Passover Nut Crust Recipes

NUT CRUST

Steps:

• Chop walnuts or pecans (I did mine in the blender).
• Melt butter and mix with the nuts in a pie plate.
• Add sugar and salt and pat into bottom of pie pan.
• Oila! Cooking is done, and you're ready to fill your crust.

PECAN NUT CRUST

Steps:

• Stir together ground nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix in melted butter.
• Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch, deep-dish style, pie pan. Chill the unbaked crust in the refrigerator for about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Place pie crust on a cookie sheet, and position on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. WATCH it carefully, as nut crusts burn easily; they DON'T have to turn black to taste burnt! Cool completely before filling.

PASSOVER LEMON SWIRLED HONEY CHEESECAKE WITH PISTACHIO CRUST

Steps:

• Make the lemon curd by placing the sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor and pulse process until the sugar is uniformly yellow. Pour the lemon sugar in a medium pot and add the lemon juice and eggs. Whisk together and place on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the butter and cook, whisking constantly, until the whisk holds marks as you stir, about 5 to 6 minutes. Pour the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl and cover with wax paper. Let cool to room temperature as you prep the rest of the cheesecake ingredients.Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Turn the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan upside down so removal of the cheesecake from the bottom is easy to do. Smear a little softened butter on the bottom of the pan and place a 9-inch parchment paper round at the bottom of the pan. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.Make the crust by placing the pistachio nuts, matzo meal, sugar and salt in the food processor (don't bother cleaning the processor from the lemon sugar). Pulse process until the nuts are finely processed and the entire crust is uniform in color. With the processor on, drizzle the melted butter into the machine. Once all the butter has been added, turn the processor off and dump the wet crumbs into the bottom of the lined 9-inch spring form pan. Using the back of a spoon, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (it doesn't have to go all the way up, just as much as you can).Place the crust in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the crust start to brown a bit and smells fragrant. Remove crust from oven and turn the oven down to 300˚F.
• Make the filling by placing the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together on medium speed until fluffy (about a minute or two). Add the honey and beat to incorporate, about 30 seconds on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for each to incorporate before adding the next one. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat to incorporate. Carefully spoon 2/3 of the filling into the prebaked crust and spread out evenly on the bottom. Spoon 2/3 of the curd over the filling and swirl with a butter knife. Cover the curd with the remaining cheesecake filling and drizzle the remaining curd over the top of the filling. Marble with a butter knife decoratively.
• Put the cheesecake in the oven (still on the baking sheet) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake start to puff up and look solid. The center of the cheesecake will be wobbly but don't worry, it'll firm up as it cools. Once the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven, prop the door of the oven open with a wooden spoon, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for an hour. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for an additional two hours or until the bottom of the cheesecake pan doesn't feel warm to the touch anymore. Cover the pan with aluminum foil (don't let it touch the top of the cheesecake!) and refrigerate overnight or at least for 8 hours. Serve from the fridge or let it sit out for about an hour before serving for a slightly less firm texture.

PASSOVER NUT CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Mix all ingredients in food processor.
• Pat mixture into a 10-inch springform pan.
• Bake for 7 minutes.

RASPBERRY-LEMON PIE IN A TOASTED COCONUT CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread the coconut onto a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven until lightly toasted and golden, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Mix the coconut and 1/2 cup melted butter in a bowl, and chill until it begins to firm, about 15 minutes. Pat the coconut mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Chill until set, at least 30 minutes.
• Place sugar, 1/2 cup of butter, lemon juice, eggs, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Place over low heat, and whisk constantly until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Do not boil. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, and stir in the lemon zest. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard, and chill thoroughly.
• Spoon the lemon custard into the coconut crust, and top with fresh raspberries.