Parshas Behaaloscha

The Jews complained that in Mitzrayim they got meat.  Here in the desert all they got was the 'mann'.  They missed having meat.  Hashem with all the patience in the world, gave us the 'slav' every evening.  This was a bird- the meat.

These are little marshmallow birds..

NO WAIT!

don't close the page thinking marshmallows are too hard to make.  

These are OH SO EASY you wont believe!

Not to mention Oh So Yummy!

Marshmallows Recipe

Ingredients:

3 Tbls powdered gelatine

1 cup cold water

1 cup sugar

1 cup icing sugar

1/4 cup syrup

2 egg whites

pinch salt

10 ml vanilla essence

Method:

1.  Soak the gelatine in half a cup of water.

2.  In a non stick pan, place the honey, sugars and other half cup water.  Heat and stir until the sugar is melted.

3.  Allow this syrup to boil for 6-7 minutes

4.  In the meantime, start whisking the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form in a large bowl. 

5.  Turn the mixer back on and add the prepared syrup gradually to the egg white mixture.  

6.  While still beating, add the gelatine mixture and vanilla. 

7.  Leave the beater on and allow to mix for another almost 10 minutes.  The mixture will get thicker and at least double in volume.

That's all it takes to make the marshmallow.  Now to shape.  If you just want marshmallow squares, line a dish with baking paper, grease and VERY generously cover with icing sugar.  pour the mixture in and allow to set over night.

To make the Birds... 

1.  Fill a piping bag with the mixture.

no tip is necessarily. 

2. Line a tray with baking paper.  Grease and generously cover with icing sugar.

3.  Squeeze a tear drop shape for the body by pulling back after squeezing.

4.  For the head squeeze a small ball out pulling back and then forward.

Allow to stand over night.  sprinkle with icing sugar before removing to stop them from sticking to your fingers and each other.

To make the eyes, dip a food paint brush/tooth pick/ear bud in food colouring and paint the eyes.

That's it!!

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos!!

Orit 

XXX

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Parshas Nasso

In Parshas Nasso, we learn about a 'Nazir'. When a man or woman take upon themselves to be a 'Nazir', they have to abstain from grapes and all grape products.  This includes wine, grape juice, vinegar etc.  

They may not even go to parties or through a vineyard in order not to be by mistake have some of the grape products.  

This grape tart is great in looks and taste.  It is so easy to make, and will undoubtedly become a family favourite.  

Tart Crust Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

pinch salt

1/2 cup margerine

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

Method:

1.  In the bowl of a mixer, beat margarine till soft

2.  Add sugar and beat for a few minutes.

3.  Gradually add the beaten egg while still beating.  

4.  Add the flour and salt and beat just until it forms a ball.

5.  Flatten the ball into a disc shape and wrap with plastic wrap.  refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

6.  Place the disc on a lightly floured surface and beat with a rolling pin just to soften a bit.  Roll out just a bit and place the disc in a greased pie dish.

7.  Pressing from the center going up fit the dough to the dish, filling in the cracks and spaces with the extra dough that you push up.

8. Lightly prick the bottom of  the dough with a fork.  This is to prevent the middle from rising too much.

Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

9.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees C(400 degrees F).  Place crust in middle shelf.  reduce heat to 180 C (
360 F) and bake for another 15 minutes- or until sides turn a golden brown.

10.  Beat apricot jam with a dot of water using a spoon until runny.  Paint the bottom of the Tart Crust with the jam and set aside to dry.  This will prevent the filling from making the tart soggy.

Filling:

Follow the instructions of your custard powder.  Exchange milk to rice milk to make this into a parev dessert.  Pour into the crust.

Let it set for a few minutes.

Wash and dry the grapes and remove from stems.  Place on top of custard first with one layer and then a second layer of grapes.  

Using the pastry brush, brush more of the apricot jam over the grapes.  This will give it a glazed look.  I didn't cover completely as I thought it looked rather nice without too much of the gloss.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos!

Orit

XXX

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Parshas Bamidbar

Parshas Bamidbar.... The first parsha of the forth book of Chumash.  It chronicles the Jews time in the Desert - Its literal translation- In The Desert.  

I wanted to make a cake that looks like a desert, and then to decorate it with sweets to show where the Jews were camped around the Mishkan.  I didn't get to do the sweets.  But the cake really does resemble a desert.  

So what is this cake?  

Its a 3 layer Halva cake.  

Layers of sponge cake, chocolate ganache and shredded Halva.  

Then using a sharp knife cutting off the edges to neaten it up.

For the top, I first rubbed some of the left over sponge cake together and sifted to a fine 'flour'.  And added some more shredded Halva on top of that.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos!

Orit

XXX

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