Passover Desserts

This week is Passover and for the past few years I have been in charge of making desserts for our family seder. Growing up I never remember having good desserts at Seder. I remember jelly slices and chocolate lollipops both purchased from the synagogue gift shop. Maybe we have just gotten more creative over the years!

The first thing I made this year was matzo toffee. This can be made with so many different topping but I just looked at what I had in my pantry and went with it. You start with the matzo/toffee/chocolate base and then add whatever topping you please! I went with heath bar, walnuts and sea salt, and craisins with a white chocolate drizzle. 

Matzo Toffee

Recipe from Onceuponachef.com-

Servings: 35 2-inch squares

Total Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

4-5 lightly salted matzos

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1 heaping cup chopped pecans (toasted if desired, for maximum flavor - see note below)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes or kosher salt

Instructions-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil, making sure the foil goes up and over the edges, and top with sheet of parchment paper.

Cover baking sheet with matzos, cutting and piecing together as necessary to fill the entire pan.

Make toffee: Combine butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until mixture comes to a boil. (If it looks like it’s separating, just keep stirring; it will come together.) Once mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking and stirring for another 3 minutes until foamy and thickened. (Be extra careful -- toffee will be very hot!) Immediately pour toffee over matzos and, using a spatula, spread into an even layer.

Put the pan into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the toffee topping is crackled and bubbling all over. Remove pan and place on wire cooling rack on the counter. Immediately scatter chocolate chips evenly over top. Wait 3-5 minutes for the chips to soften, then use a thin spatula to spread chocolate into an even layer.

*Sprinkle with pecans and sea salt. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 45 minutes. Don't leave it in the fridge too much longer, otherwise it will be hard to cut.

Lift foil overhang to transfer matzo crack onto a large cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve cold.

*Substitute other topping as you like!

I used parchment paper instead of foil.

I also made a recipe and a half so we would have some extras.

The second recipe I made was for passover Apple Cake.

Passover Apple Cake-

Ingredients-

5 granny smith apples, peeled and thin sliced

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Batter-

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup matzo cake meal

1/2 cup oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients to make a thin batter. Drizzle 3 tbsp of batter in the bottom of a pie pan. Layer apples, raisins, walnuts, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Top each layer with a drizzle of batter. continue layering until you have used all of your ingredients and have filled you pie pan to about 1" above the top. 

Bake for 40 minutes until lightly brown. Best served warm!

My apple corer, peeler, slicer was my friend for this recipe!

I made a little extra and used an aluminum pan.

The presentation on this isn't great but it tastes delicious!