It is a known fact that holidays mean spending fun time with family and friends, as well as enjoying lots of delicious food and drinks.

As our family tradition, and to alternate with our married children in-laws, we celebrate Christmas Eve on December 24th, by the  Gregorian calendar , and then again the Traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve, per Julian calendar, on January 6th.

I am still making all the traditional foods and baked goods for both dates, but have more time for shopping, as this year’s  gift exchange will take place in January.

Since I will be doing most of my baking later on this month, I will share links to my past year’s baked goods recipes, for your convenience and baking pleasure.

Cream Wafers

Miniature Nut Cups – Tea Tassies

Sugar Cut- Out Cookies

Sugar Wafers

Pecan Butterballs

Dycio Crescents

Frosted Lemon Cookies

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Chocolate Scotcheroos

Ginger Chocolate Truffles

This should give you a good start for early holiday baking.

This recipe has been in our family since at least the late 18oos.  My great-grandmother was making these sauerkraut filled pyrizhky, she called “Kapusnyachky”, and my grandmother continued making them for her family as well.

My maternal grandmother always made these for me, as a special treat, on our visits with my mom.  I was a very finicky eater, as a child, but these were my favorite snack.

Sweet treats were not as popular then, maybe because of high cost of many of the ingredients, as well as their unavailability.   However, yeast raised baked goods were made fresh on regular basis.

One of my readers inquired about a recipe for these pyrizhky, so I promised to make them, and to prepare a post with pictures.

These pastries may also be filled with fruits, jams, buckwheat, sautéed onions, spinach, cheese, poppy seed, or even ground cooked meat.  They may be eaten as a snack, an appetizer, or as an accompaniment to soups, or salads.

There is a similar pastry called “Pyrih”, or “Pyrohy” (plural), same recipe and fillings, but in a form of a sheet cake.

Some folks use the word “Pyrohy”, to describe Varenyky, which is totally incorrect.  The word “Varenyky” derives from the base word “varyty”, which means to cook, hence these filled dumplings are cooked.

Pyrohy,or Pyrizhky, as you see in this recipe, are not cooked dumplings, but rather a baked pastry.

Next time you hear someone asking for “Pyrohy”, but expecting to receive “Varenyky”, please correct them politely, by explaining the difference between these two dishes.

My favorite filling is the sauerkraut filling, which I am using in this post.

This recipe yields at least 24 pieces.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (3/4 oz = 21g) Fleishmann’s Rapid Rise dry granular yeast
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 cup whole milk, scalded
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg (to use as egg wash for the final step)

Filling:

• 2 lbs sauerkraut
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Filling Directions:

1. Filling needs to be prepared ahead of time, and cooled off, or it can be done during the time the dough is rising.
2. Place the sauerkraut in a colander, and rinse for about a minute, under running cold water.
3. Fill a 4 quarts pot with 5 cups of cold water.
4. Add sauerkraut and bay leaf.
5. Bring to boil, partially over, and cook for at least 20 minutes.
6. Remove bay leaf, drain onto colander.
7. Mix with a spoon, to cool it off faster.
8. Using your cupped hands, squeeze out the water from the sauerkraut, over colander, until fairly dry.
9. Place the butter in a saucepan, warm up, add chopped onions, and saute until golden.
10. Mix in sauerkraut, salt and pepper, and saute few more minutes, to blend the flavors.
11. Set aside to cool off.

