PESSAH CHOCOLATE — MACADAMIA-NUT GATEAU

By Faye Levy

Macadamia nuts, the world’s richest nuts, are a signature ingredient of Hawaii. They are definitely one of the most popular gifts to
bring back from the islands, especially when the nuts are dipped in chocolate. This cake combines both flavors and is moist and
delicious.

If you are having a parve dinner, you can substitute butter for the margarine and serve the cake with whipped cream. For a fresh
accompaniment more in keeping with the Hawaiian spirit, garnish each serving with slices of banana, pineapple, and papaya and
spoon a little strawberry sauce or heated guava jelly over the fruit. If you don’t have macadamia nuts, you can substitute almonds,
either blanched or unblanched.

1 cup macadamia nuts, preferably unsalted
1/2 cup sugar
150 gr. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup (120 gr.) unsalted margarine
or butter, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature
4 large eggs, separated, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
2 Tbsp. potato starch

Preheat oven to 175°. Toast macadamia nuts in a shallow baking pan in oven about 5 min. Remove from pan and let cool
completely.

Reduce oven temperature to 160*. Lightly grease a 20 × 6.5 cm. springform pan with margarine, line its base with parchment paper
or foil and grease paper or foil.

Grind nuts with 2 Tbsp. sugar in a food processor until as fine as possible. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt chocolate in water in a large bowl set above hot water over low heat. Stir until smooth. Add margarine and stir until blended in.
Remove from pan of water.

Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl to blend them. Gradually add yolks to chocolate mixture, whisking vigorously. Stir in 1/4 cup
sugar, followed by vanilla, nuts and potato starch. Mix well.

Whip egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form.

Gradually beat in remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar and whip at high speed until whites are stiff and shiny but not dry. Gently fold whites
into chocolate mixture in 3 batches. Fold lightly but quickly, just until batter is blended.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake about 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out
clean.

Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 min. Run a thin-bladed flexible knife or metal spatula carefully around side of cake. Invert cake
onto rack, gently release spring, and remove side and base of pan. Carefully remove paper and cool cake completely. Invert cake
onto another rack, then onto a platter so that smoothest side of cake faces up. Serve cake at cool room temperature.

Serves 8.