Category: Shabbos

1-2-3 Decadent Molten Chocolate Chip Cakes


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For many of you, this will be your last crumby Shabbos and I was thinking to myself, what is the most indulgent, delicious, chometzdik food I can post? I could not think of anything better than chocolate chip cookies. The cowboy cookies that I posted back in January where one of my most popular posts, which is really telling. I think people just love cookies, especially chocolate chip ones. This recipe takes them to a whole ‘nother level. Imagine biting into a crunchy cookie, and the inside starts oozing warm chocolate ganache? Well that’s what this recipe tastes like. And when you hear how easy it is to make, you’ll be on your way to the supermarket for some frozen cookie dough!

Now since these mini cakes/pies are made using individual cookie dough cubes, you don’t have to feel guilty about having one. It’s as if you ate ONE chocolate chip cookie. How many of us can eat just one? But with these, the chocolate syrup makes them rich enough that one cookie is more than satisfying. And they taste just as good as those molten cakes you get at the restaurant, even better!

I made these for the first time this past Shabbos and I wasn’t sure if they would hold up on the blech for my Shabbos day guests. Not only did they hold up, they were amazingly delicious! One of my guests took a bite and was shocked to taste a warm dessert! So, if you’d like to surprise your guests at your day meal, go ahead and keep them on the blech, just not too close to the fire or they will burn and dry out.

1-2-3 Decadent Molten Chocolate Chip Cakes

1 box frozen cookie dough (I used Ostreichers) or make your own
1 package tart shells (mini pie crust)
chocolate syrup

How to:

I barely have to give you directions, this is as easy as …well…pie! (pun intended!)
Go ahead and unwrap your pie crusts. They come in mini pans. I found the easiest way to bake these is to put them in aluminum muffin tins. Pour a squirt of chocolate syrup into pie crusts. Set a frozen cookie dough cube on top of the syrup. Bake at 350 until cookie is golden brown (watch them carefully!).

Note: The pie crusts take longer to brown than to bake the cookie. I find that no one really eats the pie crust, just the inside, so I don’t mind if it’s not browned, just baked (it will be done if you bake with the cookie, just not brown). I would say not to worry too much about the pie crust turning brown, it’s more important that the cookie doesn’t dry out. If you really want, you can prebake the piecrusts for a little so that when they bake for longer with the cookie, they will turn brown.

Credit: I found this recipe on the facebook group “I Don’t Cook But I Give Out Recipes” posted by Ahuva Edelstein- Rabinowitz and Chanie Adler Tilis. Thanks!

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Breaded Gefilte Fish Patties

I think I have tried every possible cooking method for gefilte fish (many ideas to come in the future!)…boiled gefilte, baked gefilte, fish latkes, fish balls, gefilte loaf…Why? well for one, I like to change up the menu. I never make the same things for Shabbos, I’m always coming up with something different to try. Additionally, I love to entertain, and if you’re having a lot of guests, fish can be quite pricey. Eight pieces of salmon can run you upwards of $30. Gefilte fish, even if you are making two packages, will run you about $5-$6 each.

My kids absolutely adore fish latkes. I even make it for supper on occasion. It’s something about finger food, where they can just hold it in a napkin and bite into it, that makes them love it so much. I like to convince myself that it’s packed with protein, but really, I do wonder, how much fish is there really in gefilte fish!

Breaded Gefilte Fish Patties

1 loaf gefilte fish
flavored bread crumbs
oil for frying

How to:

Leave the gefilte fish out to thaw slightly, just enough so that you can cut through it with a knife (but not too much otherwise it will not maintain it’s shape and will turn to mush). Slice the loaf into 1/2″ pieces. Press pieces into flavored bread crumbs, coating all around. Heat oil in a skillet. Add fish to hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove to paper towels to absorb excess oil.

For a healthier version, bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 for 1 hour.

Variation: my friend, Rochel Leah, an avid follower of my blog (thanks Slaichy!), just called to tell me a little twist on this recipe. She lightly fries the patties, puts them in a dish, covers them with marinara sauce and bakes at 350.

