JFLinLA
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The link isn't working. I'm getting a page which is offering 2 free issues of the magazine.
I believe it is available to people with AOL and/or membership in Cooking Light ...
If it is the same as the Matzo Buttercrunch we all know and love, it wasn't cooking too light at all ...
the original is here
That's like a version I make but instead I use chopped up pecans instead of chocolate to get more or a caramel crunch flavor. For my KFP chocolate desserts, I use Jacques Torres' Bite-Size Chocolate Almond Brownies baked in mini-muffin tins or chocolate chip meringue kisses.
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I'm also trying out the farfel muffins from Grandma Yetta (z''l)
I have a question. Since they're a family tradition, I realize that storage is probably not a consideration or an issue for you. However, I was wondering how far ahead of time I'd be able to make them and how best to store them. (Do you think they'd be able to be frozen?)
jayne
Typically, I make a big batch no more than 2 days before the first seder. The day of or the day before is better. Then I make one or two smaller batches during the week. My husband likes to have them for breakfast (when we're not having matza brei) or as a snack when he gets home at night and the kids like to snack on them. They last for a few days in a big air tight (tupperware) container.
If I were to freeze them, I would initially let them cool completely. Then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment underneath to prevent sticking. Then you could pop them in a zip lock bag. If you allow them to defrost before serving they might get soggy so I would put them back in a hot oven on a baking sheet to recrisp. Alternatively, I would re-heat them directly from the freezer on the baking sheet. If you reheat them covered with foil, you may need to remove the foil for a few minutes at the end to re-crisp. If you do this experiment, let me know what you find out.
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Growing up in California, the things I missed during Passover were a really good black & white cookie from a good Jewish bakery. The thing I still miss during Passover, and always as I wrestle with weight, is some great, crusty, sourdough.
PS - Grew up and still am a committed reform Jew but always observed the holidays and chametz during Passover. My grandparents (the ones on this coast) were more observant and it was a thrill as a kid the few times I got to go with the candle and feather searching for the chametz and helping Grandpa burn it in the backyard.
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Matzah Farfel Muffins from Grandma Yetta (z" l)
This recipe has been handed down through the generations and while I give amounts, they are approximate. Baking time and temps are too. You will need to taste and adjust as you like and baking will depend on your own oven. One important note -- these do make a mess so a self-cleaning oven is helpful though Grandma managed forever without one. The recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc. These are great on the table on their own or spread with some chopped liver.
1/2 box (1/2 pound) matzah farfel (this is 3 - 3 1/2 cups)
salt to taste -- don't be shy.
2 cups (about) water -- enough to just cover farfel
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
dried minced onions - to taste -- a good handful, again, don't be shy
optional -- pepper - to taste - not much
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.
Put farfel in a large bowl and sprinkle salt on top. Cover with water. In a separate bowl mix eggs and oil together and stir this into the farfel mixture. Add onions and pepper. Taste batter and correct seasonings. (I always end up adding more salt and onions at this point.) Uncooked batter should have a good oniony and slightly salty flavor. The onion flavor especially will mellow a bit while baking. Spoon into muffin tins, about 3/4 full. Fill any muffin tins with water. Bake for 50-60 minutes -- sometimes more.
Muffins will sizzel while baking and likely make a mess of your oven. When done, they should be golden brown and crispy on the outside with some spots of dark brown. They should be moist, but not wet or soggy on the inside. If they are browning too quickly, reduce oven heat a bit and bake longer till cooked on the inside.
A few times of practice and you should get these down.
Makes about 15-18 muffins.
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PS -- Do you ever by the Skor chips plain. The cookie recipe on the back of the bag is one of the favorites in our family.
No! not a cookie baker, as then I'd have to eat them
are they crunchy like the chocolate covered bits or bites? or are they more soft like a chocolate chip? They sound like something I could gain a dress size eating though !Crunchy. Like the inside of the Skor bar, without the chocolate. I also have a yummy recipe for bars where these are sprinkled on top.
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Okay, so what crust would you use with a caramel cheesecake? I made this for the first time last week and it was delicious but I didn't like the pecan nut crust.
I happen to really like a regular graham cracker crust, and I think it would be tasty with a caramel cheesecake...a chocolate cookie crust might work for you?
There's an English toffee cheesecake (v v sweet) that I make once a year, it has a graham cracker and chopped-up Skor bar crust, that might be good, too, with some chocolate but not too much, and with the toffee echoing the caramel flavour.
Thanks Deborah -- I was planning to try a graham cracker crust but use brown sugar instead of white. Maybe I'll brown the butter too. Anyway, will report back with the results once the experiment is complete.
PS -- Do you ever by the Skor chips plain. The cookie recipe on the back of the bag is one of the favorites in our family.
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That's why I also fill with nutella or make a caramel-pecan filling and a sweet cheese (think cheese danish) filling.
