Passover "Mandel Bread"

As if you don't have this recipe (it's the Jewish equivalent to the "NY Times Plum Torte" that Craig Claiborne sighed and published every year.) I think it was first published in The Jewish Press. I credit it to my mother. Thanks, Mom!

I just learned that the pork roast and Molly Kugel seder I'm making dessert for this year has increased to over 40 guests. We'll have to slug it out over the single 9" flourless chocolate cake (wait for the post .. it's a winner!); and I do have about 12 dozen macaroons - many varieties!

But, it's time to pull out the matzo cake meal - akin pouring a little more water in the soup pot for the dessert table. As long as there's Rick's chrain, delicious pork, Molly's kugel and plenty of wine, I'll be content. And I'll enjoy watching everyone devour these desserts.

Oh... check the macaroon page for another variation, a macaroon that I dedicate to my friend, teacher and mentor, Suvir Saran, a self-proclaimed "Jindu", I call it a "Suviroon"!

peace and love,
jane

Passover Mandel Bread

(from Mom)

Blue Heron Kitchen

CREAM TOGETHER:           2 cups sugar

                                                ½ pound butter or margarine

ADD:                                       6 eggs, size large, one at a time, beating well after each egg

SIFT TOGETHER:                 2 ¾ c. matzo cake meal

                                                ½ tsp. kosher salt

                                                ¾ c. potato starch

Fold dry ingredients into egg, butter, sugar mixture

ADD:   1 cup chopped nuts and 6 oz. chocolate chips or chopped bar chocolate (or omit the nuts, as I do and just add 12 oz. of chocolate chips)

Form into 4 - 2” wide [about ½-3/4” high] loaves [two loaves per cookie sheet – width, not length] and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix.

Bake on cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 45 minutes [less], slice while warm into 1/2” pieces.

Yield:  4 loaves

Whole Wheat Passover Mandel Bread

The seders are over and you've had it with those canned Goodman's macaroons (or have you?) This year, whole wheat (spelt too!) matzo is proud on those doilies in the Passover aisles. This product, Aviv's Whole Wheat Organic Matzo Cake Meal, may be a harder to find. I found it in Whole Foods (and can't seem to find it anywhere else). But, if you're looking for organic and whole grain this week, pick up a box. It's about $.50 more than the 'other' cake meal. 

This is a 'classic' Passover recipe and my mother always made it with Nestle's chocolate chips. This year, my 81 year old mother braved major surgery to repair 'her aching back'. She could barely walk. Nothing stops my mom. She's the bravest person I know. She even baked her Passover Mandel Bread before she went into the hospital!

Mom in her kitchen.

On my next visit, I'll bring some of these and see if they meet with her approval. 

This recipe is dedicated to my mother.

I am the most beautiful box of cement matzo in the world.

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Whole Wheat Passover “Mandel Bread”

adapted from and dedicated to my mother

by Blue Heron Kitchen

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.

CREAM:                                2 cups granulated white sugar

                                              ½ pound butter (83% European style – “Plugra” is

                                              made by Hotel Bar, and it's really good.)

                  1 tsp. pure orange oil ( or grated orange zest from

                  1 large orange)

ADD:          6 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg

            

SIFT TOGETHER:    2 ¾ c. whole wheat matzo cake meal 

                                  (Aviv brand found at Whole Foods

                                  Markets.)   

                                  ½ tsp. kosher salt

                                  ¾ c. potato starch

                                  1 tsp. ground cinnamon

FOLD:                                   dry ingredients into egg, butter, sugar mixture

ADD:                                     1 cup chopped toasted and cooled pecans 

                                               8 oz.  dried currants

FORM: into 4 - 2” wide [about ½-3/4” high] loaves [two loaves per cookie sheet – width, not length] and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix. [for w.w. version, sprinkle with raw can sugar (coarse, raw, sanding sugar)]

BAKE: in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, rotating cookie sheets half way through the bake, top to bottom and front to back.

COOL:  loaves on racks for about half an hour.

SLICE:  into 1/2” pieces and finish cooling on racks. Store in airtight container. May be frozen.

N.B.:   These cookies are not baked twice (though I’ve spoken to women who do bake them twice. I don’t know much about cement. One of my husbands was part Italian, but his family knew more about throwing epithets than about pouring cement. You don’t have to be a paisano to know that if you’re pouring cement, it should start out moist.

            Zei gezunt.

            p.s. At the end of the week, you may wanna go to: “Tabula Rasa Bran Muffins”.  

A couple of loaves