What I can take to a Seder?

[Ohio12]

Does anyone have an idea for a dessert to take to a Seder? A friend is hosting a Christian Seder to commemorate the Last Supper, but we are following the unleavened rules. This is all pretty new to me. I am just a Midwestern Protestant who grew up going to Maundy Thursday! Am I blowing your minds with all these religious holidays?

Side Note: I got a book for dd to explain the Seder and I cannot recommend it enough. It is "The Passover Seder" by Emily Sper

Really great graphics and simple explanations. She loves it and it helped me too!

[Laurel]

Macaroons are easy, traditional, and yummy. I really, really love meringues too.

Baked apples, or some other fruit dessert?

Flourless chocolate cake. (I don't have a recipe, but I'm sure you could search for one easily.)

A custard? (Assuming you are only following the unleavened rules, and that dairy is okay.) I love chocolate pots de creme, but even a simple chocoate mousse would work as well.

I would stay away from most recipes that are specifically for Passover (with substitutions, etc.), as they are just never as good as "the real thing." Stick with something you love anyway, that just happens to be flour-free.

[ELaurie]

Torte
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 pound (1 stick) nondairy or regular margarine, or butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons water, orange juice, coffee, or liquor
1/2 cup blanched, chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup potato starch
4 eggs. separated. at room temperature

Chocolate Glaze
6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tablespoons nondairy or regular margarine, or butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
Whole or sliced almonds, for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a 9 inch cake pan, or spring form pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan, and spray or grease the paper.

To make the torte: Melt the chocolate, margarine, and water, orange juice or liquor in a microwave safe bowl, or double boiler. Stir until smooth.

Pulse nuts and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Pulse in potato starch. Add chocolate mixture, pulse, then add eggs. (Combining the ground nuts and chocolate with a mixer works equally well.)

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff but not dry peaks form. Add chocolate mixture, and fold together until blended. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until sides feel firm but middle is still slightly soft. A knife inserted into the center should come out slightly coated. Place pan on a serving rack to cool. It will shrink. When cool, turnout of pan by inverting onto a serving plate.

Glaze: Melt chocolate and margarine or butter in a microwave safe bowl or double boiler. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly, and pour over top and sides of cake. Garnish with almonds, if desired.

From: Fast and Festive Meals for the Jewish Holidays

I make this every year at Passover, and it always gets rave reviews!

[Soph the vet]

My family is half Jewish and we celebrated Passover every year with a Seder dinner. Charosh (pronounced "Harosh", long O) is a mix of chopped apples, walnuts, cinnamon, brown sugar that can be eaten on matzoh. Makes a nice lite dessert.
Peanut brittle is something else I remember.

[Stephanie in FL]

Last year I made macaroons, coffee meringues, and passover brownies.

Passover Brownies

3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
5 eggs, separated
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
6 oz. almonds, finely ground
pinch of salt

Makes 24 Brownies

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in egg yolks. Set aside.

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Cool, then mix into butter mixture. Mix in finely ground almonds.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, then fold into batter. Pour mixture into 9" square greased baking pan. Bake for 45 min. Cool and cut into squares.


Passover Coffee Meringue Cookies


Ingredients:
4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Dunkin’ Donuts Original Blend, pulverized to a powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
36 coffee beans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250°F. Place racks equidistant from one another in the oven. Use nonstick pans or cover two baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with salt until foamy. (If using an electric mixer, do this on "high".) Add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir in the powdered coffee and the vanilla extract. Using a large spoon, drop spoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheet and top each with a coffee bean. Bake until dry, about two hours. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar slightly, and let the meringues "bake" for another hour. Remove the pans from the oven and carefully remove each cookie, one at a time to avoid breaking. Let the cookies cool completely on wire racks. YIELD: 36 cookies


Laurie's Chocolate Torte sounds wonderful too.