Chocolate Mousse Pie with Pecan Crust

Passover is right around the corner, so I thought I'd post this recipe for Chocolate Mousse Pie with Pecan Crust. I found it several years ago on About.com. You can make this any time, not just for Passover. And, it's gluten-free.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE WITH PECAN CRUST

Ingredients
2 cups chopped pecans
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup dark chocolate, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp superfine sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix well. Press into 9" pie pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-9 minutes until just set. Cool on wire rack until completely cooled.
In large bowl, combine cream cheese, cocoa powder, and 1 cup superfine sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
In medium bowl, combine heavy cream and 2 Tbsp superfine sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat spoonful of mixture into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture to combine.
Pour into cooled pie shell.
Cover and chill until firm, about 4-6 hours.
Serve plain or with whipped cream.

How easy is this? 

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES: 4 Recipes

If you observe Passover, you won't be eating any leavened food products during the holiday which lasts 8 days. So in terms of chocolate baking you need to tweak some things, starting with not using flour. This doesn't mean you can't have Chocolate Cake, Brownies, or Cookies .. . it's just an adjustment. Baking without flour shouldn't be a problem (there's always matzo meal or almond flour meal, and these recipes are great any time, not just for Passover.

So for Passover week, here are 4 different recipes for Passover Brownies. Try all the recipes and let me know which you like best. Do you have your own favorite recipe for Passover Brownies? Be sure and share in comments.

These first two recipes I adapted from recipes I found on Chowhound in 2008.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #1

Ingredients
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (not chocolate chips)
8 ounces finely chopped or ground almonds (or almond flour)
Pinch of salt

Directions
Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg yolks.
Melt chocolate over double boiler (or over saucepan over saucepan with simmering water). Cool and add to butter mixture. Add finely ground almonds.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter.
Pour into 9" square greased baking tin.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 45-50 min.
Cool and cut into squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #2

Ingredients
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup of matzo cake meal
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup DARK cocoa
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions
Mix oil and sugar.
Add eggs and mix again.
Sift matzo cake meal and cocoa together and add to mixture.
Fold in nuts and mix thoroughly.
Grease 8 x 8 pan and pour in batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Cool and cut in squares.

This third recipe is originally from Gourmet 2000 ( Epicurious). It calls for a Chocolate-Wine Glaze, and you might want to try that. I like my brownies unadulterated, but I've tried the chocolate-wine glaze, and it's delicious. Nothing quite like Chocolate and Manischewitz!

Passover Chocolate Brownies #3

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted margarine (if keeping brownies pareve) or butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest
3/4 cup matzo cake meal
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with wax paper or greased foil.
Melt chocolate and margarine (or butter) in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixer on high until pale and thick. Beat in chocolate in 3 batches on low speed. Stir in zest, matzo meal, and nuts just until blended.
Spread batter in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until firm and tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in pan on rack, then invert onto a platter and remove paper or foil.
Cut into Squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #4

Ingredients
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate, chopped)
1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup matzoh cake meal
2 Tbsp unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
2 Tbsp potato starch
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8-inch square baking dish.
Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler or in saucepan on top of another saucepan with simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
In mixing bowl, stir together cake meal, cocoa powder, and potato starch.
Combine eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until light and creamy – about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture until smooth, then add cake meal mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Batter is thick.
Fold in chopped nuts and spread in prepared baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or just until entire surface has puffed slightly. Brownies will still be moist in center.
Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares.

I especially love Passover Brownies #4--very, very fudgy!!! Of course, always use high quality chocolate! It really makes a difference!!!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COCOA MERINGUES: Passover

Here's a staple to make for Passover. These Chocolate Chip Meringues are easy and tasty and fun to make with children. I always think of Meringues as a little bit of heaven -- Light, Airy, and Sweet. You can serve them on a bed of chocolate chips to dress them up for dessert -- or just stack them on a platter. Recipe from Allrecipes.com with a few tweaks.

