Cooking with Chocolate

I absolutely love preparing chocolate desserts for Passover, and now that chocolate is considered a health food, it will give you all the more reason to include it in your Passover recipes. Chocolate desserts are easy to make, and you can create a variety of non-dairy chocolate desserts for Passover that will bring pleasure to everyone.

Over the years, I have created new chocolate recipes for my family to enjoy at our Passover dessert table. They include Passover florentines covered with chocolate, a chocolate-glazed marble cake with a texture similar to pound cake, Passover “French toast” and a chocolate espresso soufflé, made without butter or cream. All of these recipes conform to the Passover food restrictions.

The Chocolate soufflé recipe is adapted from my cookbook “Master Chefs Cook Kosher” and was created by Chef Ken Frank on my TV show. Hot, it rises to the occasion, and when cold, it becomes a rich, dense chocolate cake.

An assortment of chocolate Passover desserts will add something special to your seder. I serve them year-round and often fill a box to take as a gift when invited out to dinner.

• Ken’s Chocolate Espresso Soufflé
• Unsalted butter or non-dairy margarine for coating the dishes
• Granulated sugar for coating the dishes
• 4 egg whites
• 3 tbs. Passover powdered sugar*
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup freshly brewed espresso coffee, warm
• 6 ounces Passover semisweet chocolate, melted and warm
• Passover powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Coat six to eight (depending on the volume of beaten egg whites) 1/2-cup soufflé dishes evenly with margarine and dust with sugar. Set aside.

Whip the egg whites in a clean, dry mixing bowl until frothy. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.

Combine the egg yolks, espresso, and chocolate in another bowl and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, quickly fold the egg-yolk mixture into the egg-white mixture. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dishes up to the rim without disturbing the sugar lining. Bake for 8 minutes, until cooked through and crisp on top. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve at once. Serves 6 to 8.

*If Passover powdered sugar is not available, powder the same amounts of granulated sugar in a blender or food processor and add 1/2 tsp. potato starch.

Passover Chocolate Marble Cake With Chocolate Glaze

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup oil
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup matzah cake meal
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup apple juice, wine or water
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup strong hot coffee or water

Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Blend 3/4 cup of the sugar with the salt and oil. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift the potato starch and matzah-cake meal together. Add them to the egg-yolk mixture alternately with the apple juice, wine or water.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff enough to hold a peak. Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg-yolk mixture. Pour half of the batter into another bowl and reserve.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder and coffee, and fold this mixture into the reserved batter. Pour the two batters alternately (about 1 cup at a time) into a 10-inch (ungreased) tube pan.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in it comes out dry. Remove the cake from the oven; immediately invert the pan and let it cool. Loosen the sides and center of the cake with a sharp knife and unmold it onto a cake plate. Drizzle the Chocolate Glaze over the cake, allowing it to run over the sides.

Chocolate Glaze

• 8 ounces Passover nondairy semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade or apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup espresso coffee, cooled

Place chocolate, marmalade and espresso in the top of a double boiler over simmering water (or melt in a microwave) and using a wire whisk, beat until smooth. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Passover Florentines (Farfel-nut Thins)

• 1 cup matzah farfel
• 1 tablespoon matzah cake meal
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter or pareve margarine
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• Chocolate Glaze (see recipe, above)

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the matzah farfel, matzah cake meal, sugar and salt, and mix well. Pour the butter or margarine over the farfel mixture and blend until the sugar dissolves. Add the egg and vanilla or orange juice and blend. Mix in the almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 10 to 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with foil and drop the farfel mixture in teaspoons onto the foil, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before lifting from the foil. Drizzle chocolate glaze over cookies. Makes about 8 dozen.

Passover “French Toast” with

Chocolate Sauce

• 6 to 8 (1-inch thick) slices Passover Sponge Cake
• 1/2 cup milk or orange juice
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel or orange peel
• Unsalted butter or non-dairy margarine
• Cinnamon-sugar (1 teaspoon cinnamon
• to 1/4 cup sugar)
• Chocolate Sauce (recipe follows)

In a large, shallow bowl, combine the milk, eggs and lemon or orange peel and beat well. Soak the sponge cake slices in the milk mixture.

In a skillet, heat the butter. Fry the cake on both sides until brown. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Serve with Chocolate Sauce.

Chocolate Sauce

• 8 ounces Passover semisweet chocolate cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves, strained
• 1/2 cup espresso coffee, cooled

Place chocolate, preserves and espresso in the top of a double boiler over simmering water (or melt in a microwave) and, using a wire whisk, beat until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.