Monday, February 28, 2011

Margaret's Mandelbrot from Sarabeth Levine....

It is a rainy, gray, last day of February and I suddenly realized I did not have one post for this month. I have been cooking and baking and I have hundreds of pictures to look at and edit, but life just somehow got in the way of this blog. It tends to do that sometimes! My husband is back in Brussels and my college boy will be going there to spend Spring break with him. I am here with my high school senior waiting for all the of the college decisions to come rolling in...this is an exciting month for him and all of us. Stressful as well, but part of the process of growing up and spreading ones wings and flying...hard for me to imagine not seeing his face every day. I have survived my first born going away, so maybe this will be easier. He is more than ready to go I can tell you that.

 I have been following Sarabeth Levine's blog...The Goddess of Bakedom for some time now. I have been a fan of Sarabeth and her baked goods for many years. Her new cookbook Sarabeth's Bakery:From My Hands to Yours is a wonderful collection of recipes. I have been reading the book through from cover to cover. If you are a serious baker this is a must have addition to your collection.
Her rugelach recipe was the very first one I ever tried and to this day remains the favorite of all my friends and family. She recently posted this recipe for a jam filled Mandelbrot and a lovely tribute to her Mother in Law, Margaret. The link will lead you to the recipe...the recipe is lovely. The flavor of this simple cookie sends me back to my Bubbe's house. A very nice taste memory. These are perfect for dunking in a cup of tea or coffee....my son has been having them with milk and has declared them a keeper.
I have had Mandelbrot with almonds and other nuts and chocolate chips but never filled with jam. I think these are the best I have ever had. A kind of Jewish biscotti if you will. So stop by and take a look around Sarabeth's blog...you will be very pleased I am sure....

 I am looking forward to Spring as I am sure we all are...it has been a very long, snowy, winter.

9 comments:

  1. I have a wonderful recipe for mandlebrot from my first mother-in-law, hand written.. that my Dad and I always used when baking up a batch...
    I think it is time to go look for it and treat the family now..

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  2. Mmm Mandlebrot! I just got warmed up. It hasn't snowed here, but we had hail!!! (at the beach in Southern Cali... who knew?!) It is bitter cold, though! I wish I had a few of these treats to go with my coffee... yum :)
    xo isa

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  3. Thanks for stopping by my friends....
    Nancy...this recipe is really great.
    Most Mandelbrot is made with oil to keep it Parve...this is made with butter, making it far better IMHO.
    The other difference is that this is rolled out and filled. I find it very unusual.
    Would love to see your ex-MIL's recipe though.
    I have a chocolate chip one that my Mom always made, but these are much better.
    I can see these filled with all manner of things...the taste is very much like my Hamantaschen...

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  4. I am a dope... can you believe I've lived in NYC most of my adult life and I didn't know what mandlebrot was?? WHoa. Looks like something I should have me a long long time ago. Love those Sarabeth jams and butter makes everything better.

    May I say, I agree with you completely... I am ready to leave this winter behind... but my St Bernard is so depressed that the snow is gone... maybe I should move to a mountaintop somewhere????

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  5. Deana...Mandelbrot translated exactly means Almond Bread...it is a biscotti like cookie that normally contains nuts. It has evolved over the years to contain all manner of things. Sarabeths recipe is very different than any I have ever seen before. While I am of Eastern European descent...this recipe is from her Hungarian Mother in Law...so it is slightly different than any I have seen before...
    It is a great dunking cookie...the recipe makes a ton. I think I could play with this a lot, but I always like to make something as written first...
    The flavor takes me back to the Jewish bakeries of my youth...

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  6. Oh Linda, it is just after 5:30 AM here on the west coast of Canada and I'm wishing I had one of your mandlebrot to have with my coffee.

    Thanks for the link to Sarabeth's blog. Some wonderful recipes.

    Ann

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  7. Thank so much for your kind words Ann...
    xo

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  8. I am a big fan of Sarabeth's restaurants but didn't realize there was a cookbook. I'll have to check it out. - also have never seen jam-filled Mandelbrot but these look great. good luck to that high school senior of yours -how well I remember those times. maybe next time, you can join your husband in Brussels.

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  9. Thanks Linda! (((((HUGS)))))

    I am waiting to try this dough with all manner of things...one of them Hamantaschen. It is a good one!Stay tuned!

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