The Perfect Easter Dessert

 Easter dinner deserves a special ending.  Imagine a torte with a silky filling and full of delicious chocolate and Earl Grey tea This can be made and it's lovely nod to those homemade coconut nests that are a staple of every Easter basket. It's also easy to make, another plus on a busy cooking weekend.

New contributor and Britsh pastry chef and cookbook author Nicola Lamb gave this rich recipe in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. This is a perfect no fuss recipe for a holiday y centered around the main course. The crust is nothing more than those coconut nests that are filled with jelly beans or Peeps. The coconut flakes are first roasted to give it that crisp crunchy quality that also holds up to a creamy filling.It takes three cups of coconut flakes laid flat on a parchment lined bakings sheet.They're toasted in a 325 degree Farenheit oven for ten minutes. They're then cooled completely on the pan. The dark chocolate for them is melted in a bowl over hot water. (a double boiler can be used for this too) or microwave the chocolate in ten minute bursts. Slightly crush the coconut flakes (doing this will make them easier to press into eh tart pan) and then add the melted chocolate. Add the season and mix well. Press the mixture into a pan that's been lined with parchment paper. The crust should be half an inch thick . Chill for about half an hour or until firmly set.

The cremeux filling may sound fancy but it';s really not. It's just the French word for creamy meaning the texture.It;s a step up from ganache according to Ms. Lamb.It's more of a custard thanks to the addition of one large egg. Their addition along with the addition of sugar gives the filling a deeper, more complex flavor.It's silky, spoon able and lighter in texture than ganache. In most cremeux recipes the egg yolks sugar and cream are cooked together at 179 degrees Farenheit but this could curdle the mixture. Ms. Lamb adds two tablespoons of cornstarch to eliminate this potential problem. Hot Earl Grey tea is added to give the chocolate a note of brightness. Most times the tea is infused in the dairy but doesn't;t give the right jolt for flavor.l Make the tea as if making a cup for oneself.It also gives the filling hints of bergamot and Chinese black tea.The cremeux is poured directly into the crust and then chilled for at least four hours. Grated chocolate is dusted over the top for more chocoalte-y goodness.

This chocolate Earl Grey infused  cremeux tart is the perfect Easter dessert.It isa great ending to any dinner .It's also a sweet treat to enjoy with family and friends. 

A Sardinian Twist On Passover

 Passover dishes don;t necessarily need to be traditional. They can also slip by with being non-kosher.Better yet they can have a delicious Mediterranean twist that will elevate the Seder. This is what makes the meal memorable.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark delivers a different spin on matzoh as well as a recipe in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She has a matzo recipe from chef Hillary Sterling of Co Siamo in Manhattan.Her inspiration came from a trip to Sardinia where she got to taste their amazing flatbread.This is a crackly paper thin flatbread which reminded her of the schmura matzo she had when she was a child in Brooklyn. The main difference between pane carasau and matzo is that the flatbread is enriched with olive oil and salt for flavor. Traditional matzo is just made with solely water and flour. Chef Sterling realizes that it's not kosher for Passover but that's not her intent. She wanted people to have a better memory of it, with a tastier version. She also teaches her staff how to make it with them rolling out the dough to very thin textures and t o nake it quickly on a pizza stone at a very high heat.The end result is a brown crisp with a satisfying crunchiness.

Chef Sterling does have a new cookbook out.It is more Italian than Jewish.Ammazza, her book  - which get's its' title for the Roman word for Wow! has nothing to do with matzo. However, she does include a Passover chapter featuring her takes on the classics. There is a recipe for kumquat mustarda, a nod to the tradition of putting an orange at the Seder. It's also a spin on mostarda de frutta, an Italian condiment in which candied or preserved fruits are preserved in a mustard infused syrup. There is also a recipe fpane cartsau,or roasted eggs with Pecorino cheese and black pepper. She also includes her grandmother'z booze infused Jello dish.Ms. Clark liked her harissa vinaigrette which  Chef Sterling pairs with roasted beets.This is a vegetarian stand in for the lamb shank. Ms Clark pairs the dressing with roasted carrots This is not kosher but it could be put on the Passover table. The carrots are first roasted with olive eoil and thyme while the harrisa is made with harissa paste,red wine vinegar and orange zest.OLive oil is then added to emulsify this. The dressing will be poured dover the carrots and stirred.

Passover dishes need not be so traditional. Add a Sardinian spin along with a Middle Eastern one with olive soil and harissa. It'll liven up the Seder table.