Parshas Metzora

In Parshas Metzora we learn about Tzaraas (red or green spots) on a persons house. This means that the person who lives in the house should do Teshuva. Tzaraas comes to show that there spiritual problems with the people living in the house. These are mini ginger bread houses with 'tzaraas'.

Make gingerbread, roll out and using this template.

Use royal icing to stick together and decorate.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos

Orit

XXX

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Parshas Tazria

This weeks Parsa starts off with the Mitzvah of Bris Milla.

On the eighth day, after a baby boy is born, he is to have a bris milla-circumcision.

I wanted to make these cute baby cake pops as the crying boy at the bris....

But soon discovered that in a group they look more like angry bird than a baby!!

To make the cake pops, bake any sponge cake, I have a recipe for one on the blog, but for this one I used a ready mix from a box.  Make any kind of frosting. I used ganache. 

Place the cake into a bowl of a stand mixer and using a paddle attachment mix until all thats left from the cake is crumbs.  spooning in the icing one spoon at a time while mixer is still going.  There is no exact amount of icing that goes in, as this will depend on the moisture of the cake.  As you can see bellow in box 1 the mixture should look dough like.  Be careful not to add too much icing as this will make the cake pops too sweet, yet not to add too little icing as this will make them crack.  If however they crack, you can always place them back in stand mixer and add more icing. 

Measure out the balls.  I made mine 70g (25 ounces) or you can use a scoop as also illustrated above.  To be honest I found mine were too big.  next time I would go for half the size.

Once measured out, roll them into balls.

Refrigerate for about an hour.

Take out of fridge and leave on counter while preparing the next stage.  

Melt chocolate in a narrow long container.  My mother bought this cute little mini pot set for my daughter, so I use her mini soup pot!  I place the chocolate in the pot and place the mini pot in one of my pots thats filled with boilng water.  Dont put the small pot in (or whatever heat proof dish you use) in the big pot while its still boiling on stove.  The steam will get into the chocolate and ruin it.

It is recommended to use a piece of Styrofoam to stick the pops into while the chocolate hardens.  I didnt have any, so improvised with This Pizza baking dish.  I placed it ontop of a bowl, but to prevent the pops from sliding around inside, I placed a dishcloth in first.  

Dip the stick in the chocolate first and then stick into the pop.  The chocolate with act as a glue to keep the stick from sliding out.

Now dip the pop into the chocolate.  Allow the chocolate to drip off by tapping lightly on your finger or knife and keep rotating the pop as you do this.

And...... decorate! I made royal icing with one egg white.  to get a runny icing add 1 and a half cup icing sugar,  but to get it a little harder, add more icing sugar... 

Enjoy!

Wishing you all a wonderful Shabbos!

Orit

xxx

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Shlisel Challa

Some have The Minhag (custom) to bake Challas into the shape of keys for the shabbos after Pesach.  It is a Chassidish Minhag.  Its supposed to be a Segula (good omen) for Parnosah (livelihood)

I decided to add a bit of a twist to this minhag and turn it into a dessert as well...

allow me to introduce you to....

KEY SHAPED PRETZELS!  The pretzels also have a twist to them... albeit they are savory, I dipped them in melted margerine and then sugar and cinnamon... no you have never! 

Pretzels Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups soya milk(or any parev milk)

2 pkts dry yeast

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

4 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp salt

1/3 cup bicarbonate of soda

3 cups warm water

Koshering salt (optional)

melted margarine

sugar and cinnamon mixture (1 cup sugar 1 Tbls cinnamon)

Method:

1. Warm up the soya milk either in sauce pan on stove or microwave.  Either way be careful not to over heat.  This is for proofing the yeast and if its to hot it will kill the yeast.  

2. Once warm add the yeast.   

3.  When starts bubbling, pour into mixer bowl and add sugar and oil.

4.  Using dough hook start mixing and add 1 cup of flour at a time.

5.  Add salt now and carry on mixing till all incorporated

6.  kneed for 10 minutes.

7.  Place the dough in a well greased dish - grease hands as well so the dough doesnt stick to them.  

8. Cover with cling wrap and place in a warm place for 1 hour.  

9.  The dough should almost triple in size.

10.  Pre-heat oven to Maximum

11.  Punch dough down and divide into 24.  

12. Mix the warm water and bicarb together.

13.  After shaping each key, dip in the bicarb solution and place on greased baking pan. 

14.  Sprinkle some kashering salt on(optional- I loved to mixture of salt and sugar, my kids heavily protested)

15.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until browned.

16.  While still hot, dip into melted margarine and then into cinnamon sugar mixture.

Wishing you all a wonderful Shabbos!

Chag Pesach 2013

I did not realize how much I would miss baking and blogging for Parsha dessert over Cag Pesach!

Missed searching about the different Parshiot. 

Missed looking for new and interesting desserts that can be shaped into different themes.  

Missed being in touch with all of you!

Being the oldest in my family and my parents living in Israel, I bake for my sisters for Chag Pesach.  this year I baked over 30 cakes!  

