Chocolate Hazelnut/Almond Bars

This recipe comes from a very old, hard-cover Passover recipe book that was published by the sisterhood of a synagogue that was in East Orange, New Jersey. It was listed as “The Most Expensive Chocolate Brownies.” The cost of a full pound of nuts was probably the reason for the appellation, but the recipe makes a relatively large quantity of flourless, really delicious bar cookies that freeze beautifully.

We began making these for seders, when we were catering, and they were so popular that people requested them all year around and they became a regular offering on our menu as part of trays of miniature desserts. Being pareve, or dairy-free, they can be stored easily in the freezer to appear for dessert on very short notice at the end of a meat-based meal. Almonds are usually easier to obtain than hazelnuts, but some people have a preference for one kind of nut over the other. They can be made with any type of nut, but be careful, if you are grinding the nuts in the food processor, not to let them go so long as to turn into nut butter. The oilier the nut, the more carefully you need to watch the process. Freezing the nuts before grinding helps to prevent this from happening. For the catering business, we had to rename this recipe for obvious reasons.

Eggs are easier to separate, and the yolks less likely to break, if the eggs are cold. After separating the cold eggs, let them stand for a while to come to room temperature because room temperature eggs will whip to a fluffier volume. Make sure not a trace of yolk gets into the egg whites, or they will not whip up properly.

Chocolate Hazelnut/Almond Bars

• 13 large or extra-large eggs, separated
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 lb. hazelnuts or almonds, finely ground
• 2 sticks pareve, KP margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 ozs. melted semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tsp. instant powdered coffee

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Add 1-1/2 cups of the sugar gradually.

Fold in nuts.

Bake in 11 x 15 roasting pan which has been greased and lined with waxed paper for a half hour at 350°F.

While this is baking, in mixer beat yolks, margarine, 1 cup sugar, melted chocolate and coffee.

Remove cake from oven and pour topping mixture over hot cake.

Bake for 15 minutes longer.

For best results, cut into bars while frozen.