KosherEye.com
Photo: Gloria Kobrin
By Gloria Kobri, Kosher Cookbook Blogspot
I know it’s Passover and matzah is a given; but I still try to avoid as many matzah based products as I can. Ground pecans replace flour in this rich yet light chocolate cake – making it a perfect dessert for Passover. It is so delicious that you will want to make it all year round.
Ingredients
12 tablespoons pareve margarine-softened
1 ¼ cups plus 3 ounces pecans
10 eggs-room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
8 ounces semisweet pareve chocolate
Tiny pinch of salt
2/3 cup apricot preserves
Equipment
8 inch springform pan
Electric chopper
1 large mixing bowl
1 electric mixer
Whisk
Double boiler/microwave
Plastic spatula
Cake rack
Long handled spatula
Serrated knife with long blade
Directions
Preheat oven to: 350 F.
Chop 1/4 cup pecans until very fine. It’s okay if you still have a few larger pieces when you’re done. Spread two tablespoons soft margarine around the bottom and sides of springform pan. Sprinkle the sides with the ground nuts. Set aside.
Separate eggs. Place whites in bowl of electric mixer and yolks in mixing bowl. Whisk sugar into egg yolks.
Chop up chocolate into small pieces (not necessary if you are using chocolate chips) and place in microwave safe bowl or top of double boiler. Add remaining margarine to chocolate. Melt chocolate until it is smooth when stirred. Whisk into egg –sugar mixture until well blended. Remove one cup of chocolate mixture and set aside for frosting.
Chop three ounces pecans until the consistency is almost that of flour. Stir into remaining chocolate mixture. Set aside.
Using wire whisk attachment, beat egg whites in bowl of electric mixer until foamy. Add a small pinch of salt. Continue beating on medium–high speed until whites are stiff not dry. They should hold their shape when a spatula cuts through them.
Stir one quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate-nut mixture. Fold in the remaining whites gently. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Place on bottom shelf of oven and bake 45-50 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when touched. The cake will have risen like a soufflé. Remove springform pan from oven and place on cake rack. Run the long handled spatula around the outside of the cake so that it falls evenly. Cool completely before removing outside rim from cake.
Line a serving plate with four 4 inch strips of waxed paper.
Using serrated knife, cut the cake in half. Slide the bottom half on to the wax paper strips. Spread the apricot/orange preserves over the cake layer. Place remaining layer on top. Frost the sides and then the top of the cake with the reserved frosting.
Chop remaining pecans. Pat the pecans around the sides of the cake. Serve at room temperature or cold.
Notes:
Yield: Serves 12
Note: You can prepare this cake two days in advance and keep it in the fridge until serving time.
Recipes: Passover, Dessert, Cake, Flourless, Chocolate, Parve, Kosher