Dough Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the warm water with 1 tsp. sugar, and sprinkle the yeast over the top.
2. Keep it in a warm place, free of draft, for about 10 minutes, so the yeast becomes bubbly.
3. Scald the milk, add butter, and cool to lukewarm.
4. Mix the flour with the salt and sugar, and set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs .
6. Add the yeast to mixture to the lukewarm milk, pour into the egg mixture.
7. Add the flour, and mix about 10 minutes to form a soft bread dough. You can use a mixer with a hook, but I mix it by hand, just like my Paska dough.
8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, keep it in a warm place, free of draft, until the dough doubles in bulk.
9. Punch down, and knead it a few times, cover it up again, and let it double in bulk, once again.
10. Divide the dough in half, for easier handling.
11. Place one half of the dough onto a floured work area, and knead it for a minute.  I love working withe the doughon a Silicone Silpat.
12. Roll out into a rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick.
13. Using a pizza cutter, or a knife, cut into  2 x 3 inch rectangular pieces.
14. Spread a teaspoon of filling, in the center of each rectangular piece.
15. To close up the filling into the pyrizhky, fold over one side of the longer end of the dough piece, pushing the filling under, and keep on rolling to the other end, overlapping it.  Before final overlapping, moisten the other edge of dough with a drop of water, to form a better seal.
16. This is how they should look, once rolled and sealed.  While you are working with the rest of the dough, turn them over on the seam, so they do not open up during rising and baking.
17. Grease a cookie sheet ( I use vegetable Crisco shortening, since butter burns too quickly), and place the rolled pyrizhky, seams down, spaced enough to allow for growth, so they don’t stick together during baking.
18. Beat one egg with 1 tsp of water, to prepare an egg wash.  Using a pastry brush, dip it in egg wash, and brush tops and sides of the pyrizhky set up on a cookie sheet.
19. Place them in a warm place, until they rise again, about 20 minutes.
20. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, place the cookie sheet on a middle oven rack, and bake for 25 minutes.
21. Remove onto a wire rack to cool.
22. I quickly brush some butter on the warm tops and sides, to retain the softness of the crust.

These are absolutely delicious while still warm, but they are just as great at room temperature.

Once fully cooled, they freeze very well.  Actually, if you do not plan to use them within a day or two, it is better to freeze them in a ziplock bag, to preserve their freshness.

Enjoy.

This torte recipe was passed on to our family by our cousin Ira (Eera), from Ukraine, hence the name “Torte Ira”.

The filling for this torte is quite different, since it uses a rather non-traditional main ingredient.

Most torte fillings are made mainly with butter, powdered sugar, chocolate or cocoa, plus various flavor enhancers.

This filling uses it’s share of butter, and much less sugar than most, but the bulk of the filling is made out of cooked Cream of Wheat.

You would never guess that Cream of  Wheat is the main ingredient of this filling, by just tasting it, because it is very creamy and light, despite the amount of butter it contains.

This torte is best refrigerated, to keep its ideal texture, thus  suitable mostly as an after dinner dessert, rather than a party dessert, requiring an extended exposure to room temperature.

Torte Ingredients:

• 4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (4- 1 oz squares), melted
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup all purpose white flour

Torte Directions:

1. In a double-boiler, melt the chocolate and butter.
2. Add vanilla extract.
3. Remove from heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and cool.
4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with salt, until light and fluffy.
5. Add sugar and beat a couple of minutes longer.
6. Fold the egg mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture.
7. Add sifted flour, and blend it in well.
8. Grease a lightly flour, a 9 x 13 x 2 sheet cake pan.
9. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F.
10. Pour the torte batter into the prepared pan.
11. Place on a middle oven rack, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven to cool in the pan. (see TIP below)

Ingredients for Filling:

• 2 cups whole  milk
• 4 Tbs Cream of Wheat
• 1 1/2 cup butter (3 sticks), room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbs alcohol (brandy, liquor, cognac, whiskey), or your favorite extract

Directions for Filling:

1. Use a 2 quart sauce pan.
2. Add milk and Cream of Wheat, and bring to boil.
3. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick to the bottom and burn.
4. Set aside to cool off.
5. In a medium bowl, add softened butter, juice and extract.
6. Mix to blend well.
7. Mix in the powdered sugar, until creamy.
8. Add cooled Cream of Wheat, and mix to blend all well together.
9. Spread filling over the cooled cake.
10. Set aside.

