Pesach Desserts: Enjoy this Pesach-Friendly Pistachio Dacquoise Recipe!

Sun, April 3, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm

Tired of the same old boring sponge cake for dessert on Pesach? So are we. There's so much are you can do without much additional effort or having to hunt down special kosher for Passover ingredients. Chef Avram Wiseman will show you how easy it is to make fantastic desserts that look good taste and taste good for Pesach. He should know -- he works in "the real world" as a chef for Pesach every year! Please join us for this very practical, very timely, very delicious class.

$75 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

Pistachio Dacquoise Recipe

Meringue Ingredients:

Peeled Pistachios 8 oz. for meringues
Peeled Pistachios 3 oz. for decoration
Granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups
Egg whites, room temp. 6 ea.
Cold water ½ cup

Butter cream:

Coffee instant powder 1 ½ Tablespoons
Boiling water 2 Teaspoons
Bittersweet chocolate 4 oz.
Brandy 2 Tablespoons
Butter, sweet 8 oz.
Cold water 3 oz.
Granulated sugar ½ cup
Egg yolks 6 ea.

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 300°. Roast the pistachios for 10 minutes to crisp the nuts.
Remove from the oven and let them cool to room temp. Place the pistachios in a food processor and chop them until they are chopped to a coarse crumb texture. Reduce oven temperature to 150º.

Prepare 3 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and draw a nine-inch circle on each piece of paper. Combine 1 ½ cups of sugar and the ½ cup of cold water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Place a candy thermometer in this syrup and bring up to a temperature of 230º.

While the syrup is cooking, whip the egg whites by hand over a double boiler until very warm. Place the whites onto a mixer with a whip attachment and whip on high until the warm whites are very stiff. Slowly pour in the 230º sugar syrup while still beating.Stop whipping when this Italian Meringue is very very stiff.

Preheat oven to 150º. Add 8 ounces of the chopped Pistachios into the meringue mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula. Place the Dacquoise mixture into a pastry bag and pipe (with straight tube) 3 concentric circles onto the lined cookie sheets. Use all the egg white mixture until 3 circle disks are produced. Smooth out the disks with a spatula. Bake at low 150º for 12-15 hours until the meringues are crisp.

These disks may be wrapped individually and stored for up to 1 week.

Cut the chocolate into small pieces and place into a stainless steel bowl. Dissolve the powdered instant coffee in the 2 Teaspoons of boiling water. In the top part of a double boiler combine the coffee and the chocolate. Add the brandy and melt to smooth.

In an electric mixing bowl with a paddle attachment cream the butter until smooth and very pale. Transfer to a bowl and wash and dry the mixing bowl.

Combine 1/3 cup of water and the ½ cup of sugar and boil until the syrup reaches 230º. While the sugar syrup is boiling, beat the egg yolks until light and frothy. When the syrup is ready slowly pour over the yolks while still beating on high speed. Continue mixing on high until the yolks are cool to the touch. Beat in the softened butter, 1 teaspoonful at a time. Then add the chocolate mixture and mix well. Butter cream may be kept refrigerated for several weeks . Warm to room temperature before using.

To complete assembly: Spread the buttercream over each layer. (Chocolate mousse may be substituted between layers.) Assemble the three disks and coat the top and sides with butter cream. Finish the sides by covering with the remainder chopped pistachios and pipe rosettes around the top.

Chill well to set the butter cream. Warm to room temperature to serve.

"The Kosher Baker" Comes to CKCA!

Paula Shoyer is a pastry chef who owns and operates Paula’s Parisian Pastries Cooking School in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She received her pastry diploma from the Ritz Escoffier Ecole de Gastronomie Francaise in Paris, France in 1996. She is the author of The Kosher Baker: 160 dairy-free desserts from traditional to trendy (Brandeis University Press, August 2010) She is the editor of two popular Kosher cookbooks: Kosher by Design Entertains and Kosher by Design Kids in the Kitchen.

