Little Red Stove

I really spent some quality time in the kitchen last weekend with my old friends: chocolate pudding and marshmallow. (10 out of 10 would recommend)

And then it dawned on me that THIS weekend was Passover and Easter! Traditionally I would make an icebox cake because it is no-bake so it doesn’t make my kitchen 4,000 degrees.
Icebox cakes are usually made by layering cookies with some type of filling, like whipped cream, mousse, or curd.
So with a chocolate covered wooden spoon in one hand, homemade marshmallow whipping in a KitchenAid behind me, and a box of salted matzo beside me… possibly the most delicious and beautiful dessert was born.

Fun fact: Replace the matzo with graham crackers for an Easter dessert, or for literally any day of the week. Probably every day of the week.

Let me tell you a love story. It all starts with homemade chocolate coffee pudding.

You will need:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks (save the whites for homemade marshmallow)
4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon instant coffee
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

This is the worlds easiest chocolate pudding. In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. To that, whisk together the milk and yolks.
Heat this over very low heat, constantly whisking until it starts to simmer. Bring it to a full boil and you’ll have sweet scrambled egg pudding. Maybe another time, but not here. Not now.
Pull that off of the heat, and whisk in the chopped chocolates, coffee, and butter. Once they’re all melded and beautiful, stir in the vanilla.

Taste it at this point. Is it chocolatey enough? If not, add a bit more chopped chocolate of your choice. Too sweet? Add unsweetened. Too dark? Add some semi-sweet. Too much coffee? Trick question, there’s no such thing as too much coffee.

Line a 9×5 loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhanging on the long sides so that they act as handles.

Begin now layering, one sheet of Matzo, one thin layer of pudding.
Optional: sprinkle a touch of salt over the matzo if you’re like me and love some extra salty sweetness.
You’re going to need to cut the Matzo to fit the pan, leaving you with delicious snacking shrapnel.

Cover with plastic wrap, and let this set in the fridge for at least 4 hours. This can be made the full day ahead of when you plan on eating it.

The day of, you can make the delicious (and super easy and impressive) homemade marshmallow.

You will need:
4 egg whites, leftover from making the pudding
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
vanilla

In a large heatproof bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer if you have one, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar.
Set this over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the pot is not touching the water.

Whisk constantly for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved, the eggs are hot to the touch, and the volume has doubled in size.

It will start like this:

After 5 minutes:

Remove from the heat, add in the vanilla.
Grab your hand mixer, your stand mixer, or strengthen your arm muscles by whipping this for another 5 minutes until it has gained serious volume and has glossy stiff peaks.

Now. We assemble.
Take your icebox cake out of the fridge, and use those handles to turn upside-down onto the serving platter of your choice.
Generously slather the homemade marshmallow all over that bad boy.

You can pipe it, and make it look very fancy.
I like a good old fashioned spatula swoop!

The most fun part: use a kitchen torch to toast it up into s’mores cake heaven.

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Wherever you are, whatever you celebrate, whatever reason you have for making this matzo (or graham cracker) s’mores cake:
I wish you all healthy and happy eating.