pareve

Olive Oil Orange Semolina Cake

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Eating well and healthily is not about denial. It’s about good choices. So most nights our dessert consists of fresh fruit and a few simple cookies. There is an Italian cookie made from cornmeal that I adore and which has become so difficult to come by. But I digress. However, for Shabbat and other holidays I like to make something just a bit more special. This Olive Oil Orange Semolina Cake by Adeena Sussman was this week’s dessert.

Olive Oil Orange Semolina Cake cake uses olive oil instead of butter so it can be eaten with a meat meal under the laws of Kashrut. But I also love an olive oil cake because unlike when you use butter, there is no laborious creaming of the butter and sugar. Which means, no electric mixer and this comes together quickly. And as with many Middle Eastern style semolina cakes, there is always a sugar syrup to pour over it, which keeps the cake from getting dry and improves the flavor with each passing day.

Curiously the cake recipe only calls for baking powder as a rising agent. Generally if your cake contains an acid you also want to include baking soda. I made the cake as written but next time I might try adding some baking soda.

The semolina flour adds a bit of crunch to the outside of the cake and the all-purpose flour produces a finer crumb. The surprise ingredient is ground sumac. I absolutely love sumac and use it in most of my salads and roasted meats and vegetables. It’s made from a deep red pulverized berry and is used all over the Middle East. It adds a tangy, fruity, citrusy bite which absolutely complements the orange in this cake.

I further enhanced the orange flavor by using a fine orange infused olive oil. I love the oils that I get from Sciabica in California. It’s not essential and you can simply use a good quality buttery olive oil.

The original recipe called for blood oranges in the syrup and navel oranges in the batter. I used Cara Cara oranges in the batter and navel oranges in the syrup because that is what I had. I don’t believe that it made a significant difference.

Olive Oil Orange Semolina Cake is not overly sweet despite the sugar syrup. I paired it with a bit of whipped cream, but a lightly sweetened yogurt or mascarpone would also be delightful. And, of course, it can just be eaten as is adorned only with some chopped roasted pistachios.

So the next time that you need a quick dessert that isn’t overly fussy and pairs especially well with Middle Eastern or North African food, give this a try. There is another Orange Semolina Cake recipe on my blog which is a Cypriot specialty. Frankly, you can’t go wrong with either one although there are differences.

RECIPE

Yield: One 9 X 5-inch Loaf cake

INGREDIENTS


Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 cup olive oil (I used an orange-infused olive oil, but a plain buttery or light olive oil would work)

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Zest and juice of 2 large oranges (I used Cara Cara but navels or even large Blood Oranges would work)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups semolina

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon ground sumac

For the Syrup:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup blood (or regular) orange juice

Pinch of salt

Garnish

1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted pistachios, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Generously grease a 9 X 5-inch loaf pan with oil or vegetable spray. (If you like, line the bottom with parchment paper for easy cake extraction). In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light and frothy. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oil, then whisk in vanilla, sugar, salt and zest.

Mix in the flour, orange juice, semolina, baking powder and sumac until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden and hard to the touch, 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and onto a cooling rack. 

Let the baked cake cool for 10 minutes; loosen the edges with a knife and remove to a wire rack. (If you used parchment paper, the cake should come right out.) Use chopsticks to poke holes in the cake, drizzle some of the syrup over the cake, and garnish with pistachios. 

Make the orange syrup:

While the cake is baking, combine the sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside and allow the syrup to cool.

Passover Brownies

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Over nearly 5 decades of preparing Pesach meals, I have made many wonderful desserts. You will find most of them on my blog and I will also link to them below. For several years I tried to make these brownies from Joan Nathan’s Jewish Cooking in America. This doyenne of Jewish cooking tells the best stories, but I have always found her recipes to be problematic. And the recipe for these Passover Brownies created by the Capsouto Frères NEVER worked. I finally figured out that there was a mistake in the recipe.

