Parshas Tetzaveh

Hashem commands Benei Yisrael to make the purest olive oil for the Menorah in the Mishkan. The Midrash goes on and describes Bnei Yisrael to olive oil.

The way they made olive oil was using an olive press.  An olive press is a flat rock with a big round rock that rolls around ontop of the flat rock squeezing the oil out of the olives...

Wishing you all a Blessed Shabbos and a Purim Sameach!!!

Parshas Teruma

The main theme in this weeks parsha 'Terumah' is donating to and building the Mishkan.  Hashem commanded that fifteen different materials be collected for the construction of the Mishkan.  Amongst them was gold, silver, copper, different fabrics, shittim (cedar) wood etc...  

For the 'shittim' wood I made these biscuits covered in caramel and dipped in chocolate...

gold and silver are cup cakes decorated with honey comb for honey and 100's and 1000's fot silver...

Hoping you have a wonderful Shabbos!

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Parshas Mishpatim 2

Naase Venishma crown cup cakes made with home made plastic icing.

Parshas Mishpatim

In this weeks Parsha, one of the Mitzvos we learn about is the prohibition of mixing meat and milk.  To demonstrate this I made 'burger cookies' and 'milk' with a separation on a plate.

For the 'glass of milk' make custard by following the package instructions and substituting dairy milk with soya (or any other non dairy) milk.

There you have it... 'milk' on the one side of the plate and 'meat' on the other.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos!

Parshas Yitro

Hashem chooses to give The Torah on Har Sinai as it is the most humble mountain.  

Have a wonderful blessed Shabbos!

Parshas Beshalach

Bnei Yisrael are fleeing from Mitzrayim and find themselves between the sea and the Mitzrim that are chasing them. They realize there is nowhere to go other than walk into the sea.  This is a big test for bnei Yisrael.  They have to show complete faith in Hashem.  They show that they trust that Hashem will perform miracles and get them across the sea.  Nachshon ben Aminadav is the first to jump into the water.  He walks in until the water is shoulder deep and then suddenly the water completely splits.  There is dry land infront of them and the water forms into glass walls.

These cupcakes are decorated with whipped Riches whip to illustrate the splitting of the sea.  Using the back of a teaspoon, (like I did with the burning bush) create the waves and the wall.  then mixing the whip with a different colour, make little dots for the people walking through.

When Bnei Yirael arrive at an area called 'Massa' they realize that they are thirsty and there is no water in sight.  Moshe is commanded by Hashem to hit a rock and water pours out of it.

hoping you have a wonderful Shabbos!

Parshas Bo 2

In this weeks parsha we learn about the mitzvah of Tefillin.

I adapted lamingtons (an Australian cake) to make these Tefillin.  Lamingtons are basically a sponge cake dipped in chocolate and then rolled in coconut.  However my kids panicked when they saw me coating the lamingtons in coconut, so I made some with and some without coconut.

Lamingtons Recipe:

Sponge Cake:

Ingredients:

1 cup margarine

2 2/3 cup flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

4 large eggs

2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1 cup water

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (325 degrees F).

2.  Greece pans you are going to bake them in (read bellow for different options)

3.  In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (k beater) cream together margarine and sugar for about 3 minutes. 

4.  Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time.  beat until incorporated.

5.  Add half the flour, baking powder, salt, then cup of water and then second half of flour (all while still beating)

Pour into baking dishes and bake for about 30 mins (or until toothpick comes out clean after inserting into middle of cake)

The tefillin shape is two squares (one bigger yet flatter under a smaller 'cube').

You can either buy pans in the two different sizes. 

or if you cant find any pans the right size or shape, you can bake two large cakes and cut these into the two different sizes.  Make sure to make one cake thinner than the other as you want the bottom piece to be thinner.

I was lucky to find square muffin pans just the right size for the bottom part.  For the top part I baked a big cake and cut it into cubes.

If using the muffin pans, you will need to cut the 'rounded' top to make it flat so that the second square will fit on properly.

To assemble:

Pour coconut into a bowl.

I added some black food colouring in powder form to make get the right colour for the tefillin.

In a double boiler, melt about 250g chocolate mixed with 1 cup Riches whip.  Start with the bottom piece and dip into the chocolate coating all around.

Then pour place into coconut mixture.  Using another pair of forks, toss and turn to cover properly. (apologies for the unclear pictures, no adults were around to help with photographing so one of my kids volunteered to do the job;))

Now repeat with the top piece...

And place ontop of the bottom piece.

Make the straps out of liquorice...

Hoping you have a wonderful Shabbos!