First- thanks for sharing your yeast-dough recipe a while ago. I haven't had a chance to try them but I will (who says hamantashen are just for Purim?)
Now - caramel-pecan?? Is there a recipe or is it just a caramel candy and some pecans? I'm a sucker for anything with caramel..
First of all, the yeast dough recipe is flaky but not sweet. It's better for larger hamantashen where you really want to focus on the taste of the filling. In my opinion, for smaller ones, you need a sweeter dough.
I know it's a little late for this year but here's the caramel-pecan filling. It comes from Judy Zeidler's "The Gourmet Jewish Cook" book. This makes a lot!
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups toasted chopped pecans (chopped pretty fine)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup honey
In a heavy saucepan, boil sugar and water just until sugar dissolves. Reomve from heat and add the pecans, butter and milk. Return to heat and boil for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey. Transfer to a heat proof bowl, allow to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set. This will keep (if you don't just eat it with a spoon) for at least a week in the refrigerator though I've often had it around for 2-3 weeks with no probelm.
Also, here's the sweet cheese filling. It's great on it's own or combined in a hamantashen with a berry or other fruit filling.
Cream 8 ozs. cream cheese. Add in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 egg yolk, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. That's it!
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Okay, so what crust would you use with a caramel cheesecake? I made this for the first time last week and it was delicious but I didn't like the pecan nut crust.
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Various meringue cookies -- mint-chip, chocolate, etc. Piped like kisses.
Brown sugar-pecan meringues.
Almond macaroons.
J. Torres' Bite-Sized Chocolate Almond Brownies -- Substitute margarine for the butter, be sure to get KFP almond paste and you're good to go. The recipe is on Food TV site. Jacques uses flexipan molds. I use mini-muffin pans with pretty liners.
Oh, yeah -- brittle . . . all kinds but peanut. We do a pecan matzah brittle.
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Oh yes, and my grandmother's traditional matzah farfel muffins.
I'm making my first seder this year and I would love a tried and true recipe for matzah farfel muffins! JFLinLA, would you be so kind as to give me a hint how to make them?
I'm not looking for anything with raisins or fruit in them, but something more of a savory farfel muffin. Thanks!
Cleo -- Would love to share Grandma Yetta's muffins. Crunched for time now and since Pesach is a little ways off, please be patient. I'll get back to you. (The one provided by Gifted Gourmet probably isn't bad but mine are a little different and I'll provide all the hints that aren't usually in a recipe.)
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Hi everyone,
I'm trying the bloviatrix's gingerbread ones now. (Just put one batch in the oven.)
I chopped up some dried apricots and added them to apricot preserves which I've done in the past. The apricot bits plump up a bit and I can use a little more filling without the boil-over problem. The kitchen smells really wonderful.
Then I'm off to pack Purim baskets at our synagogue.
(I'll be making some of the plain kind later with my children. Not only are they not going to be interested in the gingerbread ones but they don't even want filling in the ones they do eat.)
jayne
Hi Jayne -- My kids never liked the "traditional" fillings and neither did I as a kid. That's why I also fill with nutella or make a caramel-pecan filling and a sweet cheese (think cheese danish) filling.
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Caramel Cheesecake- don't mix the caramel into the cheesecake batter. Instead make it a layer over the crust, then pour over the cheese batter and bake. Swirled it's likely to crack, and if you go lighter on the caramel so it won't crack you'll probably loose the flavor. Or totally mix the caramel into the batter or use brown sugar instead of white in your batter.
Hi, I'm bringing this thread back up again to let you know how the experiments are going. Specifically, with regard to the caramel cheesecake, it actually worked quite well despite Wendy's warnings. I made the cheesecake recipe I provided earlier in this thread. I set aside about a cup of the filling. Then I made caramel with a little corn syrup added to keep it a little soft. Once it got pretty brown, I added just a touch of cream. I let it cool some and then mixed it in a little at a time to the remaining cup of filling. Honestly, the caramel didn't mix totally smooth. Nevertheless, I poured this on top of the regular cheesecake batter already in the pan and attempted to swirl. It didn't really marbelize but the cheesecake came out with a lovely caramel/cheesecake layer on top that morphed into the regular cheesecake as you moved down. There was an excellent and distinct caramel flavor. Bat Mitzvah girl and I were both pleased. The only thing we would change, and we agree on this, is that we didn't think the nut crust worked best with this flavor. I'm going to give it a go again with a graham cracker crust but the filling worked great.
Live and learn.
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Yes, yes. I've completed my major hamantashen baking "assembly line" for the temple and preparing to do my own this coming weekend. However, I picked up some of the crappy, sugary Passover cereals at the market last Sunday. The kids love these as it's the only time of year I let them have this kind of drek. Oh yeah, and there's my daughters Misloach Manot project in preparation for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah -- but that's mostly done. And of course, my baby brother is getting married next week, and I'm baking for the Brit Bat for our rabbi's new daughter.