I have fixed the mistake and made a couple of small tweaks to the recipe. These Passover Brownies are just delicious and for those who must avoid gluten, they are good enough to enjoy all year. Rich with dark chocolate, dense and yet light because of the eggs and almond flour, they are a wonderful addition to any Passover meal.

And perhaps best of all, these brownies get EVEN better as they age which makes them a perfect make-ahead dessert. The flavors intensify and the brownies themselves become a bit denser while maintaining their lightness.

This recipe is a more old fashioned Passover recipe that does not take advantage of Kosher for Passover baking soda and baking powder which was unavailable decades ago. Our only leavening was lots of eggs that we separated into the yolks and whites. The whites had to be beaten into stiff peaks and gently folded into the rest of the mixture which included the yolks. While a bit of a tedious process, it still works.

When eggs were scarce during the pandemic, it was certainly nice to have other options. But recreating some of these older recipes brings me closer to my parents and grandparents, may they all rest in peace. I especially wanted to make some of these older recipes this year when my family is far away and it is just me and my husband. It reminds me of a happier time when our family was bigger and lived close by one another.

If you have a hand or standing mixer, this recipe is not too onerous to make. But it will take a little more effort than a standard brownie recipe to achieve the delightful result. And if we can’t take a little more effort during the holiday, well when can we?

For More Passover Desserts

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

Fudgy Passover Brownies – Gluten-Free

Chocolate Orange Vegan Passover Cake

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake for Passover

Iraqi Almond Cardamom Cookies

Passover Sephardic Wine Cookies

Passover Almond Coconut Macaroons

Passover Florentine Cookies

Passover Orange Ginger Spice Cookies

Chocolate Chip Vegan Meringue Buttons for Passover

Vegan Almond Coconut Macaroons

RECIPE

Yield: One 9″ square pan (You decide how big or small to cut them. I got 16 pieces)

INGREDIENTS

1.5 sticks of unsalted vegan or dairy butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs, separated

6 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate (try for 70 to 72% cacao)

6 ounces finely ground natural almond meal or flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

A good splash of dark coffee (about 1 Tablespoon)

DIRECTION

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment and lightly spray it with avocado oil or other kosher for Passover neutral spray.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. I just use an oven-safe bowl that I place over a pot with hot water. You can melt chocolate in the microwave but it’s a fussier process. Just heat the water and have the bowl sit in the pot just ABOVE the water. Stir occasionally with a spatula. Once melted, remove the chocolate from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

While the chocolate melts, cream the better and sugar, scraping down the bowl periodically. You should cream the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes in either a standing mixture or with a hand mixture. Slowly add the egg yolks one at a time. You want this to be light and fluffy.

Then add the slightly cooled chocolate, the vanilla extract, coffee and the ground almonds. Mix through.

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Take about 1/4 of the whipped egg whites and thoroughly mix it into the chocolate batter to loosen it up. Then in 3 other portions, gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites just until no whites are showing. Use a rubber spatula for this and make figure eights through the batter to incorporate the whites without deflating them too much.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The top should look baked and just slightly cracked.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting. Don’t worry if the center sinks a little as it cools. Now enjoy!

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Mustacudos de Muez are a Passover specialty of the Jews of Turkey. These unprepossessing cookies are simple to make and quite delicious. Unlike the many varieties of almond and coconut cookies that are ubiquitous during Passover, the Mustacudos de Muez are not as chewy or as sweet. The walnuts have a unique depth of flavor and the orange zest and cinnamon will transport you to the Bosporus.

These cookies are great with tea or coffee, but also would be wonderful with a sweet dessert wine. When you bite into one, there is a bit of crunch to the outer shell of the cookie and then you experience just a slight chewiness as you inhale the orange, walnut and cinnamon goodness.

I found the recipe in Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food.

If you looking to arm chair travel this Pesach holiday, you can’t go wrong with these delightful and simple cookie. They are fairly sturdy so also make a good treat to bring if you are lucky enough to be invited to someone else’s Seder.

There are many wonderful desserts on my blog that are Kosher for Passover and I’ve just added another. Tomorrow I will post my Passover Brownies recipe. After all, you can’t have too many great desserts.

