By Michele Amira, staff writer, @nicejewishswag
Shavuot aka the holiday of blintzes and cheesecake is approaching this Saturday night.
While there are so many amazing traditional Shavuot recipes like the Jews in Turkey, the Balkans, Syria and Egypt, with dishes from a rich milk pudding called muhallabeya to the more familiar blintzes, which are a favorite of my family, the recipe below is a bit more funky and less traditional than the usual Shavuot dishes.
This Shavuot manna was inspired by the Mexican Jewish feminist Frida Kahlo and her love of flowers. The shape of the dish is inspired by Mayan and Mexican art, which is ideal for summertime simchas. The apricot frutta flower features mascarpone, which is an Italian cheese used in cannoli cream. This apricot-infused cannoli cream frutta is funky and fun and is fewer calories than the traditional dishes for this cheesy holiday. Besides, it’s easy to make! To quote the Godfather, “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”
Ingredients
- 3 whole apricots
- 8 oz. mascarpone sweet Italian cheese (for the cannoli cream)
- 3 tablespoons Nutella hazelnut spread (or more to taste)
- 3 tablespoons agave syrup or stevia
- 1 tablespoon marsala sweet cooking wine
Instructions
- Mix mascarpone cheese with your choice of agave syrup or stevia, which has fewer calories than sugar, and marsala sweet cooking wine.
- Once fully mixed, shape into a circular cake.
- Slice apricots into wedges.
- Place apricot pieces around cheese to create a Mayan-day-of-the-dead-looking flower.
- Drizzle with Nutella (to taste) and have a blessed Shavuot!
Yield: 1 plate-sized flower