Chocolate Icing Ingredients:

• 8 0z semi-sweet baker’s chocolate (8 – 1 oz squares)
• 4 Tbs whole milk, or heavy cream for whipping

Chocolate Icing Directions:

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate.
2. Add milk, and incorporate into the melted chocolate.
3. Remove from heat, and pour over the filling.
4. Smooth out with the back of a spoon, for smooth, even finish.
5. Cool in the refrigerator, until it begins to firm up.
6. Remove from the fridge, and pre-cut through the chocolate icing, to form serving pieces.  This will ease the final cutting to serving pieces later on, once the chocolate fully cools and hardens.
7. Cover, and keep in the fridge at least over night.
8. Just before serving, cut through the filling and the cake, place on a serving platter, and serve.

Enjoy.

Please share your comments.  I love to hear your feedback.

TIP:  Please don’t be alarmed after the cake is baked, because it will seem very dense and brittle.  It will soften up by the moisture from the Cream of Wheat filling, seeping down into it.

That is another reason, why this torte does hold up well, exposed to room temperature for an extended period of time.  It holds its shape best, being refrigerated.

If you need a quick snack, or a simple dessert, all you need to do is to reach out for a box of Cocoa Krispies Cereal, and whip up some tasty treats.

I usually make the traditional Rice Krispies treats, with melted marshmallows and butter, but when I noticed this recipe (on the cereal box), I really wanted to try it.

I liked the finished product, since as simple as it was to make, it tasted rich and delicious.

The addition of chocolate and peanut butter to the cereal, really kicks it up a few notches, and turns it into a nutritious, and a very tasty treat.

It makes a great school lunch snack, or a prefect after school treat, for your children, or grandchildren.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar (I used light brown sugar)
• 1 cup peanut butter (I used organic)
• 6 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels (I used dark chocolate)
• 1 cup butterscotch chips (you can also use peanut  butter chips)

Directions:

1. Add sugar and corn syrup into a 3-quart saucepan.
2. Cook over medium  heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves, and mixture begins to boil.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in peanut butter.
5. Mix well.
6. Gradually fold in Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies cereal, until all well coated.
7. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2  cake pan, with butter, Crisco, or cooking spray (I used butter).
8. Spoon in the Cocoa Krispies mixture, and press down firmly, and evenly.
9. Set aside.
10. Add chocolate and butterscotch chips into a 1-quart saucepan.
11. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until all chips are melted, and blended together.
12. Spread melted chocolate/butterscotch mixture over the cereal mixture, smoothing it evenly with the back of a spoon.
13. Let it cool off, and firm up.
14. Cut into serving pieces.

Enjoy.

Today I decided to turn my regular Banana Bread into a delicious cake like creation, and the results were quite rewarding.

I was convinced that adding some chocolate to the recipe, will enhance the texture and flavor of my Banana Bread, and topping it off with a creamy chocolate glaze, will make it that much more decadent.

After all, how can anything chocolate, not taste great!

I am sure all the chocolate lovers will agree with me on this one.

The total baking time took a little longer than I expected, but once the bread looked done (springing back up when lightly tapped), I was happy with the results.

Dark and White Chocolate morsels, melting on top of the baked cake, to form a creamy topping.

Creamy Chocolate glaze on this Chocolate Banana Bread, is indeed the “Icing on the Cake”.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbs. Vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk (whole of low fat)
• 2 large, very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 2 cups cake flour (Softasilk)
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup dark chocolate morsels

Chocolate Glaze Ingredients (optional)

• 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate moresels

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the white and brown sugar with the eggs, until a thick creamy mixture forms.
2. Add Vanilla extract, melted butter, salt, milk and sour cream.
3. Add mashed bananas.
4. Mix, to blend in well.
5. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cocoa.
6. Gradually add to the egg mixture, mixing continuously on medium speed, until smooth batter is formed.
7. Fold in 1 cup of dark chocolate morsels.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Grease a loaf pan with vegetable shortening (Crisco), flour lightly bottom and sides.
10. Pour the cake batter into the pan.
11. Bake on the middle oven rack for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
12. I lightly tapped the top of the bread, and once it was springing back, I knew it was fully baked.
13. Remove from the oven, and cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
14. Remove from the pan onto a wire rack (see TIP below), and gently arrange the remaining dark and white chocolate morsels on top of the loaf.
15. Leave them on until melted enough for easy spreading all over the top of the bread, to form a creamy chocolate glaze.
16. Cool off completely before slicing.