RECIPE

Yield: Between 16 -20

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (250g) English walnuts

1/2 cup (90g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

Zest of 3/4 of a large orange (navel or Cara Cara)

3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. or 325 degrees F if using a convection oven.

Line rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper or use a Silpat.

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture forms a firm paste with the walnuts still retaining some coarseness.

Moisten your hands with a bit of water or a thin coating of a neutral oil so that the paste does not stick.

Form the mixture into balls the size of walnuts in their shell. Arrange them on the prepared cookie sheets leaving about an 1.5 inches between. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before storing the cookies in a tin or airtight container.

Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins are one of my go to breakfast muffins. They taste like a great chocolate banana bread but with an ooey, gooey chocolate center and a hit of Dutch-processed cocoa to up the chocolate game. And did I mention that they happen to be gluten free? I mean, come on!

These Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins will keep you going all morning long or for a healthy afternoon snack when dinner is hours away. When making these delicious muffins, it is essential to use VERY ripe, even black, bananas. These add lots of natural sweetness without adding a lot more sugar.

If you want to make these muffins a bit more tropical add 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened, finely shredded coconut to the mix before baking. These muffins can be frozen or refrigerated. I usually take out four muffins at a time which we go through in 2 days. Do zap the muffins before eating to re-gooify the chocolate centers. Sooooooo good!

RECIPE

YIELD: 12 standard size muffins

INGREDIENTS

3 medium bananas – VERY ripe, peeled and mushed leaving just a few whole bits of banana visible. If your bananas are really black, there will even be liquid.

1/3 cup dark chocolate vegan chips

1.75 cups of superfine almond flour (I like to mix blanched (without the skins) almond flour and natural (with the skins) almond flour for the best texture)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/4 dark or light brown sugar

1/2 cup of your favorite protein powder (I like a Grass-fed vanilla protein powder)

2 Tablespoons peanut butter powder

2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Dutch Process Cocoa Powder (I like Valrhona but any good brand will work.)

2 Tablespoons finely shredded unsweetened coconut (Optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

3 large eggs

1/4 cup of Refined Coconut Oil, melted and cooled slightly

Chocolate peanut butter or chocolate almond butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. with a rack in the middle.

Line a muffin tin with parchment muffin cups (You could spray a non-stick pan instead of using the parchment, but I like the liners.)

In a large bowl, add the almond flour(s), nuts, chocolate chips, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, salt, peanut butter powder and protein powder. Mix thoroughly.

In a separate medium bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, mushed bananas and melted coconut oil. Whisk together to incorporate everything. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until you no longer see bits of almond flour but don’t continue mixing after that. Allow the mixture to rest for 12 minutes to allow the almond flour to absorb all of the wet ingredients.

Using a 2 tablespoon scoop or measure, add this amount of batter to each muffin cup. It should fill about 1/2 of the muffin cup. Then add about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate almond or peanut butter to the center of each muffin. Fill the muffin cups to the top of the tin with the remaining batter.

Place the tin in the 400 degree oven for 6 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and continue baking for about 11 more minutes. Ovens vary so just watch it until you see how your oven does.

Remove the pan to a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 12 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the tin and place directly on the cooling rack to completely cool.

Once the muffins are cool, they can be store in plastic bags or stasher-type bags depending on how you plan on keeping them. I use three bags and refrigerate 2. We go through these every 2 to 3 days. Unless your house is very warm, the muffins can remain unrefigerated for 2 to 3 days without spoiling. Now enjoy!

Cauliflower Tofu Korma

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Rich and loaded with umami, this Cauliflower Tofu Korma is a winner. The seasonings are just right to produce a flavorful dish that is as good as any in a restaurant. And the aromas coming out of your kitchen will make people run, not walk, to the table. I came across the recipe on my favorite vegan blog – PickUp Limes.