Chocolate Chip Cocoa Meringues

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened DARK premium cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
3 egg whites
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 300. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa, and salt into small bowl.
In large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup of sugar gradually, and beat until medium-firm peaks form. Sprinkle in cocoa mixture gradually, and continue beating until egg whites are stiff. Fold in mini-chocolate chips.
Drop mixture onto baking sheets by rounded teaspoonfuls, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool cookies on baking sheets.

Tip: The parchment paper reduces risk of burning bottoms.

KEY LIME PIE WITH CHOCOLATE MACAROON CRUST for Passover

Passover starts Saturday night and continues for 8 days. Plenty of time to make this Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Macaroon Crust. You can either buy a Manischewitz chocolate macaroon pie shell or make your own. Easy recipe follows. Looking for the meringue? Cream of tartar which would be used in the meringue is not Kosher for Passover, so I've skipped it. If I'm wrong, let me know. It's about the rising thing. Of course this Key Lime Pie is great any time!

KEY LIME PIE WITH CHOCOLATE MACAROON CRUST

Ingredients
Chocolate Macaroon Pie Shell
1/2 cup crumbled chocolate macaroons
1/4 stick unsalted butter, softened

Key Lime Filling
3/4 cup fresh Key Lime Juice
6 egg yolks
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (see directions below for Kosher for Passover condensed milk to make yourself)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

For Pie Shell:
Crush macaroons in food processor. Remove to medium size bowl. Add softened butter (or margarine) and mix well.
Press mixture into bottom and up sides of 9 inch tart or pie pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes until set.
Cool on rack.

For Filling:
In stainless steel bowl, whisk egg yolks with condensed milk and add in lime juice a few teaspoons at a time stirring constantly.
Pour mixture into pre-baked pie shell and bake in 325 oven for 10 minutes.**
Chill for one hour.

Looking for the meringue? Cream of tartar which would be used in the meringue is not Kosher for Passover, so I've skipped it. If I'm wrong, let me know. It's about the rising thing.

**NOTE** some people think you have to cook key lime pie because of the raw eggs. That's why I went back and added a 10 minute bake; however, if you're not worried about the egg thing, there's no need to bake this custard.

If you want to ensure that this is Kosher, here's a recipe for Kosher for Passover Condensed Milk:  
1 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk =1 cup instant nonfat dry milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup boiling water and 3 tablespoons margarine. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. To thicken, let set in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE FOR PASSOVER

I love a good Chocolate Chiffon Cake, and since Passover will soon be upon us and lasts for 8 days, these two recipes are very timely! The first recipe is adapted from Manischewitz. The second recipe appeared in Jewish Boston in 2011. I like to toast slices of this cake for breakfast! Great when buttered. You can also top the cake with whipped cream and strawberries to make it more festive!

Chocolate Chiffon Cake #1

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Manischewitz® Cake Meal
2 Tbsp Manischewitz® Potato Starch
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla
9 inch two piece tube pan

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In bowl add sugar, Manischewitz Cake Meal, Manischewitz Potato Starch, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. With electric mixer or hand mixer, mix until well blended. Make a well in chocolate chiffon mixture and add oil, egg yolks, water, and vanilla. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.
In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Fold egg whites into batter gently.
Pour batter into ungreased 9 inch tube pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Remove cake from oven and invert pan on a heat resistant bottle until cool.
Remove from pan after cake has cooled.

Chocolate Chiffon Cake #2

This recipe is from David Levy and appeared in 2011 in JewishBoston. It will remind you slightly, but only slightly of charoset. So it's perfect for Passover.

Ingredients
8 eggs separated (bring eggs to room temperature first)
3/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup matzo cake meal
   sift potato starch and cake meal together
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 rounded tsp cocoa
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sweet red wine
10 walnuts coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites until stiff; gradually add half of sugar. Beat yolks with remaining sugar and salt; when yolks are thick and light in color add oil, a little at a time. Then add wine and cocoa, beating at low level. Gently fold cake meal/starch mixture into whites, then fold in yolk mixture, mixing nuts in at same time.
Bake in ungreased tube pan for 50 minutes. Turn over and hang from two-liter bottle until cooled.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES: Passover or Any Time!

