Efrat's Notebook
Where I write down what I cook and bake at home. Israeli and American recipes I've gathered over the years, from Shabbat to the holidays, each with a kosher version.
By kind
New in my notebook
Baked Mushroom Risotto
A porcini and fresh mushroom risotto I bake in the oven instead of standing and stirring, then finish with Parmesan and butter until creamy.
Oven-Braised Osso Buco
Osso buco slices that I sear in a pan and braise in the oven over vegetables with red wine and stock for about two and a half hours, until the meat is tender.
Banana Chocolate Pecan Muffins
Soft banana muffins with grated bittersweet chocolate and pecans that I make when my bananas are overripe, with a cinnamon-sugar sprinkle on top.
Black Forest Cake
A three-layer chocolate torte with kirsch cherry filling, chocolate whipped cream and plain whipped cream, a festive cake I make when I have time to work in stages.
No-Bake Cheesecake with Crumb Topping
A chilled cheesecake on a shortbread base, with a cream of whipped cream, soft white cheese and cream cheese and baked crumbs on top.
Cheese Pastries
Cheese pastries from a buttery yeast dough, rolled up around a soft cheese, lemon and raisin filling and sliced into rounds.
No-Bake Cheesecake with Petit Beurre Crust
A no-bake cheesecake on a petit beurre and butter crust, with a cheese mousse and layers of chocolate pudding combed into a pattern.
Lemon Honey Chicken
Chicken thighs marinated in lemon juice, olive oil and garlic and baked on a bed of lemon slices, za'atar and garlic heads, for a holiday meal.
Nestlé-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
Classic chocolate chip cookies based on Nestlé's recipe, with butter, two kinds of sugar and plenty of chocolate chips.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Soft chocolate cookies with Irish cream and coffee, rolled in sugar and powdered sugar so they crack open in the oven.
Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
Rolled cookies made from a butter and cream dough, filled with Nutella or any other spread and sliced before baking.
Chocolate Finger Cookies
Little fingers of butter-and-cheese dough filled with Nutella or jam and nuts, which I make in a big batch and keep in a sealed container.
Chocolate Pull-Apart Yeast Cake
Two loaf-pan yeast cakes made of dough and chocolate-spread layers stood on their sides, so you pull them apart by hand, glazed with maple syrup.
Classic Yeast-Dough Cheesecake
A baked cheesecake on a soft, cream-enriched yeast dough that rises slowly in the fridge overnight, with a light lemony cheese filling.
Easy Rough Puff Pastry
A quick puff pastry I make at home from flour, grated frozen butter and ice-cold water, with a few folds that build the layers.
Amsterdam Cookies
Soft Amsterdam-style chocolate cookies with milk chocolate in the dough and squares of white chocolate hidden inside, which I like best still warm.
Chocolate Krantz Cake
A braided yeast krantz cake filled with chocolate spread and cookie crumbs and brushed with syrup, and one batch of dough gives me three cakes.
Chocolate Mousse Cake for Passover
A chocolate mousse cake for Passover without a speck of flour, with a baked chocolate base, a real mousse made with eggs and a ganache glaze.
Gefilte Fish
Sweet gefilte fish made from ground carp, with patties and stuffed steaks that simmer slowly in an onion and carrot broth and are served cold.
Yeast-Dough Hamantaschen with Vanilla Cream
Hamantaschen from a buttery yeast dough that rests overnight in the fridge, filled with vanilla pastry cream and golden raisins.
Homemade Chocolate Yeast Cake
A yeast cake with a chocolate-butter filling that I bake in two loaf pans, either as a roll or as a rose cake.
Honey Caramel Petits Fours
Bite-size shortcrust tartlets baked in a mini muffin pan, with a honey and brown sugar filling that puffs slightly and caramelizes in the oven.
Honey Crème Brûlée with Almond Brittle
Crème brûlée flavored with honey, thyme and lemon, baked in shallow dishes and served cold under crushed almond brittle and a torched sugar crust.