Of course, I made a few tweaks. The full-fat coconut milk lends the richness, which makes the Cauliflower Tofu Korma so incredibly satisfying. The dish comes together quickly and with only a little bit of fussing. I prefer to cut up my own cauliflower, but you could use store bought cut up cauliflower for an even faster result. And while I mostly followed the recipe, I think that next time I will use a mix of cauliflower and broccoli which will add color, texture and even additional flavor.

So what is Korma and how does it differ from curry or sabzi?

A curry does not need ingredients like yogurt, coconut milk, nuts, seeds and fragrant whole spices. But a korma needs all of these ingredients. Korma is a specific, mild, and creamy type of Indian curry. “Curry” is a broad term for diverse, spiced South Asian sauces. Kormas use yogurt, cream, coconut milk, nuts, and mild spices to create a thick, velvety gravy.

“Sabzi” (or sabji) refers to an Indian stew made of cooked vegetables. A sabzi is often seasoned with spices and served either dry or in a light gravy. It is a fundamental part of Indian cuisine, particularly in North India and Gujarat. Sabzi is commonly served with roti, paratha, or rice. 

If you are not into a lot of heat in your food or are planning a meal with a diverse group, you can’t go wrong with a rich korma that is generally milder than a curry.

I served my korma over basmati rice, accompanied by a quick spinach raita, chutney and flat bread. It was a big hit with my husband and we are looking forward to left-overs.

RECIPE

Yield: 4 to 6 servings, depending on sides

INGREDIENTS

1 pound of Extra Firm Tofu, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Freshly cracked black pepper (Just a few cracks or about 1/8 teaspoon)

1 medium to large cauliflower cut into florets (The leaves can be used if they are nice.)

1/4 cup of a neutral vegetable oil (I like Avocado oil.)

10 whole cloves

10 green cardamom pods, lightly smashed

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

Generous 1/2 cup of raw cashews

10 medium to large garlic cloves (It’s about a standard bulb of garlic.)

2 small or one large yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped

4.5 Tablespoons of water

Rounded Tablespoon of garam masala

1.5-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

Rounded teaspoon of ground coriander

Rounded teaspoon of ground turmeric

2 teaspoons of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder (If you are using another chili powder, like cayenne, I would only use a 1/4 teaspoon.)

Rounded Tablespoon of granulated sugar

25 ounces OR 3 cups of full-fat coconut milk

Chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Steam the cauliflower for 8 minutes in a pot large enough to comfortably hold the florets. To steam the cauliflower, just use enough water to cover the bottom of the pot by an inch or 2. It should NOT cover the cauliflower.

Once steamed, drain the cauliflower and lay the florets out on a tea towel or paper towels. Gently pat to remove any excess water. Set aside.

While the cauliflower is steaming, add the cashews, garlic, ginger, onion and water to a blender or food processor Blend until you have a smooth paste. Set this aside.

In a large, deep, non-stick skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Be careful when doing this as the spices can pop right out of the pan! Stir and toast for 1 minute.

Carefully toss the tofu pieces with the cornstarch and some freshly cracked black pepper. Add this to the pan with the spices. Using a soft spatula, gently coat the pieces with the oil. Brown the flat sides of the tofu. Don’t stir it or the tofu won’t brown and might crumble. This takes a few minutes and honestly.

Once the tofu is golden, discard the whole spices using tongs. Then add the dried ground spices and cook for a few seconds more, stirring it through.

Now add in the cashew paste and cook for 3 minutes. I didn’t need to but you can add some splashes of water if you need to deglaze the pan.

Next comes the coconut milk. Add it and stir everything gently but thoroughly. It may seem like a lot of liquid at first, but the sauce will thicken especially if you make this ahead and reheat it.

It’s now to to plate this delicious meal and enjoy!

Turkish Sour Lentil Soup (Ekşili Malhuta Çorba)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Turkish Sour Lentil Soup comes from Southeastern Anatolia and is eaten in the autumn and winter there. Tradition claims that when people make this warming soup and distribute it to the poor, snow will follow. Apparently, something to be desired. Now it’s probably just a coincidence, but it hadn’t snowed in over a month; I made this soup and the next day we had a snow storm!

