Cooking 4 Shabbat - never the same thing twice

Pesach Brownies

2018-04-09T16:23:00.000+03:00

When I originally got this recipe, it used oil and raisins. Many people I know are not fond of raisins in brownies, but in this case, it made the brownies more chewy and moist. I chose to replace the oil and raisins with applesauce, resulting in a yummy, healthier, easy brownie recipe for Pesach. I usually make mine in a food processor. It can also be mixed with a fork or a mixer. These brownies freeze well.

I've included both versions of the ingredients.

Original Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup matzah meal or cake meal
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Modified Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar (you can lower the sugar to 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup matzah meal or cake meal
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions for either set of Ingredients

Beat eggs with sugar until light and fluffy.
Add oil (or applesauce).
Mix in cocoa, matzah meal and salt.
Fold in nuts, (raisins if using original ingredients) and chocoate chips.
Bake in greased 9 inch square pan at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 20-30 minutes. When I bake it, it takes 30 minutes. Test with toothpick until it comes out dry, Cool in pan.

Fresh Fruit Sorbet (great for Pesach too)

2013-03-28T21:37:00.000+02:00

Great summer dessert: Found this recipe in a local freebie paper and adapted it. The original recipe called for kiwi, but I've used other fruits. Strawberry/banana is a winning combination. It reminded me of the "popsicles" my mom used to make for us as kids.

Very refreshing. Very easy. Enjoy! Works great for Pesach too!

Ingredients:

Syrup prepared in advance (1 cup sugar and 1 cup water - stir constantly in a pot while bringing to a boil. Once it has boiled, let it simmer for 10 minutes. Let it cool)
3/4 cup seltzer (soda water)
4 cups of cut, fresh fruit (kiwi, strawberry, honeydew, banana and/or other fresh fruit)

Instructions:

Blend or "food process" the all of the ingredients together.
Freeze it for about 6 hours.
Re-blend the mixture and re-freeze it.

Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before you want to serve it.

Would love to hear what fruits you tried.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy or Pareve)

2013-03-08T12:37:00.001+02:00

(Half a recipe can also be made)

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks butter, softened (I use ½ stick or 100 gram margarine and ½ cup oil)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups chocolate chips, or chocolate bars, chopped

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375^◦F (190^◦C).

2. In a bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda.

3. In another large bowl stir together butter, white and brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined.

4. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and stir to distribute evenly.

For cookies: Drop batter by teaspoon onto baking paper and bake about 10 minutes. Remove from oven when they are no longer soft to the touch. Cool on a baking rack.

For bars: Spread dough into a greased 9" square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes until toothpick comes out dry. Cut into squares when cool.

Butterscotch Brownies: Something Sweet for the New Year

2012-09-09T11:36:00.001+03:00

I was invited for a Shabbat meal at the Lenskys. They served his mother's recipe. Rarely do I ask for a recipe, but I had to get this one. It is heavenly and so easy to make! No mixer needed.

¼ c (½ c) margarine or butter (see blog on margarine/shortening)
1 c (2 c) firmly packed brown sugar
1 (2) egg
¾ c (1½) flour
1 tsp (2 tsp) baking powder
½ tsp (1 tsp) salt
½ tsp (1 tsp) vanilla
½ c (1 c) chopped nuts (optional)

Melt margarine (in microwave or double-boiler). Remove from heat and blend in brown sugar.
Stir in egg.
Add flour with baking powder and salt.
Add vanilla and nuts.
Spread in greased 8 x 8 pan.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool and cut. Use a toothpick to ensure that it is ready.

You can double the recipe and bake it in a 9" x 13" pan. Doubled amounts appear above in parentheses to make is easier for you. Bake a little longer.

These brownies go so quickly that I always make a double batch.

Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy, SWEET New Year!
L & C

Mom's "Love" Cake (aka Date and Nut Cake)

2011-02-11T14:33:00.000+02:00

Although we don't believe in Valentine's Day, here in Israel, there is much hype (mostly by retailers) about Chag Ha'Ahava (חג האהבה). When my mother, ob"m, used to make this cake, it became refered to as her "Love" cake. It has such an amazing, complex flavor. When my mom made it, she put her whole heart and soul into it. Without further ado...