Paula joins CKCA on Sunday, March 27th (10:30am to 12) for a demo/tasting focusing on four of her outstanding pareve desserts. Menu to include: Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Pareve Cream Cheese Rugelach, Pistachio and Raspberry Tart, and Tiramisu.

$50 -- CALL TO REGISTER -- 718.758.1339

Master Class in French Pastry

When it comes to pastry, the French are and always have been at the top of their game. From shining glazed fruit tarts to exquisitely arranged cakes like mille feuilles and charlottes, the French have a way with baking and desserts.

Contrary to popular belief, many of these items can be made kosher and even parve. In this class, we aim to show you how. Join classically trained Pastry Chef Philippe Kaemmerle for a week-long intensive workshop on classic French pastries and desserts. Chef Kaemmerle will teach the skills, techniques, and methods involved in making a variety of cakes, tarts, plated desserts, and more. When it comes to classic pastry, never say never again!

$475 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339
March 28-April 1st, 2pm to 6pm

Master Class in Miniature Decorative Pastry

Miniature decorative pastries are the dessert of choice at parties and events large and small. Few desserts make for a better presentation than a tidy arrangement of carefully constructed miniatures. In the language of classic culinary arts they are known as petit fours and include any small cake or pastry item small enough to be eaten in one or two bites. Most petit fours are comprised of many distinct components and require a steady hand and sharp eye for detailed decoration.

In this week-long hands-on workshop, classically trained French pastry chef Philippe Kaemmerle will teach the class to make all the components of a variety of petit fours. The class will also include a day on the art of chocolate making and techniques of molded chocolates and chocolate truffles.

On the final day of the program, the students will present the treats they have worked on throughout the week at a banquet for friends and family.

$475 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339
Mon – Thurs, March 21 – March 24, 2 – 6 pm

Lynn Kutner's Hamantaschen

Lynn Kutner, who will be teaching an amazing Hamantaschen and Purim Baking workshop at CKCA on March 13th from 9:30 to 1:30pm, has shared one of her amazing hamantaschen recipes, as well as two simple fillings. Sign up for the class to get even better ones!

$75 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339. Click her to learn more!

Pâte Sablée Dough:

1 ¾ cups (unbleached) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon)
1 stick plus 2 Tablespoons (5 ounces) butter or margarine, very soft
2 ½ tablespoons sugar (3, if you are using margarine)
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla (2, if you are using margarine)

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. Cream the butter and sugar well with a wooden spoon. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla.

3. Work the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, starting with the wooden spoon and finishing with your hands, until it comes together in a ball. Form dough into three disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes to overnight.

Rolling and Forming Hamantaschen:

Roll one disk at a time to a thickness of about 1/8" on slightly floured silpat or a lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut with a floured 3" cutter, as close together as possible. (Gather up the scraps to roll out after you've done all three disks.)
Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in center of each round, and pinch edges 3 times to form a triangle. Pinch very firmly to keep the edges closed while baking. Chill a few minutes while you preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake about 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Two simple fillings:

Chocolate-Nut:

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or oil
½ cup chopped roasted (either salted or unsalted) hazelnuts or pecans

Melt the chocolate and the butter or oil together over hot water. Remove and blend well. Mix in the chopped nuts. Cool a few minutes before using.

Dried Fruit:

1 cup prunes (canned moist-pack, if available) or dried apricots
2 Tablespoons sugar, approximately
2 Tablespoons orange juice, apricot nectar, or pineapple juice

Puree the fruit with the sugar and juice in a food processor. Taste for sweetness. Add a bit more sugar, if you like it a bit sweeter. (Note that different batches of dried fruit vary in sweetness.)

Purim Baking Workshop!

Sick of eating dried out packaged hamentashen? Fear no more!
You've never seen or tasted hamentaschen like this! Lynn Kutner, our resident expert on all things baking and traditional baked items will teach the class how to make hamantaschen two ways; one with sugar cookie dough, the other with nut dough. We'll fill each with a variety of fruit fillings. Also on the menu and great for Purim, yeast dough filled sweet rolls and a really good peanut butter cookie with chocolate hidden inside.