As I have gotten older and the world has become a more dangerous place, especially for Jews, I have turned into more of an armchair traveler. I have always been interested in food as being a big part of defining a culture. With a large collection of cookbooks, I read them the way other people read novels. The books that tell stories along with the recipes are especially treasured. After looking through my shelves, I realized that I was missing any Turkish cookbooks. So after a bit of online research, I decided to purchase The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Dağdeviren.

While I have nothing against the Turkish people and have always found them to be warm and hospitable, I do have a serious problem with President Erdogan and feel that he is a dangerous Islamist and destabilizing factor in the Middle East. So my trip to Turkey will just have to wait. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy their wonderful and varied cuisine. I especially enjoy watching Refika’s Kitchen and The Turkish Traveler on YouTube as part of my armchair travels.

My husband and I eat A LOT of soup all year, but especially in the colder months, and we love lentils for their taste, affordability, variety and nutrition. So in paging through The Turkish Cookbook, I came across this recipe for Sour Lentil Soup and thought it would be something good to try. My well-stocked pantry and fridge was missing only one item. I didn’t have any spinach on hand and didn’t want to go to the grocery store. However, I had some beautiful lacinato kale (also called Dino Kale) and used that in its place. I imagine that chard would also be a good substitute and both have more umph than spinach IMHO.

The other change is that the recipe calls for a flavored oil to be added on top just before serving. When I saw that it used 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, I knew that would be too much for us. So I used Aleppo Pepper, which is fruitier and has a milder heat. The addition of flavored oils as a finishing touch (Tadka) can also be seen in South Asian cuisines. It’s what takes otherwise simple dishes to the next level.

Below I will give the recipe and I found it in the cookbook along with the changes I made after tasting it. I liked the lemony, mintiness of the soup, but it definitely needed a bit more oomph that I wanted to come from the soup rather than simply the heat provided by the flavored oil. Now this seems to be a “poor man’s” soup which could account for some of the flavors that I thought were missing. And while my personal preference is for a soup that is a bit more dense, the soup, bread and salad ended up being quite satisfying once I had made a few of the seasoning changes.

The Sour Lentil Soup won’t rank as my favorite lentil soup, but I enjoyed trying something new from my armchair travels. If you are looking for a soup that is not in your usual rotation and which is not difficult, give this a try. Who knows? Maybe we’ll soon see snow!

I served the Sour Lentil Soup with a Turkish Pide although I don’t know if that or a flat bread would traditionally be served alongside.

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

100g (3.5 oz or 3/4 cup) red lentils, rinsed well and drained

120g of onion (4 oz. or 1 medium), peeled and finely diced

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

50g coarse bulghur wheat (2 oz. or 1/4 cup)

100g eggplant (3.5 oz or 3/8 cup), peeled and finely diced

10 cups of water (Using either a 5 cups of a vegetable or chicken stock plus 5 cups of water would give much more flavor. Since I had made the soup according to the directions, I could only add a Tablespoon of a good bouillon concentrate.)

1.5 teaspoons dried mint (I think 2 teaspoons would be better.)

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (I think 1.5 teaspoons would be better.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt (I needed to add a total of 2 teaspoons)

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

150g fresh spinach (5 oz), finely chopped (I used 1 bunch of lacinato kale and I imagine that you could also use chard)

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 juicy lemon)

For the flavored oil

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (I used 1 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper)

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

DIRECTIONS

In a 5-quart pot or larger, heat 1.25 liters (10 cups) of water and the lentils over medium heat. Bring this to a boil and skim off the foam that rises to the top. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Then add the onion, bulghur wheat and garlic to the pot and stir through. Then add the eggplant along with the dried mint, cumin, salt and black pepper, stir through and simmer for another 20 minutes. This can all be done ahead.

When you are ready to eat, heat the soup to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the spinach or other green used. Add the lemon juice and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

For the flavored oil

Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the dried pepper flakes (in the amount that you feel comfortable with up to 1 teaspoon) and tomato paste and cook stirring for 2 minutes.