Keep at room temperature for serving, or cover loosely with foil, and refrigerate for later use.

Enjoy.

TIP: For easier chocolate glaze preparation, you may prepare a “paper lift” to remove the bread from the pan. Place a large enough sheet of wax paper or aluminum foil, in the pan, so it extends a few inches above the long pan sides.  Place the cake back in the pan, on top of the paper lift.  Arrange the chocolates morsels all over the bread as stated in the directions.  Once the topping sets, you can lift out the bread from the pan, by grabbing both sides of the extended paper, and pulling it upwards, to lift it out of the pan.

Poppy seeds are used in many food preparations, in cooking and baking.   Dried poppy seeds are not exactly something one would like to snack on, but once used in breads, cakes, salad dressing, etc, it enhances the texture and flavor of the dish.

I personally like onion rolls sprinkled with poppy seeds, Poppy Seed Cake, and Poppy  Seed Roll (Zavyvanets – in Ukrainian).

Today I will share a recipe for a Poppy Seed Cake.

This recipe is quite easy, since it calls for a can of ready made Poppy Seed filling, unlike when my mom was baking with poppy seed, she had to prepare her own filling from scratch, which was a long process.

She cooked the poppy seeds, then she drained it well, then grind it twice on a fine blade.  After that she would flavor it, and finally it was ready to be used for baking.

Aren’t you glad Solo does all this hard work for us?  I sure am!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil (or any vegetable oil)
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 can (12.5 oz) Poppy Seed Filling (by Solo)
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose white flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Separate egg yolks from egg whites.
2. Set the egg whites aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, add 3 egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar.
4. Beat well until light and fluffy (it will resemble vanilla pudding).
5. Add in oil, and mix well.
6. Mix in the Poppy Seed filling.
7. Add milk and Vanilla extract, and mix one minute longer.
8. In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the baking soda and baking powder.
9. Gradually mix it into the batter.
10. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
11. Fold into the batter, evenly.
12. Preheat the over to 325 degrees F.
13. Grease well a 9 x 13 x 2 sheet cake pan, and dust it lightly with flour.
14. Pour the batter into the pan.
15. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
16. Remove from the oven, and cool in the pan, for 10 minutes.
17. Invert it from the pan onto a wire cooling rack, to cool completely.
18. Cut into serving pieces, and dust the tops with powdered sugar, before serving.

Enjoy!

I love the creaminess of the custard filling in a Napoleon dessert, the flakiness of the pastry layers, and the sweetness of the glazed top, accented with dark chocolate.

Today was a perfect day to make this delicacy for my family.

It was an easy project, thanks to Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry dough, instant pudding mix, my home grown strawberries, and fresh whipped cream.

If you are looking for a quick, delicious, and impressive looking dessert, you will love this recipe (listed on the Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry packaging).  I made some minor adjustments to their recipe, to suit better my taste.

Makes 9 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (use only 1 sheet)
  
• 3 1/2 oz Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix and Pie Filling (1 small package)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream for whipping
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp milk
• 1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (1 square), melted
• 1 tsp heavy cream
• 2 drops of rum extract

Directions:

1. Take out one Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheet, and thaw at room temperature, until ready to handle (about 40 minutes).
2. Using a pizza cutter, cut into three pieces, lengthwise, along the folds.
3. Cut each long piece across into three equal pieces (single servings).
4. Grease two baking sheets (I use Crisco), and set above cut pieces on there, spacing them slightly.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Bake on the middle oven rack, for 17 minutes.
7. Remove from the pans onto a wire cooking rack , and cool completely.
8. Cut each square horizontally, to make three layers of pastry.
9. Set aside.