Here's a recipe I post every year. These Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies are Perfect for Passover -- or anytime for anyone who's looking for a great Gluten-Free cookie.

This recipe is from pastry chef Francois Payard It's a delicious simple recipe for Passover or any time, and these cookies are Gluten-free. As always the quality depends on the cocoa! Thanks, Chef Francois, for the recipe and photo!

Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Makes about twelve 4-inch cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of salt
2-3/4 cups walnuts, toasted, and roughly chopped
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place racks in upper and bottom thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Combine cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and walnuts in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute.

With mixer running, slowly add egg whites and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, until mixture has slightly thickened. Do not overmix or egg whites will thicken too much.

With 2-ounce cookie or ice cream scoop or generous tablespoon, scoop batter onto prepared baking sheet, to make cookies that are 4 inches in diameter. Scoop 5 cookies on each pan, about 3 inches apart so they don’t stick when they spread. If you have extra batter, wait until first batch of cookies is baked before scooping next batch.

Put cookies in oven, and immediately lower temperature to 320°F. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until small thin cracks appear on surface of cookies. Switch pans halfway through baking. Pull  parchment paper with cookies onto wire cooling rack, and let cool completely before removing cookies from paper. Store in airtight container up to 2 days.

****

François Payard is a third generation pastry chef, who, after honing his skills by his family’s side and in the finest pastry kitchens in France, moved to New York where he was named “Pastry Chef of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation. Francois Payard has won numerous awards, such as the “Ordre du Mérite Agricole” by the French Government in 2004, he became a member of Relais Desserts International in 2006, an association of the 85 best pastry chefs in the world and in 2010 received the Dom Perignon Award of Excellence. 

Not just a chef, François is also the author of the popular cookbooks Bite Size: Elegant Recipes for Entertaining, Simply Sensational Desserts and Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone and PAYARD DESSERTS.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BROWNIE FUDGE CAKE: Passover

Here's a great recipe that's perfect for Passover. Recipe first appeared in the L.A. Times on April 14, 2011 and again in August 2012.

Instead of flour, the recipe calls for ground blanched almonds. Almond and chocolate go very well together. The almond flour gives the following cake a nutty flavor that is complemented by the Pecans! This cake is simple to make and easy to enjoy! Just an FYI, it doesn't rise very high. Add some fresh whipped cream if you need to. I particularly like the crunchy top of this cake and the fudge-y insides.

Notes on special ingredients:

Almond Flour: Almond flour is readily available where I live, as well as online, but you can grind your own. Use a hand grinder (a clean coffee grinder) or blender. Don't use a food processor or you might end up making oil. If you use a blender, do it in small increments, about 1/2 cup at a time.

Turbinado Sugar: Turbinado sugar is a sugar cane-based, minimally refined sugar. It's medium brown in color and has large crystals. It's often mistaken for traditional brown sugar because of its light brown color, but it's made in a different way. It contains more moisture than regular white or brown sugar, so get some for your pantry. If you don't have it, and you want to make this cake today, you can substitute granulated sugar.

Potato Starch: No you don't have to make your own! Potato starch is available from Bob's Red Mill, King Arthur Flour, and many other sources. FYI: It is not the same product as potato flour.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BROWNIE FUDGE CAKE

Ingredients
1/3 cup potato starch (see my note above)
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds (almond flour-see note above)
1 cup turbinado sugar (in a pinch you can use granulated sugar)
Pinch salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate (the very best quality!), melted
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9-inch round or square baking pan and line with parchment paper so paper extends 2 inches beyond the pan. (Always good to ease the cake out of the pan)
In medium bowl, whisk together potato starch, ground almonds, sugar, and salt.
In small bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and vanilla. Pour oil mixture over dry ingredients and stir together with wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and smooth. Stir in melted chocolate and chopped pecans. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Level with frosting spatula dipped in cold water, if necessary.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly moist but without crumbs.
While still warm, cut into 8 equal pieces, leaving cake in pan. Set aside cake to cool completely, then chill.
Bring cake back to room temperature before lifting out of pan (using parchment 'handles'), and gently separate into portions.
Top with fresh whipped cream and serve!!