Add the flavored oil to the pot of soup, stir through and cook for 1 minute or serve it as I did with a little on each bowl of soup. Now enjoy!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 3 Comments

This simple-to-make, absolutely fabulous dessert is a must for vegans and non-vegans alike. I came across this at the Minimalist Baker site one year when I was looking for some new Passover recipes (and this can easily be made kosher for Passover). Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse is rich tasting with a beautiful silky texture and that bittersweet chocolate finish. Once you make it, you will wonder why you never had it before. There is no going back.

However, like all things with few ingredients, the ones you use need to be topnotch. I like Valrhona Cocoa and Scharffen Berger Baking Chocolate 70% Cacao. This gives a sophisticated finish to the Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse. Sweet chocolate pudding has its place, but this isn’t it. These are the brands I like but there are some other wonderful brands out there, including some that are kosher for Passover.

I got into making vegan desserts because of my great nephew who was deathly allergic to eggs. We shared many holidays together and I never wanted him to miss out on anything or have to “settle.” While thankfully, he successfully underwent treatment to desensitize him to eggs, I still like to make many desserts that are vegan. If you keep the laws of kashrut and want to serve a great dessert after a meat meal, vegan desserts are just the ticket.

This insanely rich-tasting, dark chocolate mousse can be enjoyed unadorned or you can have fun tarting it up as I did for this past Shabbat dinner. And pregnant women and children can safely enjoy this wonderful dessert since unlike a “true” mousse, it is not made with raw egg!

This recipe is definitely a keeper.

RECIPE

Yield: About 8 servings (A little goes a long way)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon of unsweetened Dutch process cocoa or cacao powder (I like Valrhona cocoa for this.)

3/4 cup chopped cocoa butter 

3.5 ounces of the best dark chocolate (70%) (Bittersweet)

1 14-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of Kosher salt

1 teaspoon of Powdered or Confectioner’s sugar

6 pitted medjool dates

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, combine cocoa or cacao powder, cocoa butter, chocolate, salt, and coconut milk. Begin warming over medium-low heat, whisking to combine.

Once the mixture is melted whisk until fully combined. Then remove from heat and add vanilla and confectioner’s sugar to taste (or just add more dates). I found 3/4 teaspoon sugar to be perfect.

Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add dates and blend on high until creamy and smooth. 

Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cacao powder for rich chocolate flavor, dates for sweetness, or salt for saltiness. Frankly, I didn’t add anything. The instructions and amounts as given produced a dark, bittersweet, slightly fudgy deliciousness.

Transfer to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate until cold and thickened – at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

If you want the dessert to be softer and more traditional “mousse-like” take it out of the fridge about an hour before serving. Straight from the fridge will give a somewhat fudgier texture. There is no right or wrong here – both ways are absolutely delicious.

To serve on its own, divide between serving glasses and top with coconut whipped cream, raspberries, and chopped vegan dark chocolate or cacao/cocoa powder (optional).

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. 

Fig and Black Walnut Muffins

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

These Fig and Black Walnut Muffins may not be the most beautiful muffins, but if you love figs, these are amazing. And as if that were not enough, they are Gluten Free and high in protein.

I know that fig season is coming to an end – at least where we live – but they can still be found in our stores.

These Fig and Black Walnut Muffins have been successfully made using coconut milk, soy milk or yogurt. And while I love black walnuts, you can make these with English or red walnuts if you prefer. Sweet Hawaij (The recipe will appear after the muffin recipe.) has become my go to spice blend when baking anything where either pumpkin spice blend or cinnamon is called for.

Because these muffins are very fruit forward, they will spoil relatively quickly. But the good news is that they freeze beautifully. I only take out what I need for a day or two and always zap them in the microwave for about 14 seconds just to refresh them.

If you follow my instructions, the figs will become positively glistening and jammy. I have thought about increasing the almond flour by 1/4 cup which would result in a slightly stronger structure, but we love these as is. Let me know in the comments if you decide to go that route and how it worked out.