Pudding filling:

1. Pour 1 cup of cold milk into a medium size bowl.
2. Pour in the pudding mix.
3. Whip for few minutes, until creamy pudding forms.
4. Set aside.

Whipped Cream:

Use a small bowl,pour in 1 cup of cold heavy (whipping) cream.

Whip until firm peaks form.

Fold into the pudding mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for now.

Sugar Icing:

1. In a small bowl, add 1 cup of powdered sugar.
2. Add 2 tsp of milk, and 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract.
3. Mix all well, to form glaze.
4. Set aside.

Strawberries:

1. Prepare strawberries by removing the green leaves, rinsing and drying them.
2. Slice into thin slices (1/16 inch think).
3. Set aside.

Dessert Assembly:

1. Starting with the bottom layer, spoon 1/4 cup of pudding filling.
2. Arrange strawberry slices around the edges, with the pointy ends outward.
3. Dab some pudding mixture on the bottom of a second pastry layer (for better hold), and place on top of the strawberries.
4. Spread 1/3 cup of pudding on top of this layer, and arrange strawberries slices as before.
5. Spread the sugar glaze on top of the last layer, dab some pudding on the bottom of this layer (for better hold) and place over strawberries.
6. Repeat the above process with all remaining pastry pieces.

Chocolate topping:

1. Using a double boiler, melt 1 oz of dark semi-sweet baking chocolate, mix in 1 tsp heavy cream, and 2 drops of rum extract.
2. Remove from heat, and drizzle over the sugar iced top layer of each dessert. (I placed the melted chocolate in a freezer zip lock bag, made a small pin hole in the corner, to form a thin chocolate flow for decorating the tops). I also, drizzled some chocolate on the bottom of the dessert plates, before setting the Strawberry Napoleons on it.

Enjoy this creamy, super yummy dessert.

When I think of rhubarb, the first thing that comes to mind, is Rhubarb Pie.

Although my mom used rhubarb to make a very refreshing summer drink, called Compote.

She also made Rhubarb Varenyky (Pierogies), served with whipped cream and sugar.  Those were as delicious as her Blueberry Varenyky, or Strawberry Soup (my mouth waters just thinking about these).

Rhubarb is in season now, so I decided to make an Apple-Rhubarb Meringue Pie.  This is a very interesting recipe, since the rhubarb is cooked into a preserve like mixture, before being added to the sliced apples.

The combination of apples and the rhubarb mixture, creates a wonderful, slightly tangy apple filling.

The meringue topping, sprinkled with shredded dough, gives it a nice finishing touch.

Ingredients for the Pie Shell:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup butter, refrigerated
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbs. cold water

Ingredients for Apple-Rhubarb filling:

• 3 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (see TIP below)
• 5 cups, apples (peeled, seeded, and cut to small slices. I used Gala apples, but Granny Smith would be best)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. corn starch
• 1 tsp. cinnamon, ground
• 1/4 tsp. allspice, ground
• 1/8 tsp. cloves, ground
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 egg whites, whipped
• 1 Tbs. plain bread crumbs

Directions for Rhubarb-Apple Pie filling:

1. In a medium sauce pan, add the chopped rhubarb, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
2. Mix well to coat.
3. Bring to boil, and cook UNCOVERED for at least 15 minutes on medium heat, mixing occasionally, until the liquids cook out, and the mixture gains a fruit preserve consistency.
4. Remove from heat, and cool.
5. Add the cooled mixture to the chopped apples, and mix well to coat the apples with the mixture.
6. Set aside.

