to make handling the dough easier.) Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Form 2 long logs (or 4 short logs) on the cookie sheet with your hands. There's no need to flatten the logs. Sprinkle topping of cinna- mon and sugar mixture over the logs and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the mandelbread from the oven and, using a serrated knife, slice the mandelbread into slices, any size you like, while it's still hot. Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Reduce oven heat to 300F. and place the sliced mandelbread back in the oven and bake for 7- 10 minutes, until toasted. Makes about 36 or more slices. CHOCOLATE MACAROONS 3/4 cup sugar 4 large egg whites 4 cups shredded sweetened coco- nut 3 Tbsp. matzah cake meal 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside. Combine sugar and egg whites in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water (boil 2 inches of water in the bottom of the double boiler and reduce heat to simmer). Cook the mixture, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the coconut, cake meal and cocoa until smooth. Spoon 24 mounds of maca- roons onto the prepared bak- ing sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the tops are just golden (do not overcook). Allow to cool completely before remov- ing from the baking sheet. Makes 24 macaroons. ❑ More recipes can be found on JNonline.us.