RECIPE

Yield: 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of ripe figs, cut into about 12 pieces/fig (How many figs you use will depend on the type of fig and the size. They all work. About 8 to 10 figs with the stems removed.)

2 rounded Tablespoons of fig or orange marmalade

1.75 cups of almond flour (I like to use a mix of natural almond flour with the skins and blanched almond flour for the best texture.

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond kosher salt. Use 1/2 that amount if using another brand.)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons vanilla protein powder

2 teaspoons of sweet hawaij or pumpkin spice mix

1/4 dark or light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/4 cup of refined coconut oil, melted (If you want the coconut flavor you could use “Virgin” coconut oil.)

1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

About 1/3 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts of choice (Truthfully, I eyeball this.)

3/4 cup of coconut or soy milk or natural yogurt

2 Tablespoons of toasted wheat germ (Optional, but I encourage you to use it. I always have it in my fridge to add to quick breads and yogurt.)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix the chopped figs with the brown sugar and set aside.

Mix all of your other ingredients together. Gently mix through about 3/4 of the fig mixture, including the syrup that has formed. Don’t worry if some of the figs have gotten smashed.

Allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare your muffin tin. I line mine with unbleached parchment muffin cups. You could also spray a non-stick pan with a vegetable spray if you prefer.

After the batter has had a chance to start absorbing the liquid, use a scoop or spoon to fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full. Top each muffin with some of the remaining sugared fig mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 7 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for another 8 minutes or until a lovely brown. The figs on top will have sunk into a lovely jam in the middle of the muffins.

Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan to cool completely. These can then be frozen or eaten immediately. Enjoy!

Sweet Hawaij

Yield: About 1/2 cup

1 Tablespoon ground cloves

2 Tablespoons freshly grated nutmeg

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons ground ginger

1 Tablespoon ground cardamom

This will last in a cool, dark place kept in a small glass air-tight jar for up to a year. Mine gets used up waaaaaay before that!

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Vegetable Soup in Under an Hour

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

It’s starting to look like autumn around here. The days are already shorter and some of the trees have begun losing their leaves. So while we still have warm days, my thoughts for dinner are turning back to hot soup to go with fresh bread. This Vegetable Soup in Under an Hour is delicious, nutritious and fast to make. The recipe does not require exact measurements and you can have homemade soup on the table in under an hour.

My husband and I eat soup of all kinds throughout the year. And many are hearty enough to be a meal in itself with some good bread and occasionally a salad. This may sound strange, but when I have a pot of soup on the stove, I feel a measure of calm even in this troubled world we are experiencing. A pot of delicious soup means safety. And the act of preparing it, chopping the vegetables is a form of meditation for me.

While we eat almost all of our meals at home, I don’t always do a lot of planning ahead of time. However, I still want something healthy and delicious even if we have been out all day. So when I came across this soup on YouTube, I thought I would give it a try with a few of my own tweaks, of course. It came together quickly and my husband’s comment when he tried it was “Wow, I could die happy.” Okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but he tends towards the dramatic at times.

Vegetable Soup in Under an Hour can be doubled or tripled if you either have a bigger family or like having left-overs. There is no fancy knife-work necessary because everything will be pureed with an immersion blender. No need to weigh ingredients and you can use canned chickpeas and vegetable stock, although I prefer to make my own. There is nothing fussy here. And while the soup tastes rich and creamy, it’s actually low in calories and very healthy so enjoy it guilt-free!

There are lots of delicious soup recipes on my blog, both hot and cold. And now here is one more. Try it soon.

RECIPE

Yield: 3 to 4 generous servings

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons of a neutral oil (I used Avocado)

1 crown of broccoli cut into smallish florets

1 onion or 1 large leek, coarsely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

3 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 large Bell pepper, cut into large dice

1 large stalk of celery, coarsely chopped

1 Quart of vegetable stock

200g of cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about 1.5 cups)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salt to taste (It will depend on both your preference as well as whether you used a salted stock.)

