DEIROIT JEWISH !NEWS JN pril 17, 2008 / 12 Nisan 5768 1 .1.11.111 • Teen2Teen staffers with some favorite Passover foods: Seth Samuels, 17, made his flourless chocolate torte; Gabriella Ring, 14, with her grandma's matzah bagels; and Jordana Hoffman, 15, with salmon gefilte fish that she makes but doesn't eat. Mmmmm good! T2T staff photos by Jess ica Avery Po lk Don't dwell on the restrictions savor the flavors of Passover. by Seth Samuels elieve it or not, it's time for another Passover seder! Aside from getting the young- est child to read the Four Questions (my misfortune in my family), the major excitement — and challenge — of the holiday surrounds the food. These questions always come up: "How can we not eat bread and still enjoy what we eat, especially for eight days!?" and "'What can I pack for lunch?" Despite restrictions, we can look at the bright side: It's not like we get grandma's matzah ball soup or our uncle's famous matzah kugel every day. Many look forward to Passover so they can enjoy festive foods, such as chocolate lol- lipops, gefilte fish, chopped liver and various other Passover offerings. If anything, this holiday should be considered flexible in that a lot of our favorite dishes can be transformed easily into Passover-friendly delights. So, rather than bask in the comfort of the bread aisle the night before the holiday, try the dishes your family made — you may even enjoy them. But if that's just too hard to swallow, here's a collection of our favorites here at T2T, starting with my own flourless chocolate cake. ver since I was little, I was drawn to the kitchen. I'd stand by the kitchen counter waiting for my first lick of muffin batter. Aside from savoring this gooey decadence, I found some sort of enjoyment in watching my mother cook. I hadn't really harnessed this passion for myself, but instead helped make the muffins and "clean off" the utensils. Then, I discovered the Food Network. Not only did I enjoy the various programs, but the cooks on the shows made me jealous of their offerings, so I wanted to be able to re- produce them to feed my own hunger. At the same time, my dad began taking me out to nicer restaurants. Not only did I enjoy a finer palette, but I also was introduced to the full experience linked to "going out to eat." Today, I still do all three of these things — lick the muffin batter, watch the Food Net- work and dine with my family. However, I also found a place in the kitchen for myself. So, this flourless chocolate cake is one of the products of my newfound passion. Give it a try. — Seth Samuels, 17, is a junior at Birmingham Groves High School. Flouriess Chocolate Torte I pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped into quarters 1 stick unsalted butter 9 eggs. separated 3 /4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1% cup for whipped cream 2 cups heavy cream (or parve substitute), cold confectioner's sugar (for Passover). for dusting Preheat oven to 350E Butter a 9- inch spring-form pan. Put the chocolate and butter into a double boiler and heat over (but not touching) simmering water until melted. While this process is going on, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until there are small bubbles and the col- or is a light yellow Whisk a little of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture, making sure the eggs don't scramble from the heat, then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture. Beat the egg whites in a mixer until stiff peaks form, then fold into the chocolate mix- ture until well combined. Pour this whole mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the torte rises, the top starts to crack and a toothpick inserted comes out with only a few crumbs on it, about 25 to 30 minutes. When finished, let the torte stand for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan. While the torte is baking, whip the cream in a mixer until it becomes light and fluffy. As it is mixing, slowly add the 1/4 cup of sugar. Once the mixture is light yet creamy, remove from mixer and prepare it to put on the torte. Serve at room temperature dusted with the confectioner's sugar and topped with the whipped cream and some berries. continues on page B4 ifkt teen2teen April • 2008 Bi