All different kinds.  Considering the limited ingredients one has for Pesach I antisipated some flops with all the experimenting.  Thankfully only one recipe flopped.  I will have to find a recipe that works for apple crumble.  My husband loves apple crumble.  and it seams so easy! seriously what could go wrong with apple crumble?  Well mine bounces!

But lets rather talk about the coffee-chocolate brownies (mezonot) that were oh so crumbly!  and the Nesquick 'shoko' cake (shehakol) that goes so well with, well, shoko (chocolate milk)!  I also experimented with chutney and sorbet.  Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we have been...

Coffee Chocolate Brownies

(Mezonot)

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup matzah cake meal

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbls cocoa

1/2 tsp coffee mixed into 1/2 cup warm water.

Method:

1.  In mixer, combine oil and sugar and beat.

2.  Add eggs and continue to mix.

3.  Still while beating, add the cake meal, baking powder, cocoa and coffee mixture.

4.  Pour batter into greased oven proof dish and bake on 180 degrees C (360 F) for about 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into cake comes out clean.

'Nesquick' Shoko Cake

(shehakol)

This one caused my daughter to get a bit hysterical.  She was desperate for me to write the recipe down before I forget it.  Well, here it is!

Ingredients:

6 eggs seperated

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup nesquick powder

1 cup potato starch

Method:

1. In a mixer beat the egg whites.  Slowly add the sugar.  Put aside.

2.  Beat the egg yolks with oil.  Now add the cocoa, nesquick and potato starch.  Beat well.

3.  Fold in the egg white mixture and pour into oven proof dish.  Bake at 180 degrees C (360F) for about 50 minutes (or until a knife inserted comes out clean)

Granadila (Passion Fruit) Sorbet

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar

1 and 1/3 cup water

1/2 cup granadila pulp

juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbls Vodka (optional- although if it wasnt for the kids i would have probable put in a whole lot more!)

Method:

1.  In a pot, boil the water and sugar for about 15 minutes.  It should turn into a clear syrup.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.

2.  In a food processor, combine granadila pulp and lemon and mix on high.

3.  While still beating, pour the syrup into the fruit.  

4.  Once all the syrup is in,  leave food processor running for a few more minutes.

5.  Leaving the Sorbet in the food processor dish with the blade still in, freeze for an hour.

6. Reattach the food processor to the base and beat for 5 minutes.

7. freeze again for an hour.

8.  Once again beat for 5 minutes and refreeze.  This time Leave in freezer over night (remember to leave the blade in).

9.  The following day, allow the sorbet to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes- an hour and reattach the food processor to base.  Pulse for 5 seconds just to see if the blade is loose.  If not, leave for a few more minutes and try again.  Its summer here so 30 minutes was enough for me, but I'm sure this waiting period will vary depending on room temperature.

10.  Once the blade is loose enough to cut through the sorbet allow to mix for a minute or two.  It will now get a creamy texture.  

Pour into dish and refreeze.

Peach Chutney

What prompted me to make home made chutney was the exorbitant prices of all the Pesach goods imported from the states this year.  I entertain a fortune and need to buy in bulk of almost everything.  There was no way I could do that with the duck sauces and all the other sauces I usually use for my roasts and chickens.  

I am so glad I decided to give this a shot.  Once again improvising with Pesach ingredients meant I had to be a little creative with the recipe, but this one is a winner and i will definitely be doing this year round and not only Pesach time!  much healthier than the versions I buy from the shops as there are no preservatives and colourings!

Ingredients:

8 Peaches

1 Cup Sugar

2 Large Onion chopped

Cumin

garlic powder

Dash Salt

dried chopped chillies (optional)

Method:

1.  Peel and chop peaches removing pips (pits)

2.  Chop onions into little cubes.

3.  Mash peaches and place in pot. 

4.  Add the sugar, onions and the spices.  I didnt write exact amounts for two reasons.  The first is that you should season to taste, and the second is that i didnt measure.  I just spiced with a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  Sorry!  Next time Ill measure and fill in the amounts.

5.  Bring to boil and boil for about 10 minutes mashing the peaches some more and stirring.

6.  Allow to simmer for about an hour and a half.  

The Chutney will thicken when it cools.  Place in an air tight container and refrigerate.

Wishing you all a wonderful chag Kasher VeSameach!

Orit

xxx

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Parshas Shmini

In Parshas Shmini we learn about all the kosher animals and how we know that they are kosher. Animals have to chew their cud and have split hooves like a cow, goat sheep or camel. Kosher Fish have fins and scales and the only kosher birds are listed. Among them.... the chicken! chicken make with icecream and decorated with sweets.

Parshas Tzav

Every morning, the Kohanim draw lots to see who will be the first to do the daily rituals.  The winner performs the terumat hadeshen (taking a portion of ashes).  after purifying himself in a mikvah and dressing in the bigdei Kehuna, he takes a silver pan and starts to clean the ashes off the Mizbeach from the previous days korbanos.  mini Mizbeach from 'magic 3 layer cake.

Parshas Vayikra

In Parshas Vayikra we learn about the different Korbanot. The 'Korban Mincha' was made from flour water and oil. It could be raw, fried or baked into a craker form. It could not be leavened- it was not allowed to rise.