1,000 Jewish Recipes (282 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
2.
Melt chocolate in medium bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and let cool. Sift flour with baking powder.
3.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter until it is soft, smooth, and most of it clings to sides of bowl. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat at medium speed until mixture is very pale, smooth, and fluffy. Beat in 3 eggs one at a time at medium speed, beating thoroughly after each addition. Beat fourth egg in small bowl. Gradually add it to batter, beating well.
4.
With mixer at low speed, add about
1
â
4
of flour mixture. Blend in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend in remaining flour in 3 batches. Stir at low speed just until blended. (Be sure flour is completely mixed into batter.) Transfer 2
1
â
4
cups batter to a bowl and stir in remaining teaspoon vanilla. Stir cool melted chocolate into batter remaining in bowl of mixer.
5.
Spoon about
1
â
2
of chocolate batter into prepared pan without spreading. Spoon about
1
â
2
of vanilla batter over chocolate batter. Spoon remaining chocolate batter on top. Spoon remaining vanilla batter over chocolate batter. Tap pan several times on work surface to level batter. Draw knife through batters several times with swirling motion to marble slightly; chocolate batter should show only slightly at top. Tap pan again several times on work surface to level batter.
6.
Bake about 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Release spring and remove sides of pan. Cool cake to lukewarm. Turn over onto another rack. Carefully remove base of pan with aid of metal spatula. Serve cake at room temperature.
 or
Â
This simple cake is composed of lemon pound cake baked with a layer of moist prunes, which come out on top when you turn the cake over. It's easy to make and is a welcome treat for Tu Bishvat, the tree-planting holiday, which takes place in late January to early February. For this holiday, dried fruits and the desserts made with them are the time-honored treats because fresh fruit was not available during this season before the age of refrigeration and imports. This cake is terrific with tea any time of the year.
16 moist pitted prunes (about 6 ounces or 1
1
â
4
cups)
1
3
â
4
cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1.
Put prunes in bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand 30 minutes until softened. Remove prunes from water, set them on paper towels, and cover with more paper towels. Thoroughly pat them dry.
2.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- to 9
1
â
2
-inch square pan. Line its base with parchment or foil. Generously butter liner. Flour pan, tapping it to remove excess flour.
3.
Set prunes on paper at equal intervals, with their more attractive side downwards. Sift flour with baking powder.
4.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter until it is soft, smooth, and most of it clings to side of bowl. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat at medium speed until mixture is very pale, smooth, and fluffy. Beat in 3 eggs, one at a time, at medium speed, beating well after each. Beat fourth egg in small bowl. Gradually add it to batter, beating well. Stir in lemon rind.
5.
With mixer at low speed, add about
1
â
4
of flour mixture. Blend in remaining flour in 3 batches. Stir at low speed just until blended.
6.
Spoon batter carefully into pan without moving prunes. Spread smooth with rubber spatula. Tap pan once on work surface to level batter. Bake about 40 minutes or until cake comes away from sides of pan and cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack, carefully remove paper, and cool completely. Serve at room temperature.
I first became aware of how delicious plums can be in cakes when I lived in Israel. When plum season came in late summer, everyone seemed to be baking plum cakes. Later I learned that the recipes were brought to Israel by Ashkenazic Jews coming from a broad area that ranges from Hungary to Alsace, France. Small oval plums, sometimes called Italian plums or prune plums, are best for this cake. For a rich crumbly topping, you can sprinkle the cake with
Streusel Topping
before baking it. If you wish, dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving it. You can make the cake ahead and keep it for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.
1
1
â
2
cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1
â
4
cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
4 large eggs, separated
3
â
4
cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3
â
4
pound small fresh plums, halved lengthwise and pitted
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 9-inch springform pan. Sift flour with baking powder.
2.
Beat cheese until soft and creamy. Add sour cream and beat until blended. Transfer mixture to a small bowl.
3.
Whip egg yolks with
1
â
2
cup sugar until thick and light. Beat in cheese mixture. Stir in vanilla and grated lemon rind.
4.
Whip egg whites in a large bowl until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in remaining
1
â
4
cup sugar. Beat whites for another 30 seconds at high speed until stiff and shiny but not dry. Fold about half of flour mixture into cheese mixture, followed by half of whites. Repeat with remaining flour and remaining whites, folding lightly and quickly.
5.
Transfer batter to pan and smooth it lightly. Top with plum halves with their cut-side up, nearly touching each other. Bake about 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean and dough browns lightly. Let stand 5 minutes. Run metal spatula or knife around cake and release spring. Remove pan sides but leave cake on base. Cool slightly on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
When I adapted my mother's chocolate applesauce cake to be lowfat, I was very pleased with the result. It's hard to believe this flavorful cake is low in fat. Basically I replace part of the oil with applesauce. This gives it an appealing, light texture and helps it stay moist for 3 or 4 days. When I want an accompaniment, I serve the cake with
Apples in Spiced Wine
or with nonfat vanilla yogurt or frozen yogurt.
Oil spray
1
1
â
2
cups all-purpose flour
1
â
3
cup unsweetened cocoa
1
1
â
4
teaspoons ground cinnamon
1
â
4
teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1
1
â
3
cups applesauce
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with oil spray; flour pan. Sift flour with cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, if using, and baking soda into a bowl. Beat oil, sugar, and egg in a large bowl at medium speed until pale in color and fluffy. On low speed, stir flour mixture alternately with applesauce into egg mixture; mix well.
2.
Bake in prepared pan 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack or leave in the pan; cool completely. Serve at room temperature.
In my local Jewish bakeries fruitcake has become popular in recent years for Rosh Hashanah. Unlike many American and English fruitcakes, these are studded with fruit instead of being dense with fruit. I like to flavor mine with a little honey and to use dried rather than candied fruit. This cake is so much better than typical fruitcake that I enjoy making and eating it at other times of the year.
1
â
2
cup chopped mixed dried fruits, such as pears, apricots, and prunes
3
â
4
cup raisins
1
â
4
cup rum or orange juice
1
3
â
4
cups all-purpose flour
1
â
2
teaspoon baking powder
1
â
2
cup vegetable oil or margarine
