There is no question that honey is the most symbolic food of Rosh Hashanah. It’s featured prominently on every holiday menu for the Jewish New Year, ensuring that the coming year will be a sweet one.
For the secular New Year, sparkling wine and caviar symbolize the hopes of a prosperous year to come. Glasses of bubbly are raised at the strike of midnight to make a toast and wash down the salty, savory beads of caviar.
I say keep the bubbly, but lose the caviar in favor of chocolate. In fact, a lot of chocolate, in the form of a chocolate dessert buffet.
Imagine the allure of a table laden with a scrumptious selection of cookies, candies, tarts, cakes, custards and creams loaded with chocolate. (Because of their caffeine content, they just might help you stay awake until the magic hour.) Invite revelers to contribute to the dessert table by bringing their favorites, either homemade or store-bought.
In the center of the table, place a basket filled with candy from our childhood, like Milky Way, Oh Henry!, M&M’s and Snickers, a deliciously decadent centerpiece to be awarded to the dessert-maker who uses the most chocolate.
And don’t forget the salubrious benefits of chocolate, symbolizing a heart-healthy year to come.
Happy New Year to you all, and may you have Champagne wishes and chocolate dreams.
Chocolate Cherry Mousse
Serves 8-10
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups heavy cream
7 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup superfine sugar
1⁄2 cup dried, pitted cherries
2 tsp. grated orange zest
2 tsp. instant coffee powder
chocolate leaves
Melt chocolates in top of double boiler just until softened. Whip cream until it begins to thicken. Add chocolate and continue to whip until stiff.
Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture.
Carefully fold in cherries, orange zest and coffee powder. Spoon into individual serving dishes and chill at least 4 hours. Decorate with chocolate leaves.
To make leaves: Melt 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate. Brush chocolate on shiny side of camellia or lemon tree leaves. Refrigerate until chocolate is set. Peel leaf from chocolate.
Black Bottom Cupcakes
Makes about 18
Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1⁄3 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Cupcakes:
11⁄2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup water
1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs. white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line about 18 muffin tins with cupcake papers.
For filling: Combine cream cheese, egg, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Fold in chocolate chips and set aside.
For cupcakes: In another bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. Fill cupcake papers about 3⁄4 full with batter. Drop cream cheese filling mixture into center of each. Bake 40 minutes.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Faith Kramer. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].