The Shabbat Table is the latest CJN column from noted chef and food blogger Norene Gilletz. Click here for last week’s recipes.

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! In Canada, we just celebrated the Victoria Day weekend, and this weekend my American friends will be celebrating Memorial Day. It also happens to be my birthday on Sunday (I’ve been known to celebrate my birthday for weeks!) so of course, sweets are on the menu!

If you’re looking for some yummy sweets to enhance your Shabbat table and beyond, here are some delicious treats that are sure to please your family and friends. (Disclaimer: I love cake – actually, I really love icing, especially the kind on birthday cake, but don’t care so much about the cake. I really prefer cookies!)

Miriam Pascal to the rescue! Miriam is a talented 20-something Jewish gal from New York and the author of Something Sweet: Desserts, Baked Goods, and Treats for Every Occasion (Artscroll/Mesorah). She wears many hats, including that of food writer, photographer, and cookbook author, plus she writes a terrific blog. Miriam is also the hard-working publicist for Artscroll – she did an amazing job of creating awareness of The Silver Platter: From Simple to Spectacular (Artscroll) co-authored by Daniella Silver and myself.

Miriam writes: “I started to cook and bake as an outlet, and over the last couple of years, it’s morphed into so much more than that. I like simple recipes that I can make in my limited time, recipes with approachable ingredients that are still exciting and delicious. Turns out, so many of you like those recipes too. So whether you’ve got limited to no time in the kitchen (like me) or you love delicious food (me too!) join me and we’ll eat well together!”

And for my kids, especially my son, Steven Gilletz of Montreal who loves Cinnamon Twists, I’m including my cookie recipe for you. So Steven, if you want some cookies, come to Toronto for a visit!

NORENE’S FAVOURITE CINNAMON TWISTS (Pareve)

Children love these cookies – totally kid-friendly. This recipe originally came from my grandmother, Baba Doba Rykiss z’l, of Winnipeg, who always made them for us when we were growing up. When I asked my Baba for her recipe shortly before she passed away, she gave me the oil measurement as “a yahrtzeit glezeleh” of oil!

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 cups flour (approximately)

1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar (1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl or a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine eggs, sugar, and oil; blend well.
3. Stir in dry ingredients (or process with quick on/offs). Mix just until a soft dough is formed. Do not overmix, or cookies will be tough.
4. Norene’s Secret: Cover and refrigerate dough for at least half an hour for easier shaping.
5. Roll pieces of dough into long, pencil-thick rolls, flouring your hands lightly for easier handling. Coat in cinnamon-sugar. Twist either into a figure-8, a half twist (the shape of the Breast Cancer symbol), your children’s initials, or any shape you like.
6. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake at 375 F for 10-12 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Makes about 4 dozen. Freezes well.

• Orna Purkin remembers these Cinnamon Twists, which her hubby, Sam, fondly refers to as ‘Mrs. Sniderman Cookies’ – named after the sweet family friend, Audrey, from his home town of Calgary who thoughtfully sent a care package of his favourite cookies with his parents when they visited Los Angeles. Orna’s little girl, Aja, can mix, roll and shape these cookies “all by myself.” Aja also likes to eat cinnamon-sugar by the spoonful!

MIRIAM PASCAL’S TIRAMISU COOKIES (Dairy or Pareve)

Reproduced with permission from Something Sweet by Miriam Pascal (Artscroll/Mesorah Publications)

Traditional tiramisu is a coffee-flavoured dessert, noted for its ladyfingers soaked in espresso. I reinterpreted this fabulous dessert into cakey cookies, packed with coffee flavour and rolled in coffee-soaked ladyfinger crumbs.

CRUMBS

1 cup coarse ladyfinger crumbs

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon brewed coffee (or 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 Tablespoon hot water)

COOKIE DOUGH

3/4 cup oil

4 ounces cream cheese or soy cream cheese

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee (see Note)

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Prepare the crumbs: Combine ladyfinger crumbs, brown sugar, and coffee in a small bowl. Stir until combined. Mixture should have the texture of damp sand. Set aside.
3. Prepare the cookie dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat together oil, cream cheese, and sugars until smooth.
4. Add espresso, egg, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low; add flour, one cup at a time, beating after each addition, until combined.
6. Use a medium cookie scoop (or a heaping tablespoon) to portion out dough. Roll into balls; then roll in prepared ladyfinger crumbs until fully coated. Place onto prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake for 10-11 minutes, until cookies are set.

Yield: about 3 1/2 dozen

Note: You can use 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water instead of espresso.

Plan Ahead: These cookies freeze well in an airtight container or bag. They’re on the soft side, so handle with care when packing them. Defrost fully before serving.

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES {WITHOUT MARGARINE} (Pareve)

Miriam Pascal originally featured this delicious cookie recipe in her column in Ami/Whisk Magazine. She subsequently posted it on her blog, where she wrote: “I couldn’t just let you keep subbing oil in chocolate chip cookies when I knew that if I put my mind to it, I could come up with a recipe meant for the oil – that’s far better than simply subbing.

Well ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to say that I’ve done it. These cookies are perfect. Chewy. Delicious. And they are made with no margarine. No butter. Just oil. You’re welcome.”

1 cup oil

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 1/2 cups flour

1 bag (about 1 -1 1/2 cups) good quality chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together oil and sugars until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the vanilla, baking soda, salt, eggs, and cornstarch, beating well to combine after each addition. Add flour and beat until just combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
4. Scoop the dough using a medium cookie scoop (or a heaping tablespoon) onto prepared cookie sheets.
5. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until the tops are set. Do not overbake.

Makes 4 dozen

Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She is the author of eleven cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer, and cookbook editor.

Norene lives in Toronto, Canada and her motto is “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website or email her at [email protected].