Courses: Side Dishes Cuisines: Breakfast & Brunch / Fruit / Grain-Free/Gluten-Free / Vegetables / Vegetarian When the temperature drops below freezing, and the snow has been falling for hours (or days!), there's no better way to help make the house feel warm and cozy than having the sweet smells of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg waft through your home. Fruit butter (apple butter, pear butter and the like) takes hours of slow simmering on the stove. It also needs to be stirred every 15-20 minutes or so, so it doesn't get stuck on the bottom of the pot. So when you are staying at home on a snowy day, or just staying at home "because" - that is the time to make this deliciously fragrant and silky pear butter. The original recipe is from my brother, Ari M. Sobel. Ari is a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef extraordinaire! I have adapted the recipe and made some changes that suit my tastes. It's very flexible. You can use whatever fruit you like: apples, pears, a combination of the two. Or, in the summer, use plums, nectarines, peaches. You can add strawberries or blueberries. You can use all the spices I've added, or just cinnamon - or leave them out entirely. Use your imagination!
Holidays: Passover Courses: Desserts & Baked Goods Cuisines: Baked Goods / Holiday Cooking
When I lived in Toronto, Sue Devor, the owner of "Sweet Sue's" pastry shop was my congregant. She often led a "baking for Passover" cooking demo at my congregation. Passover baked goods shouldn't taste like "Passover". She introduced me to this rich and gooey chocolate torte.
This recipe has become one of my most requested YEAR-ROUND favourites. My brother (the Culinary Institute of America trained chef) declared: "Wow! This cake is better than one of mine!"
I've modified Sue's original recipe to make it serve a larger group and added a chocolate glaze.
You can flavour it with mint extract (if you like mint), or use a strong espresso (in place of water) if you like a mocha flavour. This is sure to be a show-stopper and a big hit! Here is my version of Sue's fabulous recipe. Thank you, Sue!
