It’s hard to believe that it’s already time to get ready for Pesach, but Purim has passed and Passover really is right around the corner. This year, we’re preparing with this easy, no-bake dessert that requires no special equipment (because maybe you only have KforP bowls and forks!).
Tag Archives: chocolate
Double Pumpkin Biscotti
Chocolate Caramel Slice
Even though we’re Jewish, it’s impossible to ignore all of the Halloween in the air! That means tons of candy and treats for the kids. For my kid, it’s homemade candy; so if you want to make a special homemade treat, give this recipe a try! And if you can find the correct sized tart pan, buy one for me. I’ll pay you back.
When I saw the photo of this candy/dessert in my friend Daniella’s Bon Appetit Desserts book, I KNEW I had to buy the book right away. And I did, thanks to the Amazon app on my iPhone. Then I bookmarked way too many desserts and put this one off for a little while. I’m glad I came back to it. It was actually quite easy, and I had all the ingredients in my pantry except for the sweetened condensed milk. That’s easy to find in the supermarket. Oh, golden syrup is great. If you don’t have it, you can use corn syrup, but I don’t like to use corn syrup. I find Lyle’s golden syrup in the regular supermarket, but if you can’t find it, try Amazon. Continue reading
Almond Milk
I’m not sure if it’s just because I have a baby who will be turning one soon or because it’s just a fad, but there’s something about nut milks that I just can’t stop hearing and reading about them wherever I go. Now, nut milk is exactly what it sounds like. A drink made out of nuts. In this case, almonds. It’s not milk in the traditional comes from a mammal who just had a baby way, but it’s a nice dairy-free alternative for baking, drinking, cooking, and definitely marinating meats that you can’t use cow’s milk for (think fried chicken). Continue reading
Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream
At work, our clients bring us a ton of chocolate. Bars, boxes, liqueur-filled, and truffles just to name a few. Some with only Russian words on the package, and other more familiar English ones. Well, many of these treats go uneaten by me, and pretty much sit around the kitchen table for a while. But when we get a box of Ferrero Rochers, they don’t last more than a day. I have to run to the kitchen to get some before they’re eaten by my coworkers. Let me tell you, they have good taste. Continue reading
Passover Chocolate Walnut Cookies
My friend Paulette sent me this passover cookie recipe, and though I was already baking marshmallow pecan logs, pie, chocolate cake, and macaroons, immediately after reading the recipe, I knew I had to bake these, too. They came out fudgy and airy, and were definitely my favorite pareve dessert at the seder. If you like chocolate, give these a try. They’re simple enough to make, kosher for Passover for everyone involved, and impressive looking, which is the most important part. Plus, they freeze well. Score! Continue reading
Happy Purim: Hot Chocolate on a Stick
What is hot chocolate on a stick, you ask? apparently it’s not exactly what it sounds like, because it sounds like liquid on a stick, which sounds impossible. So I guess I’d have to say it’s a bar of chocolate on a popsicle stick that you melt in hot milk to turn into hot chocolate!
Happy Purim! I sent this recipe to Jessica a couple of months ago, and even though these were meant as Christmas gifts, we saved them to make for Purim, because don’t they make perfect mishloach manot? This recipe uses store-bought mini-marshmallows, but we knew if we were going to make these, we had to make our own!
Chocolate Earl Grey Shortbread Coins

My favorite kind of tea is Earl Grey. I probably drink it too much. But don’t worry, I switch between brands so I don’t get sick of it. My favorite? Revolution Earl Grey with Lavender (in a box with a silk bag!). So this “grown up cookie” has been on my list of things to bake for a very long time. Ever notice how that list always gets longer, even during my week off? I need to stop looking at new cookbooks, reading blogs, and watching cooking shows until my entire “to bake/cook” list is checked off. Yeah, sure. Anyway, this is the perfect cookie to bake for a tea/coffee get together with friends, and the perfect end to a meal. Why? Because it’s easy to make. All you need is a food processor and some pantry staples. And some loose earl grey tea (only about a tablespoon). And I have plenty of that in my house (decaf, too!). Continue reading
Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas
This post is in honor of the best news ever!
Whenever I buy bananas, some of them start to turn brown before I can eat them. Seriously, they’re green when I bring them home, and when I wake up the next morning they’re already overripe! I usually peel them, cut them into chunks and freeze them for smoothies, but there are other things you can do with frozen bananas; You can dip them in chocolate and coconut or pistachios and eat them for dessert!
Chocolate-Banana Marble Bread
Whether we bake, freeze or make smoothies, we always find ways to use up overripe bananas, but this time we bought bananas especially to make this bread. It was one of the recipes on Jessica’s list in her favorite bakebook (can you guess what it is? She should start one of those cook-through blogs and get a movie deal like Julie & Julia). She started mashing the bananas, but Richie didn’t want her to bake that day, so I took over.
This quick bread can be a dessert or breakfast! We made three, one for the parents, one for my in laws, and one for the freezer, because we always like to make extras for later.
Chocolate-Banana Marble Bread from The Art and Soul of Baking
Ingredients:
- 2 or 3 very ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup (2 oz.) buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups (7 oz.) sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup (1 oz.) unsifted Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz.) boiling water, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (7 oz.) sugar
- 2 large eggs
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease the pan(s). The recipe calls for 1 9×5″ load pan, we used 3 smaller ones.
- Peel the bananas and place in a bowl or food processor. Mash or process to a smooth puree. Measure out 1 cup of the puree and transfer to a medium bowl; that’s all you need. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and set aside.
- Sift the cake flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl and blend well. Set aside.
- Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl, pour boiling water over it and stir until it forms a smooth paste-it should run thickly off the spoon. If it’s too thick, add another tablespoon of water and stir again. Set aside.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes until the butter is very light. Turn the machine to medium and add the eggs, 1 tablespoon at a time, completely blending in each addition before adding the next. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on the lowest speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then half of the banana mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients, scrape down the bowl and finish blending batter by hand.
- Tranfer half the batter to a medium bowl, add the cocoa paste and gently but thoroughly blend it into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Drop alternating spoonfuls of batters into the prepared pans, then marbleize by using a spoon to gently turn the batter oven in 3 places down the length of the pan.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes.



