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE WITH PECAN CRUST: Passover

Passover starts Monday night, and Chocolate Mousse Pie with Pecan Crust would be great for the seder--or any other night. I found it several years ago on About.com. You can make this any time, not just for Passover. And, it's gluten-free.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE WITH PECAN CRUST

Ingredients
2 cups chopped pecans
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup dark chocolate, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp superfine sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix well. Press into 9" pie pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-9 minutes until just set. Cool on wire rack until completely cooled.
In large bowl, combine cream cheese, cocoa powder, and 1 cup superfine sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
In medium bowl, combine heavy cream and 2 Tbsp superfine sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat spoonful of mixture into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture to combine.
Pour into cooled pie shell.
Cover and chill until firm, about 4-6 hours.
Serve plain or with whipped cream.

How easy is this? 

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES FOR PASSOVER

Here's a recipe I posted a few years ago. Perfect for Passover -- or for anyone who's looking for a great Gluten-Free cookie.

This is a great recipe from pastry chef Francois Payard for Passover Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies -- or for any time -- and these cookies are Gluten-free. As always the quality depends on the cocoa! 

Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Makes about twelve 4-inch cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of salt
2-3/4 cups walnuts, toasted, and roughly chopped
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place racks in upper and bottom thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Combine cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and walnuts in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute.

With mixer running, slowly add egg whites and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, until mixture has slightly thickened. Do not overmix or egg whites will thicken too much.

With 2-ounce cookie or ice cream scoop or generous tablespoon, scoop batter onto prepared baking sheet, to make cookies that are 4 inches in diameter. Scoop 5 cookies on each pan, about 3 inches apart so they don’t stick when they spread. If you have extra batter, wait until first batch of cookies is baked before scooping next batch.

Put cookies in oven, and immediately lower temperature to 320°F. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until small thin cracks appear on surface of cookies. Switch pans halfway through baking. Pull  parchment paper with cookies onto wire cooling rack, and let cool completely before removing cookies from paper. Store in airtight container up to 2 days.

****

François Payard is a third generation pastry chef, who, after honing his skills by his family’s side and in the finest pastry kitchens in France, moved to New York where he was named “Pastry Chef of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation. Francois Payard has won numerous awards, such as the “Ordre du Mérite Agricole” by the French Government in 2004, he became a member of Relais Desserts International in 2006, an association of the 85 best pastry chefs in the world and in 2010 received the Dom Perignon Award of Excellence. 

Not just a chef, François is also the author of the popular cookbooks Bite Size: Elegant Recipes for Entertaining, Simply Sensational Desserts and Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone and PAYARD DESSERTS.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES: 4 Recipes

I've posted this before, but I'm a huge brownie fan, so it bears reposting. Passover begins Friday night, and if you observe the Passover holiday (8 days) you won't be eating any leavened food products. So in terms of chocolate baking you need to tweak some things, starting with not using flour. This doesn't mean you can't have Chocolate Cake, Brownies, or Cookies ..  just an adjustment. And, if you're gluten-free, you'll love the first recipe. Baking without flour shouldn't be a problem, and these recipes are great any time, not just for Passover.

So for Passover week, here are 4 different recipes for Passover Brownies. Think of them as Flourless Brownies! You love Flourless Chocolate Cake, right? Try all the recipes and let me know which you like best. Do you have your own favorite recipe for Passover Brownies? Be sure and share by linking below.

These first two recipes I adapted from recipes I found on Chowhound in 2008.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #1

Ingredients
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (not chocolate chips)
8 ounces finely chopped or ground almonds (or almond flour)
Pinch of salt

Directions
Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg yolks.
Melt chocolate over double boiler (or over saucepan over saucepan with simmering water). Cool and add to butter mixture. Add finely ground almonds.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter.
Pour into 9" square greased baking tin.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 45-50 min.
Cool and cut into squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #2

Ingredients
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup of matzo cake meal
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup DARK cocoa
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions
Mix oil and sugar.
Add eggs and mix again.
Sift matzo cake meal and cocoa together and add to mixture.
Fold in nuts and mix thoroughly.
Grease 8 x 8 pan and pour in batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Cool and cut in squares.

