Two years ago Paula Shoyer came to market with The Kosher Baker. A cookbook that filled the void for many to create amazing non dairy desserts that left no need for apology. Check out our first interview with Paula and learn more about her transformation from lawyer to pastry chef to cookbook author. Now, Paula is back with more amazing recipes to add to your holiday repertoire. The Holiday Kosher Baker Cookbook is a go to bible filled with tips and tricks for any new or seasoned baker. Paula is especially gifted and making our favorite desserts without any dairy, although this book does include some specialty dairy recipes for Shavuot.
Your new cookbook focuses on holiday recipes, how did you decide which recipes to include?
I have a vision of a new approach to Jewish holiday baking, so my goal was to include recipes for updated version of traditional Jewish desserts as well as encourage the community to consider some new ideas for the holidays. I updated traditional recipes to include modern flavors of sufganiyot for Chanukah such as pumpkin and chocolate ganache and hamantaschen flavors such as green tea and red velvet. New ideas include plated desserts for Rosh Hashanah, homemade candies for Purim, pies for Passover and classic French pastries for Shavuot.
Decorated Brownie Bites
What is your favorite recipe in this book and why? Please share that recipe with us.
I love my Decorated Brownie Bites from the Purim chapter. They are mini 1-inch pieces of brownies where you dip one side in colored sprinkles. I created them as a great idea for Mishloach Manot, but they are so pretty that they make a festive dessert all year round and would be great for any family celebration. For Chanukah you could do just silver and blue ones, for a bris or baby naming you could go with blue or pink, or any time you can match them to your table decor. The brownies can be frozen and taken out and decorated. They are really good brownies, just made a little fancier.
If you have to pick one recipe from this book that you want everyone to try, which one would it be and why? Please share.
I love the Chewy Chocolate Olive Oil Cookies. I find I am making them every week and even started adding another 1/4 cup chocolate chips, a change that will be in the second printing of the book.
You gave many tips in this book like when it is best to use a silpat and when parchment paper is preferred – can you give us 1 must have tip you learned in creating this recipes?
I learned how to create perfect chewy cookies. Most people overbake cookies and I developed a test for making sure cookies designed to be chewy are indeed chewy. After the cookies bake for three quarters of the baking time, open the oven and press a cookie. If you can press halfway down and then your finger stops – take out the cookies. They will harden slightly but stay chewy. If your finger goes to the cookie sheet, give the cookies another 1-2 minutes to bake and check again.
How long did it take you to create this cookbook?
I wrote it in a year, but then did photography and editing for another 8 months.
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How many times did you test the recipes?
Over and over and over and over and then I sent them out to home bakers all around the US and also to the UK for testing.
Almond Olive Oil Cake
Can you share the Almond and Olive Oil Cake and let us know what inspired you to create it?
Even though I love making fancy desserts, I prefer to eat simple ones. This cake is similar to cakes I have eaten in Italy. Moreover, I wanted to create a dessert with olive oil to recall the Chanukah miracle that was not fried.
Enjoy the recipes for
Chewy Chocolate Olive Oil Cookies
Thanks to Paula for talking to us and sharing these fantastic recipes, get The Holiday Kosher Baker on Amazon.
I am a chocoholic. I am salivating already for the brownies.
Sounds great, sign me up! 🙂
I love desserts that look as good as they taste. This book seems to full of those.
Cannelles! Well so much for my low-carb diet :*)
Great Cookbook. Bought it for my sister in law who bakes often.
Paula Shoyer’s first cookbook, The Kosher Baker, has become an essential part of our Shabbos meals, gift giving and just in general – really good eating! When I first bought that book, I baked recipe by recipe, until I finished the whole thing! My family and friends really appreciated the tastings. I even made notes about which recipes each one like best! I hope to do the same with the new holiday book! But – do I really have to wait until the holidays??
would love this
Would love to try this out! Thanks for the chance!
I would love this cookbook. I am not a baker but have to try these recipes!
Beautiful presentations, delicious recipes. A great addition to the cookbook library.
I have baked many a delicious recipe from “The Kosher Baker”; I am excited about Paula’s new book, “The Holiday Kosher Baker”.
I saw this at BN it looked lovely
Looks like a fantastic book!
everything looks so yummy!
I absolutely have to try those decorated brownie bites! they look delicious 😉
Thanks for your great site!
love the first book and love to bake so winning this cookbook would be great! i am always looking for new ideas to try
love the tasting foods from other cultures especially baked goods.
Already have this book and look forward to using it this winter. The Almond Olive Oil cake is my kind of dessert!
This cookbook looks fantastic!
Wow! Those brownie squares look fit for a simcha!
Looks amazing! Hopefully there are dozens of pareve recipes in the book… 🙂
I would love a new cookbook!
Those look so awesome. I cannot wait to begin trying some of the recipes.
Ooooh…looks awesome!
The Decorated Brownie Bites are so festive!
Getting married in two weeks! can’t wait to try these recipes in my new home!
The Chewy Chocolate cookies sound great. I think that I will be making them for Shabbat.
The olive oil cake looks fabulous! Looking forward to expanding my dessert repertoire…
Pity you won’t send this out of the US….
Would love to win!
Jamie Geller is the BEST!! Her recipes and presentation always make an award winning masterpiece!!
Love the olive oil recipes!! Would love to win this book!
I could really use a kosher cook book
I definitely would enjoy using a cookbook like this! 🙂
You can never have too many cookbooks especially Kosher and desserts 🙂
This cookbook looks amazing!
Wow! This would be fantastic to win! So many beautiful creations!
Would enjoy using this cookbook. 🙂
Everything looks and sounds delicious!
Luv the cookbook
always like trying new recipes!
You had me at the word desserts! I am going to try the decorated brownie bites soon. Much success with your new book!
How wonderful, I need a collection of non-diary desserts!
the almond olive oil cake sounds like my style!
I am drooling…this looks like it is full of delicious kosher treats!
These recipes look wonderful. Looking forward to baking!
Pictures are beautiful, can’t wait to start baking!
I saw the recipe for the pumpkin sufganiyot in Jewish Woman and made them for Hebrew School. People said they were, “Amazing!”
This book looks awesome!