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1 large Bay Leaf

1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, basil and thyme

A large handful of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro or a mix

About 100ml of full-fat coconut milk or non-dairy cream

For the Garnish

1/3 cup of cooked chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry

1 Tablespoon of neutral oil

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Either: Some chili flakes or Aleppo pepper and Sumac (I went with Aleppo pepper and Sumac)

DIRECTIONS

In a 5 quart soup pot (or larger) add the 2 Tablespoons of oil and heat until shimmering over medium high heat.

Add the onions and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes or until softened but barely beginning to brown.

Then add the carrot, celery, Bell Pepper, garlic and 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Continue cooking until the vegetables have all softened but not browned.

Mix through the chickpeas, broccoli florets, dried herbs and spices. Add the vegetable stock. It should just about cover the vegetables. If necessary, add a little water just to cover. Bring everything to a boil and simmer covered for 15 minutes.

While the soup is cooking away, add 1 Tablespoon of oil to a small skillet, preferably non-stick. When the oil is hot, add the chickpeas and seasoning and sauté until lightly browned. SEt this aside for the garnish.

When the soup has finished cooking, use an immersion blender to puree everything. I like a bit of texture but how smooth you make it is up to you. Then add the coconut milk or non-dairy cream along with a handful of chopped parsley or cilantro. Puree for another minute. THAT’S IT! You now have soup! Serve garnished with some of the seasoned chickpeas and a scattering of chopped fresh herbs. Don’t forget the bread.

Fresh Figs Poached in Syrup

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Fresh Figs are everywhere right now and we love them. In recent years, I have seen the trend that recipes decide that an ingredient should be made popular and it will appear in everything from appetizers to desserts. But new isn’t always better and these Fresh Figs Poached in Syrup are a perfect example.

Growing up my mother would often serve poached figs from a jar with a bit of cream for a simple dessert. Or we ate them as is as part of a breakfast. I loved plunging my spoon into their plump bodies, dripping with the sweet syrup,

Fresh Figs Poached in Syrup is a classic recipe dating back to the Greeks and Romans. So I guess it would be safe to say that this is a tried and true method of enjoying this delightful fruit.

There are a number of varieties of fresh figs available and I used what are referred to as Turkey Brown Figs. But you could use the same directions with any figs that are ripe, unblemished and available to you. You should choose figs that have some give but are not oozing juice or mushy.

This recipe with cloves, cardamom and cinnamon not only is a harbinger of autumn but reminds me of the spice markets in Jerusalem. You could, of course leave them out, but why would you want to? While I have not added any alcohol to my figs, you can choose to add a bit of brandy, rum or Bourbon. I prefer them as is or with a bit of heavy cream, creme fraiche, yogurt or whipped cream. Serve some simple cookies like a shortbread or sablé. Fresh Figs Poached in Syrup is a wonderful, light and satisfying treat.

Fresh figs are perishable so have a plan how to use them before actually making your purchase. For the fig lovers among you, check out these other delicious ways to make the most of the fig bounty now in your market.

Fresh Fig Salad with Blue Cheese and Candied Pecans

Frangipane Fig Tart

Fresh Fig and Walnut Bread

RECIPE

Servings: 5 to 6 (Can be doubled)

INGREDIENTS

1.5 pounds of fresh, ripe, unblemished figs of any variety

1.5 cups of water (If you like a lot of syrup, use 3 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar and a little more of each of the spices below)

1.5 cups of granulated sugar

1 small lemon, sliced

1 or 2 sticks of cinnamon

4 to 5 whole cloves

4 to 5 whole green cardamom pods

A whole vanilla bean, split down the middle

DIRECTIONS

Remove the tough stems from the figs

Place all of the other ingredients in a pot or pan that will hold all of the figs in a single layer

Bring the syrup to a boil and once the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid is clear, gently add the figs.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and poach for 1.5 hours, basting the figs in the liquid about every 15 minutes or so. f you wish to have a thicker liquid, carefully remove the figs from the liquid and boil the liquid to the desired consistency.

Once the figs have finished cooking, they will keep in the fridge for about a month. I