This third recipe is originally from Gourmet 2000 ( Epicurious). It calls for a Chocolate-Wine Glaze, and you might want to try that. I like my brownies unadulterated, but I've tried the chocolate-wine glaze, and it's delicious. Nothing quite like Chocolate and Manischewitz!

Passover Chocolate Brownies #3

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted margarine (if keeping brownies pareve) or butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest
3/4 cup matzo cake meal
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with wax paper or greased foil.
Melt chocolate and margarine (or butter) in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixer on high until pale and thick. Beat in chocolate in 3 batches on low speed. Stir in zest, matzo meal, and nuts just until blended.
Spread batter in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until firm and tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in pan on rack, then invert onto a platter and remove paper or foil.
Cut into Squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #4

Ingredients
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate, chopped)
1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup matzoh cake meal
2 Tbsp unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
2 Tbsp potato starch
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8-inch square baking dish.
Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler or in saucepan on top of another saucepan with simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
In mixing bowl, stir together cake meal, cocoa powder, and potato starch.
Combine eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until light and creamy – about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture until smooth, then add cake meal mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Batter is thick.
Fold in chopped nuts and spread in prepared baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or just until entire surface has puffed slightly. Brownies will still be moist in center.
Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares.

I especially love Passover Brownies #4--very, very fudgy!!! Of course, always use high quality chocolate! It really makes a difference!!!

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE for PASSOVER

I have several recipes for Chocolate Sponge Cake for Passover, but this specific Chocolate Sponge Cake is fabulous all year round. And it's gluten-free! It's made with almond flour.

Want to dress it up? Add some whipped cream and fresh berries, cut it in half and fill with a light chocolate buttercream, or cut it up and put it in a trifle. Easy to make and delicious.

A few hints. Fresh Almond flour is readily available where I live and online, but you can always grind your own. Use a hand grinder (a clean coffee grinder) or blender --not a food processor which could result in oil rather than flour. I've used a blender, and just did this in smaller increments, about 1/2 cup at a time. Almond and chocolate go very well together. Try using different types of chocolate to achieve the flavor you like best. Enjoy!

Because there are so many eggs to separate in this recipe, I use the 'egg trick'. Break all eggs into bowl (yes yolks and whites). Then take an empty water bottle and place the neck near a yolk and squeeze the water bottle. The yolk pops up into the bottle. Then place the water bottle over another bowl and release. So cool! Try with one egg first, just to master this simple task!

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients
7 ounces dark chocolate (60-75% cacao), chopped
10 eggs, separated
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups ground almonds

Almond Flour

Directions
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler or saucepan over another saucepan of simmering water. Set aside.
Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in chocolate and ground almonds.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate batter.
Spoon batter into ungreased 10 inch Bundt pan or tall springform pan.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven, invert pan, and cool about 40 minutes before removing from pan.

Chocolate Brownies: 4 Recipes for Passover

Passover begins Friday night, March 30, and if you observe the Passover holiday (8 days) you won't be eating any leavened food products. So in terms of chocolate baking you need to tweak some things, starting with not using flour. This doesn't mean you can't have Chocolate Cake, Brownies, or Cookies.. just an adjustment. And, if you're gluten-free, you'll love the first recipe. Baking without flour shouldn't be a problem, and these recipes are great any time, not just for Passover.

Because you might be baking dessert for a Seder, whether you're Jewish or not, you'll want to be sensitive and bring a Kosher for Passover dessert. That means not using flour and probably using margarine (or oil as in one of the following recipes) in lieu of butter unless you know the seder meal won't contain meat. I prefer using butter in most of my baking, so this is a hard one. However, if you plan to have sweets around at home during the Passover holidays or just want to make some new Brownie recipes, you'll love these. Use butter.

So for Passover week, here are 4 different recipes for Passover Brownies. Think of them as Flourless Brownies! You love Flourless Chocolate Cake, right? Try all the recipes and let me know which you like best. Do you have your own favorite recipe for Passover Brownies? Be sure and share by linking below.