Date and Nut Cake

Step 1:
1 pkg (8 oz.) dates, pitted – in Isael, ½ block of dates

1-1/4 c boiling water

Add to dates and let cool

Step 2:
Add the following together:
½ c shortening/margarine (I use oil - see my note about margarine)

1 c sugar (I use 3/4 c sugar, as the dates are also sweet)

2 eggs

1 T cocoa powder (I always add more - can never get enough)

Dash salt
1 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

Step 3:
Add 1-1/4 c + 2T flour

Add flour a little at a time, then liquid from dates

Stir in dates

Can add mini chips to the batter

Pour into greased 9x13 pan

Sprinkle topping: ½ c walnuts, ¼ c sugar, 6 oz choc chips

Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 40 minutes or longer

Hebrew Posts

2010-12-13T13:52:00.000+02:00

אם אתם רוצים לראות את המתכונים בעברית, נשתדל לרשום אותם באתר השני שלנו:

bishul-shabbat.blogspot.com

! תהנו

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-11-29T09:07:00.000+02:00

Baking with Oatmeal adds a crunchiness and makes the baked item lighter (amazing in breads!). I brought these cookies to a family Shabbat simcha. It was such a hit that I've been asked to bring it to every simcha since.

Onto the recipe:
1/2 cup shortening (see previous blog on margarine/shortening)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour mixed with 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal.
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, 180 degrees C.
Cream the shortening. Add sugars and mix.
Add egg and mix.
Add dry ingredients and mix.
Add oatmeal and mix.
Add chocolate chips and hand mix.
Drop by teaspoonful on greased, floured pan. I personally use a silicone baking sheet or baking paper and skip the greased, floured part.
Bake for around 15 minutes until the cookies can be lifted without being stuck to the sheet.

Note that this recipe does not need a mixer.

Yields over 3 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

A note about margarine and shortening

2010-11-29T08:58:00.000+02:00

When a recipe calls for margarine or shortening, I found that if I use just 1/4 stick (1/4 cup) of margarine and canola oil for the rest, the recipe has a great texture without too much margarine. No need at all for margarine/shortening when baking a proper cake (not cookies/brownies).

How can you start preparing for Shabbat without Challa?

2010-11-28T10:29:00.000+02:00

When we got married, we received a Challa book. It was beautiful and had great pictures and stories. C and I decided to try baking challa from the book. The preparation for the braiding of the challa was so complicated that we almost gave up and ditched the project, but we persevered. In the end, the challa had absolutely no taste but looked beautiful. So much for that book.

Four braided Challa

Until the age of 5.5, we lived in a city with no kosher bakery. My mom, ob"m, would bake challa every Friday. I have very fond memories of getting my own piece of dough to make my challa (better known as a little roll).

I really wanted to make challa -- good, yummy, tasty, nice-looking challa. C continued to encourage me to just make it. I read a lot on the web and in various cookbooks. Enter Spice and Spirit - The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook. I've had the book for over 20 years. I took a recipe here and there, but didn't really spend a lot of time trying new recipes. Since getting married, this book has become my bible. Everything I make from this book comes out GREAT!

Round Challa in honor of Rosh Hashana

The explanation for bread/challa baking in Spice and Spirit gave me the courage to continue. I made the recipe exactly as it appeared in the book (using white flour which really bothers me). Being the daughter of an amazing baker and cook, along with being married to someone who loves to experiment and modify recipes, I took a great recipe and adapted it to my needs. I use a Kitchenaid, as it is difficult for me to knead dough.

Here's what I came up with. Shabbat isn't the same without it:

Kitchenaid Challah
(adapted by L):

1. Preparation: Sift 7 cups of flour (I use 5 cups 70% whole wheat flour and 2 cups white flour). Add 1 Tbsp of salt and set aside. Seven cups of flour is 1 kg, so you shouldn't separate challah.

2. Prepare the yeast:

2 oz fresh yeast (in Israel: 1 cube) or 1.5 Tbsp dry yeast. Note when you buy fresh yeast, press the cube and make sure it is soft. If it isn't soft, then don't buy it.
1.75 cups warm water (I use a pyrex cup and heat it up in the microwave for 45 seconds - it should be very warm but not hot and scalding). If you use whole wheat or other whole grain flour, use 2 cups of water.
1/2 cup sugar (you can use white sugar, brown sugar, agave or honey - each has a different taste)

Directly into the Kitchenaid bowl, squeeze the yeast while it is still in the paper into the bowl. This should crumble it. Add the sugar and then pour the warm water in.

If you are using dry yeast, put the sugar (or one of the other sweet ingredients) in the mixing bowl. Add the warm water and then sprinkle the yeast on top.

