Pascale's Kitchen: Sweets for the sweet soldiers

One of the easiest ways to show support for our soldiers fighting on the front lines, far from home, is by making them homemade cookies and cakes – a taste of home and TLC during these dark times. 

The two recipes I’ve included below are perfect for cross-country transportation, since they won’t fall apart during the journey. 

For more of Pascale's recipes, click here>>

The first recipe is for marble cake, which is definitely sturdy enough to make it down South or up North without any problems. This scrumptious marble cake is quite moist and can be kept at room temperature for up to four days. Once the cake has cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in a layer of aluminum foil, on top of the plastic. This is the best way to make sure that the cake remains fresh. The second recipe is for cookies with a date and nut filling, that are rolled up inside a crispy pastry. You can also add chocolate chips or use coconut jam instead. I like to sprinkle them with powdered sugar once they’ve cooled down. 

This is a great opportunity to involve your children in the preparation of cookies for the soldiers. Many children are having a hard time dealing with all of the details of the war. In my experience, inviting children into the kitchen to bake cookies for our brave soldiers is a great way to let them express themselves and feel like they’re doing their part to help in the war effort. 

Another great project for the children is to have them draw pictures and write messages of thanks and appreciation to the soldiers, which they can attach to the cakes and cookies they prepare. 

May all of our soldiers return home safely soon.

Marble Cake

Makes 2 loaf pans.

• 200 gr. butter or margarine, softened
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 packets vanilla sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups self-rising flour, sifted
• 1 tub of yogurt, or 150 ml. juice or whipped cream
• 2 Tbsp. milk or water
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 3 Tbsp. milk or water

Mix the butter or margarine on high speed. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla sugar while mixing. Mix for another 3 minutes, then gradually add the eggs. Mix until smooth. 

Lower the speed, then gradually add the flour, yogurt (or juice or whipped cream) and 2 tablespoons of milk or water. 

Grease and flour the pans and pour half of the batter into them. 

In a separate bowl, mix the cocoa powder with the 3 tablespoons milk or water, then add it to the remaining half of the batter. Stir it well, then pour the dark batter into the two pans on top of the light-colored batter. 

Take a spoon or skewer and stick it into the batter. Next, drag it through the batter to make a number 8, so that it makes a nice marble design, mixing the light and dark parts of the batter. 

Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 180° for 45-50 minutes. Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool down. 

• Level of difficulty: Medium
• Time: 1.5 hours
• Status: Parve/dairy

Date and Nut Cookies

Makes 35-40 cookies.

Dough:

• 3 cups flour, sifted
• ½ cup orange juice or milk
• 1 egg (or 1 egg yolk)
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 200 gr. butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. rum concentrate
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 1 packet baking powder

Filling:

• 1 container of date spread
• 1 cup walnuts, pecans, or candied pecans, ground
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup halva, crumbled
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves

Egg wash:

• 1 egg, beaten, plus 1 Tbsp. water

Toppings:

• ½ cup sesame seeds
• ¼ cups powdered sugar

To prepare the dough:

Place the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer. Form a well in the center, then add the orange juice or milk. Add the egg, powdered sugar, butter or margarine, rum concentrate, vanilla sugar, and baking powder. Mix on medium speed until the dough falls away from the sides of the bowl. If necessary, add a little more flour. Alternatively, you can mix by hand. Let the dough rest in the fridge for an hour. 

Separate the dough into three equal sections. Flour your work surface, then roll out each section into a rectangle that is ½ cm thick. Spread 1/3 of the filling on each section, then add 1/3 of the nuts, chocolate, and halva. 

Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top, then roll up the dough into a tube, starting with the side closest to you. Seal the edge well. Prepare the other two in the same fashion. 

Place the three rolled-up dough tubes onto a greased pan, or on a pan covered with baking paper, and brush with egg wash. Take a knife and gently make light indentations where you’ll be cutting the loaf into slices. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, then bake in an oven that has been preheated to 180° for 30 minutes, until the dough turns golden brown. 

Let the loaves cool down. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top, then slice the loaf. Place the cookies into a plastic container that can easily be transported to the soldiers serving on the front lines.

• Level of difficulty: Medium
• Time: 1.5 hours
• Status: Parve/dairy

Translated by Hannah Hochner.