Directions for pie shell and pie assembly:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour and powdered sugar.
2. Cut the cold butter into small chunks, and add to the flour.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
4. Save the whites, and keep refrigerated.
5. Add the yolks to the flour mixture.
6. Add the water and vanilla.
7. Using a pastry cutter, mix all the ingredients in the bowl, until all mixed together and a ball of dough is formed.
8. Using your hands, work the dough for a minute longer, to make sure it is well blended.
9. Divide the dough into two parts, 1/3 for topping, and 2/3 for the bottom pie shell.
10. Clover and keep refrigerated for at least half hour, or longer.
11. While waiting, prepare your apple-rhubarb filling.
12. Cover your work are with a lightly floured silpat mat, parchment or waxed paper.
13. Remove the larger piece of the dough from the fridge (leave the smaller one in the fridge for later use), flatten with your hands, and place it on the floured work area.
14. Sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour, and roll it out into a round circle, at least 1 inch larger than the diameter of the bottom of your pie pan. (I used Teflon coated 10 inch pie pan).
15. Place the pie pan over the rolled dough, and flip the mat over, so the dough is on top of the pie pan.
16. Slowly loosen the dough from the mat, and fit it into the bottom and sides of the pie pan.  Press it down lightly, to remove any air bubbles, trapped underneath.
17. Finish nicely the top edges, to fit the pan, pressing any leftover dough pieces into the pie shell.
18. Sprinkle the bottom of the pie shell with 1 Tbs of plain bread crumbs (these will help to absorb any excess juice from the filling, preventing the bottom of the pie from becoming soggy).
19. Spread the rhubarb-apple filling over the bread crumbs, and smooth the top with the back of the spoon, to give it an even finish.
20. Remove the egg whites from the fridge.
21. Whip them until the mixture begins to resemble whipped cream.
22. Gradually add the powdered sugar, and keep on whipping, until all sugar is incorporated.
23. Spoon the whipped mixture on top of the rhubarb-apple filling, and smooth it out with the back of a spoon.
24. Remove the cold remaining dough from the fridge, and shred it on a large eye hand shredder, spreading it evenly over the top of the whipped  mixture.
25. Bake for 60 minutes in a preheated oven at 325 degrees F.
26. Once done, turn off the oven, leave the pie in the oven for another 30-45 minutes, with the oven door left ajar, for the pie to cool off.
27. Remove from the oven, keep it in the pie pan, and cool completely on a wire rack, if you do not plan to serve it right now.
28. This pie is delicious served warm with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy.

TIP: Before cutting up the rhubarb, you need to peel off the thin stringy skin. Cut off the bottom and top tip of the rhubarb stalk, and starting at one end, grasp the thin skin layer and pull down toward the other end to peel it off.  Repeat this process all around the stalk.  Also remove and discard any additional fibers forming during cutting the stalk into chunks.

If you love Tortes, but have been looking for a lighter filling, rather than the traditional butter cream one, this is a great recipe for you.  The cake layers are very thin, and the filling is mostly apples, with a nice caramel glaze.

My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me, and I tried my best to convert the metric measures to cups, and spoons.

She actually has  a nice collection of really great recipes, but they need some modifications here and there, to make them more precise.

This torte is quite easy to assemble, and to cut into serving pieces, since it is in a sheet cake form, rather than the usual round shape.

Torte Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour, all purpose
• 1 cup sugar, granulated
• 2 cups butter, unsalted
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 Tbs sour cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. baking powder

Torte Directions:

1. Sift the flour with baking powder, and salt.
2. Set aside.
3. Grate the butter on a large eye grater, over flour.
4. Using a pastry cutter, cut together the flour and butter.
5. Set aside.
6. Beat the egg yolks with sugar, until light and fluffy.
7. Mix in vanilla extract, and sour cream.
8. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and form dough.
9. Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
10. Grease and flour, three sheet cake pans, 9 x 13 x 2.
11. Spread evenly 1/3 portion of the batter, in each pan (I placed scoops of the batter all over the pan, then using the back of a spoon, I spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan).
12. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and bake the cakes for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
13. Remove from the oven, and cool off in the pans, loosening up around the edges for easier removal.

Apple Filling Ingredients

• 8 apples, pared, cored, and shredded on a large eye shredder (I used 4 Granny Smith, and 4 Gala)
• 1 single package of lemon, or orange jello ( I used orange, but next time will try the lemon)
• 1 Tbs. of butter
• 1 tsp. of lemon juice

Directions for Apple Filling:

1. Heat a large frying pan, melt the butter to coat the bottom of the pan.
2. Mix in shredded apples.
3. Lower the heat to medium, cover pan, and saute for 10 minutes. Mixing occasionally.
4. Mix in the jello powder, and lemon juice.
5. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool off.
6. Remove one of the cakes from a pan, and lay it on a serving platter, or tray (I used a large cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil).
7. Divide the apple filling in half.

