{"id":35935,"date":"2014-02-13T23:40:05","date_gmt":"2014-02-13T23:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/?p=35935"},"modified":"2016-09-19T14:25:55","modified_gmt":"2016-09-19T14:25:55","slug":"slice-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/slice-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Slice of Life: Recipes for Purim"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Chocolate Heaven for Purim<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>As my kids get older, their interest in what to wear for Purim has taken a decidedly odd turn. Long gone are the cute little Haman and Achashverosh outfits that I would piece together the night before the Megillah reading.<\/p>\n<p>They&#8217;ve given way to &#8220;concept statements&#8221; like going as the gallows with the hangman, or as Mordechai and his horse. I am no longer welcome in the planning sessions and have been relegated to the role of chief supply officer. I get to see the final results about 30 seconds before we head out the door for shul.<\/p>\n<p>So rather than pout about being left out of the costume loop, I&#8217;ve decided to turn my frustrated creative urge to whipping up the most luscious shalach manot treats I can. This wonderful tradition has really changed since Mordechai and Esther mandated exchanging food and gifts to celebrate the holiday. What started out as a simple gift of a few hamantashen has grown into elaborate shrink-wrapped concoctions. Sure, I&#8217;ll throw in a few pieces of fruit and the obligatory hamantashen, but this year chocolate is going to be the star. The best part of this resolution is that I get to taste test every recipe. So, this year, you&#8217;ll know it&#8217;s me at the Megillah reading if you spy someone with curious chocolate smudges around the mouth, trailed by two strangely costumed creatures.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Chocolate Truffle Cookies<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>4 squares (I oz. each) unsweetened chocolate<\/li>\n<li>2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips, divided<\/li>\n<li>1\/3 cup\u00a0butter or margarine<\/li>\n<li>1 cup sugar<\/li>\n<li>3 eggs<\/li>\n<li>1 1\/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 cup all-purpose flour<\/li>\n<li>2 Tablespoons\u00a0baking cocoa<\/li>\n<li>1\/4 teaspoon baking powder<\/li>\n<li>1\/4 teaspoon salt<\/li>\n<li>Confectioners&#8217; sugar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>In a microwave or double boiler, melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of chocolate chips and butter; cool for 10 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and the chocolate mixture.<\/li>\n<li>Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; beat into chocolate mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips.<\/li>\n<li>Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.<\/li>\n<li>Remove about 1 cup of dough. With lightly floured hands, roll into 1-in. balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets.<\/li>\n<li>Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly puffed and set.<\/li>\n<li>Cool in pan 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.<\/li>\n<li>Repeat with remaining dough.<\/li>\n<li>Dust with confectioners&#8217; sugar.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><em>Yield: about 4 dozen.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>White Chocolate Fudge<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>4 cups sugar<\/li>\n<li>1 1\/3; cups buttermilk<\/li>\n<li>2 teaspoons\u00a0light corn syrup<\/li>\n<li>1\/8 teaspoons salt<\/li>\n<li>1\/4 cup butter<\/li>\n<li>2 oz. white chocolate, chopped<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 teaspoon vanilla extract<\/li>\n<li>Green and red food coloring, divided<\/li>\n<li>1\/4 teaspoon\u00a0almond extract<\/li>\n<li>3\/4 cup shelled chopped natural pistachios<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon grated orange zest<\/li>\n<li>1 cup red candied cherries, halved<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>Butter 8&#8243; square baking pan.<\/li>\n<li>In pot, over high heat, combine sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to boil. Cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 240 F on a candy thermometer, about 12-15 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Remove from heat; add butter, chocolate and vanilla with-out stirring.<\/li>\n<li>Cool to 120 F, about 10-15 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Stir mixture; divide evenly between two bowls. Tint one green with food coloring; stir in almond extract.<\/li>\n<li>With spoon, beat until creamy, 2-3 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Stir in nuts; spread in pan.<\/li>\n<li>Tint remaining mixture red; stir in zest.<\/li>\n<li>Beat until creamy; stir in cherries.