Jewish Cooking Boot Camp: The Modern Girl's Guide to Cooking Like a Jewish Grandmother (20 page)

4. Add the pecans and the cake meal. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.

5. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the batter.

6. Pour the cake batter into the springform pan.

7. Bake for 1 hour.

8. Cool the cake completely and then frost with Chocolate Fudge Icing.

9. Refrigerate the cake for several hours before serving (it's really best if made a day ahead
of time).

* Place the cake in the fridge to cool faster before icing.

1. Melt the butter in a microwave (1 minute).

2. Stir in the cocoa until smooth, then microwave until the mixture boils (around 1
minute).

3. Add the milk, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar, and beat until blended well.

4. Spread the icing over the nut cake.

The cake freezes very well. After cooling it completely in the refrigerator so the icing hardens, wrap the cake in waxed paper and then again in aluminum foil and place in the freezer.
The waxed paper will keep the icing from sticking to the foil.

Anyone who loves almond macaroons will be making these by the dozens. They are easy to make
and better than any you can buy at a bakery. Plus they are a lot cheaper to make than to buy!

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Put the almonds and sugar into a food processor with a metal blade. Process just until
the mixture is smooth (don't over process).

3. Add 1 egg white and pulse 10 times.

4. Add the vanilla and pulse 2 to 3 times.

5. You should be able to shape the batter with your hands; it should be sticky and thick.

6. Lay a piece of baker's parchment on a baking sheet.

7. Shape the batter into balls the size of walnuts, and arrange them on the parchment.

8. Brush each macaroon with a little water.

9. Bake the macaroons for 16 minutes or until lightly browned.

10. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, cool the cookies completely on the parchment,
and remove.

11. Store in a tightly covered container. They also freeze well.

The size of the egg and the amount of oil in the almonds determine the consistency, so you
might have to add a bit more ground almonds to make it thicker or egg white if it's too dry
to form into a ball.

Possibly one of our favorite things to make during Passover, matzo brei works well for breakfast,
lunch, or dinner. Though many matzo brei recipes use sugar or call for egg-dipped matzo that are
fried, Grandma Edith's recipe throws in some cottage cheese to thicken the mixture and make
them more pancake-like. Trust us, they are delicious!

1. Break the matzo into pieces and put them in a colander. Run hot water over the matzo to
soften them (about 1 minute)

2. Once softened, place the matzo in a large mixing bowl and add the eggs, cottage cheese,
onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

3. On medium high, heat enough oil in a frying pan to cover the bottom. Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture one at a time into the hot oil. They should be far enough apart that
they do not touch.

4. Fry the brei until browned on both sides.

* If you want to use only egg whites, substitute 4 whites instead of 2 whole eggs.

* You can also replace the oil with cooking spray, though the brei may not be as crispy.

SING!

A Few of Our Favorite Seder Songs

"The Ballad of the Four Sons"

(to the tune of "Clementine")

This one is a classic in the Marks family. Not a seder goes by that we don't sing at
least a few of the verses.