Category: Dessert

Halva Ribbons

I’m stress baking with Israel and the hostages on my mind – so I went to my tried and true recipe – my famous BABKA STRAWS, only Israel-inspired with a halva filling this time, and hostage ribbon shaped because it’s all I can think of right now.

I’m going to keep it short because I don’t know how to even formulate my feelings into words but I’ll share something I wrote this New Years, a bit of hope in the darkness…

Two thousand twenty four
A year of
Victory or defeat
memories I’d like to forget
Tik tok
Tik tok
The sound of
Mothers of hostages
Fathers of soldiers
sobs in my pillow
Numbers on masking tape
Rising
Broken spirits
Colliding
Boots for soldiers
Gear for brothers
Glimmers of light
In the darkness
Faith
our weapon
Family
our shield
A nation of Maccabees
Fighting
Uniting
Igniting
The Star of David
forever emblazoned
On our souls
We are the light
And we will dance again
עם ישראל חי

 

Halva Ribbons for the Hostages

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup tahini paste
3 tbsp silan (date honey)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
kosher salt, to taste
1-2 tbsp water
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, beaten, for eggwash
2 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine the tahini paste, silan, cinnamon, vanilla and salt, whisk until combined. Add in the water a tablespoon at a time until the spread is creamy like the texture of dulce de leche.

In a second bowl, combine the demerara sugar and sesame seeds.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Working with one sheet of cold puff pastry at a time, lightly roll the dough out to form a large rectangle (flour your surface, if needed). With the short side facing you, spread half of the halva filling on the lower half of the dough. Fold uncoated half of the dough over the coated side.

Using a pizza cutter, cut the pastry into thin strips, 1/8 – 1/4-inch thick. Twist the strips into a ribbon shape and place on the sheet tray about 1/2-inch or so apart.

Brush the ribbons with egg wash and sprinkle with the demerara sugar mixture.

Repeat with remaining puff pastry and halva cream.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

NOTE: If the puff pastry gets too soft, it can be difficult to work with. If needed, freeze the pastry to firm it up before cutting and shaping.

VARIATION: You can use this halva crumble topping in place of the sugar/sesame mixture.

Related recipes:

yellow ribbon cookies
tahinitaschen
cheese babka straws
chocolate rugelach

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Silan Baked Apples with Pistachio Kataifi

 

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve probably seen the viral DUBAI CHOCOLATE that everyone’s been making all over social media. The dark chocolate bar is stuffed with a mix of pistachio butter and toasted kataifi pastry – a shredded filo dough that’s used to make knafeh. I’ve been watching everyone’s ASMR filled reels, biting into the crunchy bar and I just had to make it – except MY WAY.

When I was thinking about Rosh Hashanah recipes to develop, I decided on this concept – updating the old fashioned baked apple with these delicious flavors and textures, and the finished bite was everything I’d hoped for! Warm and soft apple against the crunchy pistachio kataifi and cold ice cream – the contrast of dreams!

NOTE: You can find kataifi pastry in most supermarkets in the freezer section. Apollo brand is kosher.

SILAN BAKED APPLES WITH PISTACHIO KATAIFI

For the apples;
3 large apples (I used honeycrisp), sliced in half and cored
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp silan
1/2 cup water

For the pistacho kataifi
1 heaping cup raw pistachios
2 heaping cups kataifi, thawed
2 tbsp flavorless oil
2 tbsp silan
kosher salt, to taste

For topping:
vanilla ice cream
crushed roasted & salted pistachos
toasted kataifi
silan

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the apples in a baking dish, cut side up. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with silan, cover and bake until tender, about 30 minutes.

While the apples are baking, spread the pistachios out on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 8 minutes.

Cut the kataifi into small pieces and spread on another baking sheet, bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring once, until evenly toasted and golden.

Add the pistachios to a food processor fitted with the S blade. Blend, until a creamy butter forms, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during processing. Be patient as the nuts will turn from sandy to thick and clumpy to creamy. Add salt, silan and oil and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding more silan, if desired. If the nut butter is too thick, add a bit more oil.

Mix the pistachio butter into the toasted kataifi.

When ready to serve, spread a heaping spoonful of pistachio kataifi onto the warm apples, top with ice cream, crunchy kataifi, pistachios and silan.

EASY DOES IT! skip the pistachio kataifi filling and just top your baked apples as above!

Related Recipes:

silan roasted figs
honey hasselback baked apples

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Toaster streusel

If you can make toaster strudel then you can also make toaster streusel!! Which is basically a way better version, baked in your toaster oven. I love these for breakfast on the side of coffee, Or as a to-go snack! Just make sure to use the best quality jam that you can find, None of that squeeze-bottle stuff that you use for PB&J sandwiches. I used on my Bonne Maman raspberry apricot jam, I’ve been buying them exclusively Ever since that holocaust story came out!

Toaster streusel

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 c oats
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c neutral oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup good quality jam

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, oats, sugars, baking powder, salt, oil, and vanilla. Mix with your hands until a dough forms.
3. Press 2/3 of the dough into a parchment lined 1/8 baking sheet or a 8×10 pan.
5. Spread jam over the bars and crumble on remaining dough.
6. Bake in a toaster oven for 20 minutes or until browned. Cool completely; cut into squares.

Related Recipes:

 More Dessert Recipes

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Cookie Danish


I took the viral Crookie – Cookie Croissant – and made it Jewish by stuffing a single serving of cookie dough into a danish!! I don’t know about your, but I’m team cinnamon over chocolate – I know, I know, not your typical – but I’m cinnaman and proud!

What about you?


Cookie Danish

¼ cup + 2 teaspoons flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 egg yolk
¼ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
1 pre-baked Cinnamon or chocolate danish

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, egg, vanilla and oil. Mix with a spoon until a dough forms and add in the chocolate chips.

Slice danish into half like a book. Spread most of the cookie dough over the danish, then close and top some more cookie dough.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookie dough on top of the danish is baked through.

Related Recipes:

Election Cookies!
Jelly Donut Linzer Cookies
Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies
Ice Cream Sundae Cookies

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Lemon Blueberry Crumb Cake

Nothing makes me think of summer more than lemon and blueberries and this light and delicious cake is just perfect for snacking!

Lemon Blueberry Crumb Cake

1 3/4 c flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 c oil
1/2 cup whole milk (may sub full fat coconut milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon juice
1 heaping cup fresh blueberries

Crumbs:
1/2 c flour
1/4 c granulated sugar
1/4 c light brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
Pinch of salt

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, oil, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate. Stir in the blueberries.

In a separate bowl mix the crumb ingredients until crumbly.

Pour the batter into a parchment-lined 9×13 pan, Sprinkle with crumbs. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the cake is baking prepare the glaze. Drizzle the glaze onto the cooled cake


Related Recipes:

Bubby’s Marble Cake
Hawaij Honey Cake with Labneh Frosting
Funfetti Cream Tart Number Cake

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