7.  Spread first half of the filling over the first cake.

8.  Place the second cake over the filling.

9.  Spread the second half of the apple filling over this cake.

10.  Cover it with the third cake.

11.  Set aside.

Caramel-Nut Glaze Ingredients:

• ¾ cup chopped nuts (I used Pecans)
• ¾ cup sugar, granulated
• 3 Tbs. milk
• 3 Tbs. honey
• 5 Tbs. butter

Directions for Caramel-Nut Glaze:

1. Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan.
2. Bring to boil, and cook for 1 minute.

3.  Pour hot glaze over the top of the cake, and spread evenly.

4.  Cool slightly, and score the top of the glaze all the way through, to the first cake layer, to prepare for easier

cutting into serving pieces, later on.

5.  Once the glaze cools completely, you may continue to cut through the other layers of the cake, to form  serving

pieces.  Otherwise, may cover the cake with aluminum foil, and store it in the refrigerator, until ready to serve, at

which time you will cut it up into serving pieces.
TIP: This cake is firmer right after assembly, but later on the cake layers pick up the moisture from the apple filling, and become very moist.  The Caramel/Nut glaze tends to separate slightly away from the top of the cake, so for serving ease, I arranged my serving pieces on a serving platter, in individual cupcake liners.  For a better presentation, I trimmed about 1/2 inch of f ,  from all the sides of the cake, before cutting it into serving pieces.

If you have been checking out my previous posts, and printed out some great recipes to try out for Passover, you will be happy to know that I saved a fabulous one for this post.

I am told that this recipe for Chocolate Toffee Matzos has been mentioned, several years back, on the  Dallas Morning News, and my friend was so kind to share it with me.

As you know, I only post recipes I try myself, and post my own pictures of the finished product.

This recipe calls for few simple ingredients, takes only minutes to complete, and the outcome is unbelievably rewarding.

You will definitely make these for your family and friends for any occasion, not just for Passover.

I was able to fill two 13 x 18 cookie sheets, thus the total piece count depends on the size you select for your serving pieces.  In total, you will end up with about 2 lbs. of candy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. of Matzoh (approximately 10 – 12 sheets
• 1 cup butter (or margarine)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 12 oz. chocolate chips (1bag)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 cup toffee candy bits

Directions:

1. Line two 13 x 18 x 1 cookie sheet pan with aluminum foil (to protect your pan for getting very messy)
2. Cover the bottom of the lined cookie sheets with Matzoh (start with whole ones, then break the additional ones into smaller section as needed to cover the whole bottom of the cookie sheet).
3. Place butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan.
4. Bring it o boil on a medium heat, and cook it for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it gets all foamy and begins to coat your spoon.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Remove from the stove, pour gently over the Matzoh layer.  I used a gravy ladle to scoop the mixture onto the Matzoh, then used the back of a spoon to spread it evenly all over the Matzoh.
7. Place it in the preheated oven,  on the middle rack, and bake for about 3 minutes, or when you see it bubbling.
8. Watch your oven carefully, since this mixture burns very quickly.
9. Remove from oven.
10. Sprinkle half of the chocolate chips over the hot Matzoh in one pan, and save the second half for the next pan.
11. Place the cookie sheet back into the oven, and bake for another minute, to soften the chocolate chips.
12. Remove from the oven, and using the back of a spoon, spread the chocolate evenly all over the Matzoh.
13. Sprinkle the chocolate with 1/2 of the chopped nuts and toffee bits.
14. Set aside to cool completely.
15. Follow the same process for your second pan of Matzoh.
16. Once cooled completely, and he chocolate is totally set, you may break it up to any size pieces you wish, and store in a refrigerator, in an air tight container.