Moroccan Passover Torte Recipes

MOROCCAN MOUFLETA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Make a well in the center, and slowly add 3 to 3 1/2 cups warm water, mixing and kneading gently, at first with a wooden spoon and then with your hands, until a light and elastic dough is formed. (Add a little extra water if dough seems too dry; it should be pretty wet.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for about 30 minutes.
• Generously coat a baking sheet with oil and set aside. Coat your hands with oil and divide the dough into about 20 balls, each slightly smaller than a tennis ball. Dip each ball in the oil and set on the baking sheet. (Don't worry if the balls lose their shape). Let rest for another 15 minutes.
• Lightly oil your work surface. Place 1 ball at time on the surface and flatten with your palm. Using your fingers, stretch the dough out, as thin as possible, into a 7- or 8-inch disc. Keep dipping your fingers in the oil as needed to help get the moufleta as thin as possible and to keep it from sticking to the work surface or your hands.
• Place a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, carefully pick up the first moufleta (it will be stretchy and have a hard time holding its shape) and place it on the hot skillet. Cook on one side, about 1 to 2 minutes, until the underside has golden-brown patches. Flip the pancake over, roll out the next ball of dough and place it on top of the first one. When the bottom side has golden-brown patches, flip both pancakes together to cook the new one. Roll out another moufleta and place on top of the moufleta pack in the skillet. Flip to cook. Repeat for all moufletas, starting over again when you have a pack of 7 or 8. Except for the first one, they are all getting cooked only on one side. (Alternatively, the moufletas can be cooked one at a time for about 1 to 2 minutes per side and removed to a plate, each one going underneath the one cooked before it to help keep them from drying out. Cover the plate with a towel as you work.)
• Serve immediately, while warm, with butter and honey.

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.

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.

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.

MOROCCAN CHAROSET BALLS

Steps:

• In food processor, process dates, raisins and walnuts until mixute is finely chops and begins to stick together.
• Add wine until mixture becomes sticky.
• Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto wax paper lined baking sheet.
• With moistened hands, roll each mound into a hazelnut-size ball.
• Refrigerate at least 3 hours.