<\/li>\n<li>Spread over green mixture.<\/li>\n<li>Cover surface directly with plastic; let stand at room temperature until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Chocolate-Covered Cherries<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2 1\/2 cups confectioners&#8217; sugar<\/li>\n<li>1\/4\u00a0cup butter or margarine, softened<\/li>\n<li>1 Tablespoon\u00a0milk<\/li>\n<li>1\/2\u00a0teaspoon almond extract<\/li>\n<li>2 jars (8 oz. each) maraschino cherries with stems, well drained*<\/li>\n<li>2 cups\u00a0semisweet chocolate chips<\/li>\n<li>2 Tablespoons shortening<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>In mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, milk, and extract; mix well.<\/li>\n<li>Knead into large ball. Roll into 1-inch balls and flatten each into a 2-inch circle. Wrap around cherries and lightly roll in hands.<\/li>\n<li>Place with stem up on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.<\/li>\n<li>Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl.<\/li>\n<li>Holding onto stem, dip cherries into chocolate; set on waxed paper to harden.<\/li>\n<li>Store in a covered container.<\/li>\n<li>Refrigerate 1-2 weeks before serving. The longer they sit, the juicier the center will be.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Yield: about 3 dozen.<\/p>\n<p><em>*The cheaper brands of cherries tend to make a very dry cherry, so you may not want to drain them much. If you end up with a dry filling, store them on the counter for a week, which seems to help a bit.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Brownie Muffins<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1\/2\u00a0cup\u00a0soft butter<\/li>\n<li>1 square bittersweet chocolate, melted<\/li>\n<li>1\/2\u00a0cup\u00a0sugar<\/li>\n<li>2 eggs<\/li>\n<li>2 teaspoon baking powder<\/li>\n<li>2 cups\u00a0flour<\/li>\n<li>1\/4\u00a0cup cocoa<\/li>\n<li>1\/2\u00a0cup milk<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon vanilla<\/li>\n<li>1\/2\u00a0cup chocolate chips<\/li>\n<li>1\/2\u00a0cup chopped walnuts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>Preheat oven to 400 F.<\/li>\n<li>Combine butter and chocolate. Beat in sugar until well-combined. (<em>These muffins contradict the rule that you are not supposed to overbeat muffins!<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.<\/li>\n<li>Mix flour, cocoa, and baking powder together, then add to butter and egg mixture, alternating with the milk and beating after each addition. (If using a hand-held electric beater, you may find that eventually, you have to switch to using a spoon.)<\/li>\n<li>Mix in vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.<\/li>\n<li>Line the cups of a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners, and fill the cups 3\/4 full.<\/li>\n<li>Bake 25-35 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Yield: 18 muffins.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Congo Bars<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2 cups sifted flour<\/li>\n<li>2 teaspoons baking powder<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 teaspoon salt<\/li>\n<li>2\/3 cup shortening<\/li>\n<li>1 package (I lb.) brown sugar<\/li>\n<li>3 eggs<\/li>\n<li>1 package chocolate chips<\/li>\n<li>1 cup chopped nuts<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon vanilla<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li>In a small pan, melt shortening and then stir in brown sugar. Set aside to cool.<\/li>\n<li>Beat in eggs and then add dry ingredients.<\/li>\n<li>Add chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla. Pour into l0 x 15 inch pan.<\/li>\n<li>Bake in 350 F oven for 30 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Cool and cut into squares.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chocolate Heaven for Purim As my kids get older, their interest in what to wear for Purim has taken a decidedly odd turn. Long gone are the cute little Haman and Achashverosh outfits that I would piece together the night before the Megillah reading. They&#8217;ve given way to &#8220;concept statements&#8221; like going as the gallows [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9596,"featured_media":38023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[348],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-purim"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Slice of Life: Recipes for Purim - Jewish Holidays<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Recipes by Eileen Goltz for Purim including Chocolate Truffle Cookies, White Chocolate Fudge, Chocolate-Covered Cherries, Brownie Muffins, and Congo Bars.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/slice-life\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Slice of Life: Recipes for Purim - 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