These first two recipes I adapted from recipes I found on Chowhound in 2008.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #1

Ingredients
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (not chocolate chips)
8 ounces finely chopped or ground almonds
Pinch of salt

Directions
Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg yolks.
Melt chocolate over double boiler (or over saucepan over saucepan with simmering water). Cool and add to butter mixture. Add finely ground almonds.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter.
Pour into 9" square greased baking tin.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 45-50 min.
Cool and cut into squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #2

Ingredients
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup of matzo cake meal
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup DARK cocoa
3 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions
Mix oil and sugar.
Add eggs and mix again.
Sift matzo cake meal and cocoa together and add to mixture.
Fold in nuts and mix thoroughly.
Grease 8x8 pan and pour in batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Cool and cut in squares.

This third recipe is originally from Gourmet 2000 ( Epicurious). It calls for a Chocolate-Wine Glaze, and you might want to try that. I like my brownies unadulterated, but I've tried the chocolate-wine glaze, and it's delicious. Nothing quite like chocolate and Manischewitz!

Passover Chocolate Brownies #3

Ingredients
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted margarine (if keeping brownies pareve) or butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest
3/4 cup matzo cake meal
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with wax paper or greased foil.
Melt chocolate and margarine (or butter) in metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixer on high until pale and thick. Beat in chocolate in 3 batches on low speed. Stir in zest, matzo meal, and nuts just until blended.
Spread batter in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until firm and tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in pan on rack, then invert onto a platter and remove paper or foil.
Cut into Squares.

Passover Chocolate Brownies #4

Ingredients
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate, chopped)
1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup matzoh cake meal
2 Tbsp unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
2 Tbsp potato starch
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8-inch square baking dish.
Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler or in saucepan on top of another saucepan with simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
In mixing bowl, stir together cake meal, cocoa powder, and potato starch.
Combine eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until light and creamy – about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture until smooth, then add cake meal mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Batter is thick.
Fold in chopped nuts and spread in prepared baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or just until entire surface has puffed slightly. Brownies will still be moist in center.
Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares.

I especially love Passover Brownies #4--very, very fudgy!!! Of course, I use very good chocolate! It really makes a difference!!!

Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Macaroon Crust for Passover

Passover starts tomorrow night. There are so many creative Passover dessert recipes that include Chocolate, and I've been posting a few. Here's my recipe for Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Macaroon Crust. You can either buy a Manischewitz chocolate macaroon pie shell or make your own. Easy recipe follows. Of course this Key Lime Pie is great any time!

KEY LIME PIE WITH CHOCOLATE MACAROON CRUST

Ingredients
Chocolate Macaroon Pie Shell
1/2 cup crumbled chocolate macaroons
1/4 stick sweet butter, softened

Key Lime Filling
3/4 cup fresh Key Lime Juice
6 egg yolks
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (see directions below for Kosher for Passover condensed milk to make yourself)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

For Pie Shell:
Crush macaroons in food processor. Remove to medium size bowl. Add softened butter (or margarine) and mix well.
Press mixture into bottom and up sides of 9 inch tart or pie pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes until set.
Cool on rack.

For Filling:
In stainless steel bowl, whisk egg yolks with condensed milk and add in lime juice a few teaspoons at a time stirring constantly.
Pour mixture into pre-baked pie shell and bake in 325 oven for 10 minutes.**
Chill for one hour.

Looking for the meringue? Cream of tartar which would be used in the meringue is not Kosher for Passover, so I've skipped it. If I'm wrong, let me know. It's about the rising thing.

**NOTE** some people think you have to cook key lime pie because of the raw eggs. That's why I went back and added a 10 minute bake; however, if you're not worried about the egg thing, there's no need to bake this custard.

If you want to ensure that this is Kosher, here's a recipe for Kosher for Passover Condensed Milk:  
1 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk =1 cup instant nonfat dry milk, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup boiling water and 3 tablespoons margarine. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. To thicken, let set in the refrigerator for 24 hours.