My SIL usually does Passover so I'm waiting to hear from her. Otherwise, it's going to be really, really simple this year.
(Blov -- I'll PM you later on the Mitzvah project.)
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jgm -- you know you're a baking fanatic when, as a home baker, you several scoops of different sizes and even duplicates of the same size.
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David:
Have you been back in touch with Carol Kim at ZY's office to tell her that DHS missed the deadline she gave them? What they have and haven't told you? The inconsistencies in their own practices? Etc? I know this is frustrating but, from experience in my day job, I have faith in Ms. Kim.
As for the rest of us, we can call our Supervisors here in LA County and also chime in that we were waiting for news as well and that DHS missed the deadline, etc, etc.
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UPDATE
The LA County Board Of Supervisors ( Carol Kim) has sent a letter to DHS requesting clarifacation on the Wild Mushroom subject. They gave them til March 3rd to either allow sales to resume at Farmers Markets or Stop County-wide. So now we wait. I would still encourage those of you who are hard core Farmers Market shoppers call your County Supervisor to express your concern that Wild Mushrooms may no longer be available at your local Farmers market forcing you to shop elsewhere.
March 3rd has come and gone. Any update? Any news?
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Cafe Beacon again in the LA Times Food Section. Today's cover story. Check out the Digest to read more.
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A sneak preview of Sherry Yard's Oscar Party Dessert from the LA Times Magazine.
The show is starting in 5 minutes. Gotta go!
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Actually, the yeast dough I make is not that sweet which really allows the focus to be on the fillings. It's rather flaky.
Is there a recipe upthread that I missed.... or are you willing to share?
I have never had a flaky yeast dough hamantashen... and y'all have made me want one.
My copy of Jewish Holiday Baking - by Marcy Goldman just arrived today - I haven't had a chance to really go through any of the recipes yet... but she has a whole hamatashen section. This yeast dough thing intrigues me.
Sorry 'bout that. The recipe is probably somewhere back in this thread from another year but here goes again:
Dough:
1 cake yeast (or 1 package -- it's an old recipe)
1/2 cup luke warm milk
3 cup sifted flour
2 T sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 lb. butter
2 egg yolks
1 egg for glazing
Dissolve yeast in milk and let stand for 25 minutes. Sift flour, sugar and salt. Work in butter. Add 2 beaten egg yolks and yeast mixture. Knead dough.
On a floured board, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. But into 4 or 5 inch rounds. Put scant tablespoon of filling in center of each round and pinch edges to form triangle. Plase on greased or lined cookie sheet. Cover with towel and let rise for 1 hour. Brush tops with egg beaten with 1-2 T water. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.
Cheese filling -- Cream 8 oz. cream cheese. Beat in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 T flour, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 t vanilla. Beat until smooth & creamy.
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On another thread I just posted about my favorite place for mussels in LA. It's Monsieur Marcel at the original Farmer's Market. Certainly not as hip as the other places mentioned but the food is great -- even if you don't get the mussels and you get all the ambience of Farmer's Market.
Right across the street from Farmer's Market is the Farmer's Daughter Motel. Used to be a place for unsavory activity but has been redone for the ultra hip. There's also that newish hotel on Beverly in the area -- can't think of the name right now -- but also ultra hip.
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Some of my faves in the general vicinity are:
For breakfast -- John O'Groats on Pico or Clementine just off Santa Monica -- both near Century City. Kings Road Cafe on Beverly (also good for lunch).
For dinner -- Monsieur Marcel at the Original Farmer's Market. Mussels and salad and I'm a very happy girl.
For lunch or dinner -- I've been raving a lot lately about Cafe Beacon in Culver City. Get the black cod. I've posted about it elsewhere here.
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Last year, the sedar I cooked for was very different (for my family at least) - I don't know what to do this year.
Can you share last year's family menu as a start.
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With a week to go to the big event (geez, I hope the rain stops by then), I thought I'd bring this thread up again with the following:
The Do's and Don'ts of Oscar Party Planning
The first article is about what it says it is. The second is about more than food but details all the efforts of the entire staff at the Four Seasons Hotel to cater to their clientele preparing for the red carpet -- including the kitchen staff.
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Passover 2002–2005
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
Non-chocolate desserts -- there are tons. Any sort of fruit dessert will do. I always prefer cookies or other bite-sized things since I can't stand making a lovely, big cake and people saying, "Oh, just a bit, I've eaten so much." With cookies and the like, things get eaten.
Among my standard, non-fruit type things are:
Amaretti, or almond macaroons - an easy recipe
Brown sugar-pecan macaroons
Any flavor of meringue "kisses" -- mint, lemon, etc.
Of course, you could make coconut macaroons but I don't like coconut.