Delicious Passover Desserts

In 2018, Passover begins on Friday, March 30, and ends on Saturday, April 7. Food figures prominently in observance of Passover. In particular, any sort of leavened grains are forbidden. That's why matzoh is a staple during Passover.

Also, when keeping kosher, meat and dairy are not eaten at the same meal. Meat can be eaten soon after dairy products, but you must wait six hours or more after eating meat before eating dairy.

Due to the restrictions concerning grains and dairy, Passover desserts must meet kosher criteria. Coconut macaroons, like those in the photo above, are a classic. But variety is the spice of life, even on Passover. In this post, we'll cover dairy-free and flourless desserts that are worth eating any time of year.

Dairy-Free and Flourless Desserts: Ingredients to Have on Hand

It's easier than ever to find ingredients for Passover meals because of the popularity of vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets. Because most traditional Passover meals include meat, dessert needs to be dairy-free. However, if you serve fish for dinner, dairy is permissible directly afterward.

Stock your pantry with these ingredients prior to Passover. They're all good ones to have on hand.

Matzo: Unleavened bread that's similar to a cracker in thickness, taste, and texture. Think of matzo as an ingredient, rather than something to eat all on its own.

Matzo cake meal: Matzo ground so fine that it resembles cake flour. Useful ingredient for Passover baking.

Almond flour: Nut flours are also ideal for Passover baking.

Potato starch: Use in place of corn starch.

Coconut oil: Dairy-free substitute for butter, without the potentially harmful ingredients in margarine.

Almond or coconut milk: Use instead of cow's milk or cream.

Look for a "Kosher for Passover" designation on packaged foods to ensure they meet the dietary criteria.

Dairy-Free and Flourless Desserts: Light and Fruity

One of our favorite Passover dessert recommendations comes from a friend who cooks on a budget for young kids, but isn't willing to sacrifice elegance or taste. Try strawberries with sabayon -- a warm, frothy mixture of sweet wine, sugar, and egg yolks. Macerate those strawberries first. Be sure that once you start whisking, you're prepared to keep going until the sabayon is done.

Another simple, elegant, and kosher dessert option is poached pears. Try this recipe from Saveur which features fernet, cinnamon, star anise, and a vanilla bean in the poaching mixture. Sounds delicious any time of year.

Dairy-Free and Flourless Desserts: Tarts and Tortes

This Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Tart from Couldn't Be Parve is mouth-watering. Rich chocolate, tart raspberry, and it's all kosher for Passover. Refer to the list of key ingredients above; you'll need potato starch, coconut oil, matzo cake meal, almond meal, and almond milk. Don't let that scare you, but be sure to set aside plenty of prep time.

Another tempting recipe is this Chocolate Toasted Almond Torte found on Epicurious. Get out the matzo cake meal and potato starch again, along with coconut milk. You'll need to plan ahead to bring the eggs to room temperature too. Dust the cake with powdered sugar that's labeled kosher for Passover (meaning it doesn't contain corn starch). Or you can make your own using granulated sugar and potato starch.

Dairy-Free and Flourless Desserts: Just for Kids

Remember when we taught you how to make matzo ball soup? (With a little help from Jewish mothers and grandmothers, of course.) This time, whip up a batch of balls without the chicken broth. Then roll them in cinnamon and sugar and bake according to this recipe on What Jew Wanna Eat. As if that didn't already sound delicious, top them off with some chocolate yogurt dip. Use soy yogurt to keep kosher.

Finally, we can't help including these Matzo S'mores from Martha Stewart. Make sure your chocolate and marshmallows are kosher for Passover. Remember what we said about using matzo as an ingredient. It's thin, crispy, and goes well with chocolate!

Special thanks to Devra Gordon and Alyssa Mandel for explaining Passover dietary restrictions and offering dessert ideas.