March 13th, 9:30am-1:30pm


$75 – CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339

CKCA Pro Alumni Competition!!

Calling all CKCA pro class alumni -- Now's your chance to show us how far your skills have come! Alumni competition night will pit six teams of two alumni each against each other in an "Iron Chef" style market basket challenge. You and your alumni teammate will have one hour to cook an entree and two sides from a basket of surprise ingredients. Judges Chef Avram Wiseman and school director Jesse Blonder will score each team on taste, presentation, creativity and most important, teamwork!

Which team will win? The Class of Spring '09? Summer '10? Winter '11? We'll find out soon enough. The winning team will receive $150 towards classes at CKCA and the title of Reigning Alumni Champs!

The event is Motzei Shabbos, March 13th, from 8:30 to 10:30pm, and the cost is $140 per team.


Call Jesse at 718-758-1339 to register your two-person team in the competition!

Dairy or Pareve Vanilla Pastry Creme

Cake flour 2 oz.
Granulated sugar 12 oz.
Milk or Non-dairy creamer 1 quart
Egg yolks 12
vanilla bean, split 1 or one tsp
unsalted butter or margarine 2 oz.

Whisk 8 oz. of the milk into the egg yolks. Add the flour and sugar and whisk until smooth. Heat the remaining milk with the vanilla or vanilla bean in a heavy saucepan. As soon as the milk comes to a boil, whisk one third of it into the egg mixture and blend. Then pour the mixture you have just created into the saucepan. This prevents the eggs from scrambling. Stir constantly under low to medium flame until the custard begins to thicken. As it thickens, it will become lumpy, but this is just a stage. At this point, increase the speed of your whisking and stirring. It should smooth out just before coming to a boil. Allow the pastry cream to boil for one minute, then remove from flame. Remove the vanilla bean if necessary. In a clean mixing bowl, fold the pastry cream with the margarine, do not overmix. Chill before using and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming on top.

Recipe: Chef Wiseman's Bande aux Fruit

Chef Wiseman's signature "pièce de résistance" has long been his Bande aux Fruit. The fruits one chooses depends on the best of the season,and in this recipe, he recommends, blackberries, mangoes and kiwifruits. Bande aux Fruit is as delicious as it is visually arresting. While this is indeed a recipe with multiple steps, it is extremely appropriate for a special occasion and is sure to wow anyone who sees it.

Ingredients:

Puff Pastry sheets 1 ea.
Egg yolks 6 ea.
Pastry cream 12 oz.
Sponge cake 6 oz.
Apricot glaze 5 oz.
Brandy 2 oz.
Lemon juice 1 oz.
Blackberries ½ pint
Mangoes 1 ea.
Kiwifruit 3 ea.

Procedure:

Roll out a puff pastry sheet to ¼ inch thickness. Cut the pastry into a rectangular shape 14 inches by 5 inches. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Dock the puff pastry using two forks or a pastry docker. This step ensures that the pastry centers will not rise too high.

Cut two additional strips of puff pastry 1 inch wide by 14 inches long. Brush the edges of the pastry rectangle with egg yolks, not exceeding 1 inch from the edge. Carefully and gently place the pastry strips on the egg yolk and press down lightly to secure. Carefully brush the tops of the pastry strips with yolks, ensuring that the yolk does not drip over the edges.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until deep golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Fill the space between the borders with pastry cream or crème Chantilly. Cover the pastry cream with a ¼ inch thick slices of sponge cake.

Arrange fruits neatly in rows. It is recommended to select fruits with a sharp color contrast. Cover the sponge entirely with the fruit slices. Refrigerate immediately.

Melt the apricot glaze with brandy and lemon juice. After the glaze boils, strain it through a pasta strainer. Let glaze cool slightly. When the glaze is just warm and begins to thicken slightly, brush the fruits with the glaze ensuring that the fruits are completely covered. Refrigerate until served. Carefully slice into portions with a sharp serrated knife