Moroccan Passover Torte Recipes

MOROCCAN PASSOVER TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with 1/2 cup sugar until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
• Without washing the beaters, beat the eggs yolk in a small bowl with the rest of the sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the yolks to the whites but do not stir.
• Add the walnuts and gently fold the ingredients together.
• Do the same with the coconut, one cup at a time.
• Pour the cake batter into a greased 9-inch spring form pan, and bake for 45 minutes until lightly brown on top.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Mix together the orange juice and orange liqueur. Pour over the cake while it is still in the pan.
• When the cake has cooled, place it in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.
• Just before serving (add whipped cream here, if desired) garnish with bittersweet chocolate shavings.
• Store in the refrigerator.

MESKOUTA (MOROCCAN ORANGE CAKE)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with olive oil, and line it with a sheet of parchment paper so that you have extra on the sides. (You'll use this to lift the loaf out of the pan.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. In another large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs until well combined. Add the yogurt, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla extract to the sugar and egg mixture, and whisk until well incorporated.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix using a spatula until you no longer see flecks of flour, making sure not to overmix. (The batter will be slightly lumpy.) Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and use a spatula to spread into an even layer.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some small, moist crumbs. (If the cake needs another minute or two, but is becoming too brown, tent with foil.) Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before using the parchment overhang to remove from the pan.
• Make the optional whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the cream and the confectioners' sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high until medium peaks begin to form. You want a spreading consistency. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve the cake.
• To serve, cut the cake in slices, top with whipped cream, if using, and garnish with chocolate shavings, if using. Alternatively, you can also top the whole cake with whipped cream, then slice it. Without the whipped cream, the cake keeps for up to 5 days in an airtight container on the counter.

CHOCOLATE TORTE WITH PASSOVER FUDGE GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment, and spread hazelnuts on top. Bake until fragrant and toasted, about 10 minutes. Place nuts in a clean kitchen towel, and rub to remove loose skins. Place 1/3 cup nuts in bowl of food processor, and pulse until finely ground; reserve. Roughly chop remaining 1 cup nuts, and set aside.
• Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with margarine; dust with cocoa powder. Whisk together remaining 3/4 cup cocoa powder, ground hazelnuts, and matzo meal; set aside.
• In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat yolks and brown sugar on medium-high speed until mixture holds a ribbonlike trail for 3 seconds when you raise the whisk, about 45 seconds. Fold in 1 cup nut puree from fudge glaze recipe. Transfer to a large bowl; wash and dry mixer bowl and attachment. Place egg whites and salt in mixer bowl; beat with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Fold egg whites and ground-hazelnut mixture into egg-yolk mixture. Fold in melted margarine. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula.
• Transfer to oven; bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Invert pan, and remove cake. Using a serrated knife, slice cake into two layers. Place a 9-inch cake round on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Place bottom layer of cake on round; spread 1/2 cup fudge glaze on top. Place second layer on bottom layer. Pour remaining glaze over cake, using the offset spatula to cover sides. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• When ready to serve, press chopped hazelnuts onto sides.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with foil.
• Grease the foil.
• Melt the margarine and chocolate over low heat or in the microwave.
• Stir until smooth and let cool.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, about about 2 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, beat together the yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 1 minute.
• Blend in the chocolate mixture and stir in the almonds.
• Fold in the beaten whites, 1/3 at a time, into the chocolate until no streaks of white remain.
• Scrape into prepared pan.
• Place an 8 inch baking pan with 1 inch of water in it on the bottom rack of the oven (to make the torte more moist).
• Bake the torte on center rack at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center.
• Cover the torte loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking.
• Note: Don't worry if the cake cracks because the top will be on the bottom later.
• Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then carefully remove sides of pan.
• Invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.
• You can top with whipping cream or dust with confectioner's sugar if you want.

SINFUL TORTE (PASSOVER ... SPECIAL OCCASION)

Steps:

• 1. I was able to find Parve semi-sweet chips at Wegman's. If making for Passover, adjust as you see fit.
• 2. Use a 9 inch springform pan. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and wrap outside of pan with foil.
• 3. Combine 14 ounces of bittersweet chocolate with your cubed butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on half power for one minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds at a time until chocolate and butter are almost completely melted. Stir until completely melted and incorporated. Cool.
• 4. In a medium bowl, whip egg yolks with half of the sugar (6 tablespoons) until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Fold cooled chocolate into the yolks along with vanilla and rum.
• 5. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar. Continue to whip to medium stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture in thirds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes, until the top of the cake is puffed and cracked. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack. The top will fall.
• 7. Ganache: Pour heavy cream into a sauce pan and heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and stir in remaining pound of chocolate.
• 8. Press down gently on top of cake to make it somewhat uniformly flat. Remove sides from the pan and invert cake onto a plate with edges lined with waxed paper. Remove parchment paper from cake and ladle warm ganache over the top. Spread out to cover the sides of the torte. Let stand until set. You can then remove the waxed paper and have a drip-free plate.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with foil. Grease foil.
• Melt margarine and chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth and let cool.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat whites until stiff; about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, beat together yolks and sugar until thick and pale; about 1 minute. Blend in chocolate mixture and stir in almonds. Fold in beaten whites, 1/3 at a time, into chocolate until no streaks of white remain. Scrape into prepared pan.
• Place an 8 inch baking pan with 1 inch of water in it on the bottom rack of the oven (to make the torte more moist).
• Bake torte on center rack at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until sides begin to pull away from pan and top is set in center. Cover the torte loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking. Note: Don't worry if the cake cracks because the top will be on the bottom later.
• Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then carefully remove sides of pan. Invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Stir chocolate and margarine in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool until lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until pale and very thick, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture in 2 additions and beat until well blended. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake torte until crust forms on top and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter and some moist crumbs still attached, about 55 minutes (top may crack). Run small sharp knife around torte to loosen. Cool in pan on rack (torte will fall and crack). Remove pan sides. Invert torte onto platter. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)
• Grind 1/3 cup sugar in blender until fine powder forms. Place doily atop torte. Sift ground sugar over doily; gently remove doily. Garnish torte with raspberries, if desired. Serve with Raspberry Sauce.