Passover chocolate macaroon pyramids have come to be associated with dry, overly-sweet holiday confections. Yet this version, which borrows from traditional Russian recipes by using non-dairy condensed milk, is a perfectly balanced end to a decadent Seder meal. The triangle shape is meant to remind us of the pyramids that our ancestors built in Egypt, and is a more festive appearance than the traditional round. Using cream of coconut or condensed coconut milk ensures this dessert stays dairy-free, and therefore can be served at the end of a kosher meat Seder - or just make your favourite lactose-intolerant person happy.
In January this year, we were eating a full-course Passover seder meal every night. You read that right: every. single. night. There was vegetarian soup with kneidelach and gluten-free chickpea matzo balls and chickpea flour matzos on one night. There was vegetarian plov and Moroccan harosset balls another. I invoked my Argentina memories with a Passover-adapted and orange-flavoured flan... And there was so much more.
I spent sleepless nights researching the foods of forgotten Jewish cultures. I woke up covered in sweat from dreams of errant Passover foods chasing me down the street. I measured and tested, baked and fried and then re-tested and baked and fried again. And in the end, I came up with the best Passover ReOrdered Recipe Book I could hope for, bringing together four incredibly diverse Jewish cuisines in one beautiful, balanced and naturally evolving Seder meal.
And now, I am ready to share all that hard work with you, dear readers - starting with my recipe and video for dairy-free chocolate macaroon pyramids, created especially for ReOrdered: a global Passover toolkit and event series.
(If you're just here for the recipe, scroll down!)
ReOrdered is the brainchild of JDC Entwine, an organization I got to know very well during a life-changing mission to Argentina in 2015. This unique toolkit and event areis a progressive spin on Passover, a dive into the global and interconnected Jewish world through the timeless themes of freedom and storytelling. A Think-Global-Eat-Local aficionado's dream, this initiative will allow thousands of young people all over the world to come together during this year's Passover and bring to life recipes, traditions and stories from the Jewish communities of Morocco, Sarajevo, the former USSR and Ethiopia. You will eat, toast, listen, and dream your way through the global Jewish world as you uncover the stories of communities and share your own.
I couldn't be prouder for getting to take a part in this incredible initiative, and I'd love to have you join me in it this year.
If you are located in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC or London, UK, you are one of the lucky few who could partake in this experience in person. Taking place next week, this series of five international events will allow 100+ people to come together in one incredibly memorable, vibrant and happening Passover celebration. You will eat foods inspired by the communities in the toolkit, meetmazing new people, and live the magic that is a global Passover celebration - and all for $10-$15. I envy you.
If you, like myself, live in another corner of this big, wide world, you can also be a part of the ReOrdered experience. Available entirely for FREE, because they're amazing like that, the ReOrdered: a global Passover toolkit is a beautifully-designed package that includes my specially-developed recipe book, available exclusively through JDC, information about the four showcased cultures (Morocco, Sarajevo, Ethiopia and the former USSR), and a few other cool freebies like coasters and a matzah box. You can sign up for yours here - and like I said, it's completely free.
Or if you're just looking to make the best dairy-free chocolate macaroon pyramids, look no further. I made a special video showing you all the stages of this incredibly easy, delicious Russian Jewish dessert, or you can print the recipe below.
But trust me when I tell you - you want to get all the recipes developed for this amazing project by registering for the ReOrdered: a global Passover toolkit.
Dairy-free chocolate macaroon pyramids
Ingredients
- 2 cups 170g sweetened flaked coconut (if your coconut is unsweetened, add 3 tablespoons sugar)
- ½ cup 100g sweetened condensed coconut milk OR cream of coconut OR sweetened condensed milk, if not serving at the end of a meat meal
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large eggs white
- A pinch of salt
- 60 grams high-quality semi-sweet dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F/165C. Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a medium bowl, mix together coconut, sweetened condensed coconut milk, vanilla extract and sugar, if using. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or a hand whisk, beat egg whites with salt until stiff peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, fold beaten egg whites into the coconut mixture.
- Working with wet hands, scoop out rounded tablespoonfuls of this mixture and shape them into pyramids with the tips of your fingers. Arrange on baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan midway through, until the tips and edges are golden. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cook completely.
- While macaroons are baking, melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 minutes, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds, until mixture is smooth and creamy (or melt chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water.)
- Using a spoon, drizzle chocolate liberally over cooling macaroons. Place the macaroons in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
- Serve sprinkled with additional coconut flakes on top. Macaroons will keep in an airtight container in room temperature for about a week.
Aida says
Uh! These look delicious Ksenia. Coconut just brings out a whole new flavor out of chocolate. Making them soon.
kseniaprints says
I agree, coconut and chocolate are natural bedfellows that just make each other infinitely better. I'm sure you'll love these!