Passover Desserts

I love the look of pavlova, with its beautiful crown of meringue filled with cream and berries. The origin is from either Australia or New Zealand, so this is not a traditional Passover dessert, but it will fit in perfectly on your table. Pavlova is one of my favorite desserts for its look, texture and flavor.

I make this chocolate caramel matzo recipe from Marcy Goldman's book, A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, every Passover. The recipe is delicous, and the treats are perfect for gift bags after the Seder. I use extra bittersweet chocoloate in the recipe to balance out the sweet caramel, but you can use milk chocolate or whatever you have on hand.

One of my very favorite Jewish desserts are poppy seed hamantashen, which are cookies stuffed with sweetened poppyseeds. Those were the inspiration for this 7 layer cake with orange sponge cake and chocolate buttercream. The cake cuts beautifully and you get slices that feature beautiful icing speckled with poppyseeds.

Another yearly Passover dessert is Matzoh crack. I combined the classic treat with homemade marshmallows (made with Kosher gelatin) to create this s'more version, and the result is a delicious and fun treat. Everyone in my house loves these, and they are easy to make and perfect little treats to add to a plate or gift bag.

The warm, gooey inside is the key to a great lava cake, and this version delivers. It is made with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, butter and whipped egg whites that give it a lighter texture than other recipes. It is also flourless, making it a perfect option for Passover.

What do you get when you combine macaroons with brownies? This delicious treat from Jake Cohen's new book, Jew-ish. Stacking a coconut macaroon on top of a brownie is an act of genius, and these are sure to be a hit for your Passover celebration. Just be sure to have an exit strategy if you have any left over!

Macaroons are a staple Passover dessert in my house, and you may be shocked to find out how easy they are to make. The coconut flavor really comes through, and you may find these to be lighter and more flavorful than the overly sweet packaged varieties found in the kosher section at the grocery store.

Who doesn't love the look of a tray of colorful macarons? You can choose your favorite color and flavor combinations, and the recipe is incredibly easy. This is a simple way to add a little color to any dessert plate and will impress guests.

I truly love a good semifreddo. It's an underappreciated dessert, that is much easier to make than it may appear. A cross between ice cream and mousse, a semifreddo is a luxurious treat that should be served just on the verge of melting for its soft, luxurious texture.