Each holiday has it’s special flavors and textures. One of the special treats we prepare for Pesah is “masa di vino”, a wine cookie with a delightful and unique taste and texture. They are easy to make and freeze well. My cousin, Leon Hasson, has become our ‘Go To’ guy for these treats……he has the recipe down pat to produce a crispy, flavorful cookie. Give them a try!
Ingredients:
1 C oil
3/4 C sweet wine
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
2 C Passover cake meal
1 C chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 C Passover potato starch
Mix sugar, oil and wine well. Add egg and dry ingredients.
Take walnut sized pieces of dough. Roll into a ball. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Flatten by hand. With tines of a fork, press each cookie to produce a design.
Meringue clouds…..a divine confection of the Gods! A special occasion delicacy passed down by our grandmothers !
A perfect dessert to make for Passover.
Growing up, we knew it was a very special occasion when Grandma made Ashuplados……meringue clouds! Sweet….light as a feather, a light shell on the outside. Texture, sweetness……simply….divine!!!
They look beautiful on a sweet table, and delight young and more mature and sophisticated palettes alike!
These are one of my mom’s signature delicacies.
Give them a try! And let us know how they turn out!!
Kaye (Hasson) Israel’s Ashuplados
Ingredients:
1 ¾ Cup sugar
6 eggs – (you will use the whites ONLY)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Separate eggs. Use whites ONLY. Place in a COMPLETELY dry mixing bowl. (moisture will adversely affect the creating of the meringue)
Using an electric stand mixer, begin mixing the egg whites and gradually add the sugar. Continuing beating on high for approximately 20 minutes. Mixing will be done when the mixture stands in very stiff peaks
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. ( there was a time when brown paper bags were cut and used to line these pans to ensure a very dry surface. However, parchment seems a more sanitary alternative available these days!!)
Spoon mounds of the meringue onto the lined cookie sheets. Ashuplados can be made as large or small as you wish. My mom used heaping tablespoons to create these clouds.
We sprinkle nonpareils on top for a festive look.
Before putting them in the oven, TURN HEAT DOWN to 225 degrees. Bake for one hour.
Ashuplados can be made one day before serving. They are best enjoyed for a day or two after preparation. By the third or fourth day they become dry and are not as good as when first prepared. (* however, we have learned over the past few years that ashuplados freeze beautifully! Package delicately and freeze within the first day they are made).
A favorite for Pesah – or a good parve dessert year round
In our home, we have always used a variety of nuts in baking……almonds and walnuts, in particular. Moustachudos make a good Pesah dessert. The cloves give them a special “kick”. These treats can be made in advance and freeze well.
Ingredients for Moustachudos:
1 1/2 C pecans or walnuts, coarsely ground
1 1/2 C almonds, coarsely ground
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 egg
water – 1/2 eggshell full
Coarsely grind all nuts.
Add other ingredients including 1/2 eggshell filled with water. (folks, that’s how it’s done!!)https://video.wordpress.com/embed/K3o9O2op?hd=0&autoPlay=0&permalink=1&loop=0&preloadContent=metadata&muted=0&playsinline=0&controls=1&cover=1
Shape into triangle or ball shapes about 1″ in diameter.
Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5 or 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven until lightly brown.
Allow to cool and harden before removing from pan. Sprinkle with confectioners’ (powered) sugar.
A favorite for Pesah….delightful as a pareve dessert during the year!
Ingredients:
2 C blanched almonds
1 C sugar
2 eggs…whites only
Grind blanched almonds to near a fine consistency.
Mix in a bowl with sugar.
Add egg whites to almonds and sugar. Mix by hand until biscuit-dough consistency. Using a tablespoon or metal scoop, drop 1″ apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.
Allow to cool completely before handling. Will harden as they cool.
A favorite during Pesah and a great parve dessert during the year.
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