Honey Rolls
Soft yeast rolls sweetened with honey, brushed with butter and honey before baking.
Honey Rosemary Chicken Draft
Chicken leg quarters roasted with honey, olive oil, lots of garlic cloves and rosemary, which I make for Rosh Hashanah.
Chicken with Honey and Tomato Paste Draft
Oven-braised chicken in a honey and tomato paste sauce with paprika and cumin, all in one pan, which I make for Rosh Hashanah.
Chicken Soup with Kreplach Draft
Kreplach filled with ground beef and chicken liver, in a dough made with potato, which I serve in clear chicken soup before the fast or fry with browned onion.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Honey Draft
Chocolate chip cookies with butter, brown sugar and a spoonful of honey or molasses, which I bake for Rosh Hashanah.
Chocolate Honey Mousse Cake Draft
A no-bake chocolate and honey mousse cake on a crisp chocolate rice-cereal base, which I make for Rosh Hashanah and decorate with cocoa.
Chocolate, Walnut and Honey Cookies Draft
Honey cookies packed with walnuts, dark and white chocolate and brandy-soaked raisins, mixed in the food processor and baked until the edges brown.
Butter Coffee Cake Draft
A small, dark butter cake with cocoa and coffee. It takes few ingredients and one bowl, and I make it when I want something sweet without much effort.
Chocolate Cake with Butter Draft
A rich chocolate cake with butter, bittersweet chocolate and cocoa, lightened with whipped egg whites.
Chocolate Cake with Butter Draft
A chocolate cake made with butter, cocoa, and very hot milk, which I lighten with whipped egg whites.
Coconut Cake Draft
A layer cake with a light cocoa torte, a layer of cooked coconut cream, and chocolate cream on top. I serve it cold from the fridge.
Coconut Loaf Cake Draft
A coconut and chocolate cake with lemon and almost no flour, which I soak in strong coffee as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Chocolate Cakes with Almond Flour Draft
Individual chocolate cakes made with almond flour and no wheat flour. I bake them in a muffin tin and serve them warm with ganache and a spoonful of cream.
Orange Coconut Cake Draft
A simple oil cake with orange or pomelo juice and coconut, which I mix entirely in the food processor.
7-Minute Chocolate Cake Draft
A chocolate and butter cake with nuts that I mix up in a few minutes, bake and then chill in the fridge.
Addictive Chocolate Cookies Draft
Dark chocolate cookies I pull from the oven while the centers are still soft, sometimes topped with flaky salt or pecans.
Almond and Raspberry Cake Draft
A butter cake with toasted almonds, a layer of raspberries in the middle and sliced almonds on top.
Almond Butter Cookies Draft
Crisp butter cookies with toasted ground almonds, from a dough I roll into logs, freeze and slice straight onto the sheet.
Almond Florentines Draft
My florentines, sliced almonds in a butter-honey caramel with candied fruit and dark chocolate on the bottom. I make them when I want a small, special cookie to serve.
Almond Horseshoe Cookies Draft
Little horseshoe cookies from a buttery shortbread dough with ground almonds and a touch of cinnamon, dusted with powdered sugar after baking.
Almond Turkish Delight Crescents Draft
Crisp almond cookies rolled around a piece of Turkish delight, which I make in a big batch because they keep well for up to two weeks.
Almost-Brioche Buns with Chocolate Filling Draft
Soft, rich yeast buns, almost a brioche, that I fill with dark chocolate ganache and bake in individual pans.
Stuffed Eggplant Moussaka Draft
Eggplant slices stuffed with seasoned ground beef, fried and then baked in tomato sauce until the top turns crisp. I make it when I want a hearty main dish from the oven.
Creamy Mushroom Soup Draft
A thick soup of ground mushrooms, shallots, thyme and cream that I finish with an extra squeeze of lemon.
Roasted Vegetable Antipasti Draft
A tray of oven-roasted vegetables with olive oil, rosemary and thyme that I serve as a starter or alongside any meal.