Four Passover Deserts

Marshmallow Brownies, Upside Down Haroset Cake, Almond Joy Matzo Toffee, and a Barton's Amond Kisses dupe

Passover desserts have come a long way. In my 1970s childhood in the kosher desert (definitely not dessert) that was Palo Alto, CA, the options were few and far between: Fruit gels in their plastic molded trays, cans of macaroons, and Barton’s candies (including the mythical Almond Kisses, a chewy chocolate caramel wrapped around a toasted almond, a confection whose quality deteriorated to a shadow of its former self. See my version below) that we ordered through my Jewish day school.

My grandma Mildred would sweep in from New York with a suitcase full of seven-layer railroad cakes and chocolate-dipped orange peels that we’d take with us to the annual movie we always saw during the middle days of the holiday. Today, there are so many more possibilities. Gluten-free baking, an embrace of simple ingredients used in interesting ways, and the proliferation of ideas through social media have provided tons of inspiration and ideas. But don’t overthink them! Go with elemental flavors, add a few twists, and you’ll find new classics to add to your annual repertoire.