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Lemon & Garlic Whole Roasted Chickens

I like chicken. Chicken is ok. Me, and chicken, are good. Am I head over heels for chicken? not really. In fact, whenever I am pregnant, I have an aversion to it and cannot eat it. But I make it all the time because it’s a good source of protein, and my husband and kids enjoy it. This roasted chicken recipe took my taste for chicken to a whole ‘nother level. Roasting the chicken whole, stuffed with lemons, garlic and thyme, gives the chicken an incredible flavor that is not too overpowering, it’s just right. The chicken comes out so incredibly moist, you will want to eat the whole thing in one sitting!

The recipe calls for 1 5-6 lb. bird, but since my butcher only had 3-3.5 pounders, I made 2, and filled each with half a lemon and half a head of garlic. If you can get a 6 lb. chicken, go ahead and fill each cavity with a whole head of garlic (cut in half), and one whole lemon (cut in half) and of course, a bunch of thyme.

This chicken is beautiful served at the Friday night meal, with some rice and veggies on the side.

Lemon & Garlic Roasted Whole Chickens
adapted from Barefoot Contessa

2 3-3.5 lb. roasting chickens
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 lemon, cut in half
1 head garlic, cut in half
2 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 425. Remove excess fat and feathers from the chickens. Clean well, rinsing inside and out. Pat dry. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper and stuff it with the thyme (you can reserve a little for garnish), lemon and garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 1 hour.

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Mocha Bundt Cake


In my last post, I revealed that I recently turned the big three-o. It should come as no surprise then, that back in 2008, I celebrated my 10 year high school reunion. Together with my friend Dina (our self-appointed class president :)) and Raizy, we organized the reunion for several months, collecting recipes from our classmates and printing a professional cookbook from Morris Press Cookbooks. The reunion was a huge success, with most our class in attendance. We had the evening catered, but for the dessert table, we had several girls chip in and make some things. One of the most talked about cakes of the evening was this Mocha Bundt Cake. Since it was not included in the class recipe book, we emailed it to everyone the following day. The cake has lots of coffee, so I would recommend going with decaf. It’s moist and delicious, great for a party, or for Shabbos morning with a steaming cup of, you guessed it…coffee :)

Mocha Bundt Cake

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup of coffee diluted in 3/4 cup of hot water
1 cup oil
2 scoops vanilla sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa

Method:
Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy.  Add the coffee and oil. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and Bake at 350 for (approximately) 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Glaze:
3 teaspoons coffee dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 – 2 cups of confectioners sugar

Mix coffee, oil and 1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar. Add more slowly, if desired, until you reach desired consistency.

Drizzle the Glaze over cooled cake.

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some pics of our 10 year high school reunion.

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Quick & Easy Chocolate Rugelach

My friend Dina and I have been friends since childhood. Growing up, we lived around the corner from each other, and after getting married and moving, we still do! We’re always swapping recipes and oohing and ahhing over the fabulous food we see on the food channel. Between the two of us, I am more of the cook and Dina is more of the baker. Whenever I see a great cake recipe, I send it her way, hoping that she’ll make it so that I can get a taste (she usually sends over a piece!). On a lucky day, she’ll invite me around the corner for a hot cinnamon bun and some coffee. One such day, Dina brought out these delicious rugelach. I thought they must be a patchke to make since they looked so good and tasted even better. But they are super easy and require only 3 ingredients! I have made them more than once when having company over at the last minute. They are totally floored when, without advanced notice, I manage to put out piping hot chococolatey flaky goodness!

Quick & Easy Chocolate Rugelach

Puff pastry squares
chocolate spread
Powdered sugar

Method:

Thaw puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight. It is easiest to work with when it’s chilled. With a knife, cut each square into 3 even strips. Smear with chocolate spread and roll up. Place on a cookie sheet seam side down and bake at 350 until browned, approximately 25 minutes. Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Note: you can brush with egg-wash if you’d like, however, since you are dusting them with powdered sugar, it is not neccesary.

VARIATION: You may also use nutella, jam, or any other filling of your choice.

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