Purim is less than two weeks away, and I can’t wait for the fun to begin. Part of the celebration of Esther and Mordecai’s triumph over Haman is eating special treats and, for adults, enjoying a few nips of whiskey, schnapps or other alcoholic beverages.
The recipes below fulfill some of the traditions of Purim, which begins the evening of March 23. Sugary foods represent the wish for good luck and filled foods symbolize the many hidden secrets of Purim. Haman Toast is a filled French toast cut into triangles to represent Haman’s hat. It was inspired by a Sephardic Purim breakfast dish, but it also makes a great dessert.
Serving a spirit-infused Shikkera Babka (drunken grandmother cake) was an Ashkenazi holiday treat. My Spirited Rum Bundt Cake is gluten- and dairy-free, which makes it easy to share with others, another Purim tradition.
Haman Toast
Serves 4-6
1 lb. loaf of unsliced, braided challah
3/4 cup of filling (see note)
4 eggs, beaten
14 oz. can condensed milk
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2-4 Tbs. butter, divided
powdered sugar, optional
Slice loaf into 1/2-inch slices. Spread 1-2 Tbs. filling to edges of a slice, top with next and press firmly together. Repeat with remaining slices. Slice each on the diagonal to create triangles.
Whisk together eggs, condensed milk, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Pour into a large, rimmed baking pan. Set triangles in pan, turning until both sides and cut edge of each piece are saturated.
Melt 2 Tbs. butter in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Without crowding, add triangles. Fry until golden brown on each side. Repeat until all the triangles are fried, adding butter as needed. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Note: Use seedless jam, chocolate-hazelnut spread, or such hamanstaschen fillings as poppy seed, prune or apricot. Use one type or try several.
Spirited Rum Bundt Cake
Serves 10-12
Margarine (parve) for pan
2 1/4 cups plus 1/4 cup gluten-free baking flour mix (see notes)
13/4 cups sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup canned coconut milk (see notes)
1/4 cup dark rum
1/2 cup canned pineapple juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Rum Glaze, warm (see recipe below)
Powdered sugar or non-dairy whipped topping (optional)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 10-inch Bundt pan with margarine, dust with 1/4 cup flour mix. Shake out excess.
In large bowl, stir together remaining flour mix with sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, mix eggs, oil, coconut milk, rum, juice and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry while stirring, continuing to stir until smooth. Pour into pan. Place on cookie sheet in oven. Bake 1 hour or until golden brown and a tester comes up clean.
Cool in Bundt pan on rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto platter. Use a skewer to poke holes every inch or so all over top and sides. Brush warm glaze all over cake. Repeat once absorbed until all the glaze is used, rewarming glaze as needed. Let cake cool. Garnish with powdered sugar or non-dairy whipped topping.
Notes: Use a gluten-free baking flour mix labeled as a one-to-one replacement for wheat flour. Use regular, full-fat canned coconut milk. Stir well before measuring.
Rum Glaze: Melt 1/2 cup parve margarine in small pan. Stir in 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup canned pineapple juice. Bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup dark rum.
Faith Kramer is a Bay Area food writer. Her columns alternate with those of Josie A.G. Shapiro. Faith blogs her food at www.clickblogappetit.com. Contact her at [email protected].