Let the mixture stand until it bubbles. It doesn't have to bubble a lot. Once I see a few bubbles, I wait another minute or two.


Some addition shapes for the High Holidays

3. Add the dry ingredients:
Pour in 5 cups of the flour/salt mixture. Add 1/4 cup oil (I use canola oil) and 2 egg yolks. I set aside the egg whites and the left over egg mixture from step 11 below and use it as the equivalent of one egg in a cake recipe.

4. Start the Kitchenaid on the lowest setting until the dough is relatively mixed through. You should use the kneading hook.

5. Put the Kitchenaid on Speed 2 for two minutes.

6. Add the rest of the flour/salt mixture. Once again, put the mixer on the lowest setting until the dough is relatively mixed through. I usually turn off the mixer a couple of times and with a stiff spatula, I push the sides down so the dough can mix through better.

7. Put the Kitchenaid on Speed 2 for ten minutes.

8. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Oil the top of the dough. Cover with damp towel and let rise for an hour. Great places to put the bowl to let the dough rise: top of the frig, top of a free-standing oven that is on, top of the washing machine or dishwasher that is in use. Challa dough loves warm places. You may need to let it rise a bit longer in the winter, if the heat is not on. The dough should rise over the top of the bowl - in the winter that is not necessarily the case. If it hasn't risen enough, wait a bit longer. A great way to test if the dough is ready, is by pushing your finger into the dough. If the hole doesn't start to close up, then the dough is ready.

9. After the dough has risen, remove the wet towel and set aside. Push your hand around the inside of the bowl to "clean" the dough from the side (hope that made sense) and punch it down. I grab the whole dough and rip it into 4 parts. Once you've worked with the dough, you can make the choice of how many challot/rolls you want - just letting you know what I do. I make 3 challot and 4 rolls. I work directly on a cookie sheet (covered with a silicone sheet or baking paper). This recipe uses two cookie sheets. For a challa, I take one part and pull it into 4 parts again. I then start pull each part to make them into strips for braiding. I hold with one hand at the top and then start pulling/squeezing down with the other hand. It is very non-scientific, but it works. It is best to read a book or follow a YouTube on braiding. Braiding with 4 strands works out very nice. For the rolls, I simply make a long strand and tie it in a knot. They are useful when you need a second challa for lechem mishneh. For a "pull apart" challa, make 6 or 7 balls (actually "blobs" work too), put one in the middle and the others around it. Leave a bit of space between each ball, so they will have the opportunity to rise.

If you have the time and want to invest in lighter, bigger challot,it is best to roll out each section and then roll it up to make a strand.

10. Cover the shaped challot/rolls with the damp towel and let it sit for about 45 minutes. About 25 minutes into the second rising, pre-heat the oven for 180 degrees C, 350 degrees F.

11. After the 45 minute second rising, beat an egg with a fork and brush it over the challot. I found that it is quicker and easier to just use my hand, rather than a brush. Different strokes for different folks!

12. Top the challa with any of the following: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion, crushed dried garlic, kosher salt, or use your imagination. If you make a pull-apart challa, you can top each ball with a different topping.

13. Bake the challot for roughly 35 minutes. Sometimes they are done a bit earlier. Pick up the challa and tap the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it is done.

14. Cool them on a rack. The extra challot freeze beautifully. Be sure they are covered/sealed well when putting them in the freezer.

Note: Separation of challa is not required when using this amount of flour.

Welcome to our kitchen

2010-11-23T18:29:00.001+02:00

C (the husband) and L (the wife) married at a later stage in life, with L, as a single and C, divorced plus six and some sons-in-law and grandchildren. C does most of the cooking while L does most of the baking. We do trade places once in a while. C is very creative and is very capable of modifying the recipe to his needs. L, as the baker, tends more to measure ingredients and follow recipes, but is getting more bold with experimentation.

Succot 2009 we went to see the movie "Julie/Julia" and were very inspired to start a blog about our Shabbat cooking adventures. Life has a habit of taking its own turns without our control, so to-date, the blog has not gotten off the . Succot 2010, we watched the movie again on video. Each one of us has wanted to get this moving, but it just never happened.

Now, L has a million other things to do, so she'd prefer doing something fun. Another push was that a friend sent one of those recipe exchange emails. It would be a great opportunity to push our blog.

One last note: On ocassion, we are asked for the recipes in Hebrew, so you may see recipes in Hebrew. Typically, the English version will be posted first.

Welcome to our ever-changing world of Cooking for Shabbat!