Passover Plava Cake Recipe
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Dietary laws at Passover restrict the use of flour, yeast or baking powder. This however does not mean you cannot enjoy delicious cakes like Plava. This recipe makes one large cake and can be iced, topped with chocolate, filled with butter cream, or topped with fresh fruit and cream. This is a somewhat dry cake and is best served as desert with fruit and fresh cream.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 7oz/200g sugar - the finer caster sugar is best
- The rind and juice of one lemon
- 4 tablespoons of potato flour - this is sometimes called farina
- A pinch of salt
- 3oz/75g fine (or cake) matzo meal
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F/Gas Mark 4
- Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until light
- Stir in the lemon juice and rind
- Sift the potato flour, matzo meal and salt into a separate bowl
- Sift these items two more times to incorporate air into the mix - this should ensure a lighter cake!
- Gently fold the flour into the sugar and egg mixture
- Beat the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold them into the mixture
- Pour into one deep cake tin or two shallow tins
- When cooked invert the cake in the tin and allow to cool
- When cold the cake can be decorated or filled
Optional Toppings/Fillings:
Ingredients for Boiled Frosting
- 14 oz/400g caster sugar
- 1/4 pint cold water
- 2 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 drops of food coloring - this is optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Method
- Mix together the water and sugar and boil for seven minutes to make a syrup
- Beat the egg whites until very stiff
- Gradually stir in the syrup - keep beating the mixture while you add the syrup
- Add all the remaining ingredients and beat for a further five minutes until the mixture is thick enough to spread
Ingredients for Butter Cream:
- 3oz/75g icing sugar as required (also known as confectioners' sugar)
- 2oz /50g butter
- Optional flavorings: cocoa powder, instant coffee or 1oz/25g plain chocolate - not cooking chocolate melted
Method
- Cream the butter by beating until light and fluffy
- Beat in the icing sugar
- Add flavorings - beating all the time
Ingredients for Chocolate Icing:
- 2oz /50g plain chocolate
- 1oz/25g margarine
- 1 tablespoon brandy or red wine
- 2oz/50g icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Method for Chocolate Icing:
- Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil
- Melt the chocolate and margarine over the hot water
- Stir in the brandy
- Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder to remove any lumps and add to the icing sugar - beat well
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