Around the Passover Table (21 page)

BOIL
the syrup remaining in the saucepan over moderately high heat until it is reduced by about half. Remove the cinnamon and vanilla bean (you can dry the vanilla and save it for another use, like burying it in a bowl of sugar to prepare vanilla sugar), and pour the hot syrup over the fruit. Stir well. Let the fruit cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours.

GARNISH
the compote with fresh mint leaves, and serve with the macaroons, if you'd like.

Toasted Almond–Coconut Macaroons

yield:
30 to 35 macaroons

Made of ground nuts so they are flour-free, easy-to-prepare macaroons are a Passover favorite of both Ashkenazim and Sephardim. The simple becomes seductive when the almonds are briefly toasted first, their skins left on, and drizzled with maple syrup or brown sugar.

To avoid disappointment, taste the almonds before you start the recipe to make sure they are fresh.

1
³
⁄
₄
cups whole natural almonds (about 9 ounces)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or packed brown sugar, preferably dark

²
⁄
₃
cup plus 1 tablespoon white or granulated light brown sugar

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 teaspoon kosher-for-Passover amaretto or
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon kosher-for-Passover almond extract (optional)

4 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

PREHEAT
the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the almonds with the maple syrup or brown sugar and spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Toast until very fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

IN
a food processor, grind the cooled almonds with half of the sugar, using the pulse motion, until finely ground. Combine the ground nuts, coconut, and amaretto or almond extract, if you are using it, in a large bowl.

BEAT
the egg whites in another bowl with the salt until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the whites into the almond-coconut mixture.

LINE
a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (You will probably need to use either 2 cookie sheets or work in batches.) Drop heaping tablespoons of batter on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten the tops slightly. Bake for about 15 minutes, until just dry to the touch and light golden with pale brown edges. Remove the sheet from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool or slide the parchment paper off.

DON'T
remove the macaroons until they have cooled completely, then carefully separate them. They store well in airtight containers for at least 5 days.

Toasted Pecan–Coconut Macaroons
Substitute pecans for the almonds. Be sure to use granulated light brown sugar.

Toasted Cashew–Cranberry Macaroons
Lightly toast cashews without maple syrup or brown sugar (cashews are naturally quite sweet). Follow the directions for
Toasted Almond–Coconut Macaroons
, adding 1 cup dried cranberries (plumped first in hot water if very dry or hard, then patted dry with paper towels) before folding the egg whites into the cashew-coconut mixture.

Hazelnut Macaroons

yield:
25 to 30 macaroons

These simply made macaroons are imbued with the vivid taste of hazelnuts—the toasty flavor of that transcendent Italian gelato, nocciola.

Nuts can turn rancid easily if not properly stored, so make sure yours are fresh and sweet-tasting.

2
¹
⁄
₃
cups shelled hazelnuts (also called filberts; about 12 ounces)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white or granulated light brown sugar

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon kosher-for-Passover pure almond extract, or 1 teaspoon kosher-for-Passover hazelnut-flavored liqueur, such as Frangelico, or another nut-flavored liqueur like amaretto (optional)

3 large egg whites

PREHEAT
the oven to 350°F. Toast the nuts: spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven, shaking occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until they are fragrant and most of the skins have popped. Wrap the nuts in a dish towel and let them cool slightly. Rub them vigorously against each other in the towel to remove most of the loose skins. Don't bother about the remaining skins—they'll just add to the flavor. You can turn the oven off for now.

WHEN
the nuts are completely cool, grind them with the sugar in the food processor, using the pulse motion, until chopped fine. They won't be perfectly ground, and they shouldn't be. With the machine on, add the extract or liqueur, if you are using it, and the egg whites, a little at a time. Process just enough to combine the ingredients into a smooth paste. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.

PREHEAT
the oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (You will probably need to use either two cookie sheets or work in batches.) Drop heaping tablespoons of batter on the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Smooth and flatten the tops slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingertips (the batter will be quite sticky, so you may have to dip your finger in cold water occasionally). Bake for about 15 minutes, until just dry to the touch, puffed, and beginning to color. Remove from the oven and transfer the sheet to a rack to cool or slide the parchment paper off. The macaroons will be very soft but will harden as they cool.

DON'T
remove the macaroons until they have cooled completely, then carefully separate them from the parchment. They store well in airtight containers for at least 5 days.

Pistachio-Ginger Macaroons
Lightly toast 3 cups of shelled, blanched pistachios at 350°F for about 8 minutes, just until fragrant. Let them cool, then combine them in a food processor with 3 tablespoons (1
¹
⁄
₂
ounces) candied ginger and 1
¹
⁄
₄
cups sugar, following the directions for
Hazelnut Macaroons
. Add 3 large egg whites (omit the extract) and continue with the directions. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 325°F. The flavor of these macaroons becomes bolder and more pronounced after a day or two.

Coconut Jammies

yield:
18 to 20 cookies

Jewel-toned fillings made of jam dress up the familiar coconut macaroon. For finest results, choose a variety of tart-sweet jams—apricot, plum, sour cherry—to lend color and contrast.

2 large egg whites

³
⁄
₄
cup sugar

2
¹
⁄
₂
cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

One or more jams of your choice

PREHEAT
the oven to 325°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

BEAT
the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy. Add the sugar, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together until they are well combined and form a moist, sticky batter.

SHAPE
heaping tablespoonfuls of the batter into balls, flatten them slightly, and place on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. (If necessary, dampen your hands in cold water when handling the batter.) With your fingertip, make a small indentation in the center of each jammie, and fill with a dab of jam. I use the tip of a demitasse spoon or a
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon measure for the jam.

BAKE
for about 15 minutes, until dry to the touch and golden brown around the edges. Remove the sheet from the oven, slide the parchment paper off and transfer it to a rack to cool.

AFTER
the jammies have cooled completely, carefully remove them from the parchment. Store in airtight containers for up to 3 days.

COOK'S NOTE
: Substitute chocolate chips for the jam fillings, for an old-fashioned Mounds Bar memory.

  

Hungarian Chocolate-Walnut Torte

yield:
About 10 servings