RAFREFET TAPOOZIM (Orange Pudding)

 
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LESSON OBJECTIVES AND OUTLINE FOR TEACHERS

I. LESSON OBJECTIVES

A. The students will demonstrate their knowledge of proper cooking techniques by preparing rafrefet tapoozim; thereby demonstrating that they know how to:

1. Separate eggs.
2. Use a wire whisk to beat ingredients.
3. Measure and combine ingredients.
4. Use an electric mixer.
5. Add ingredients gradually to others in an electric mixer.
6. Ladle pudding into cups neatly, avoiding drips.

B. The students will demonstrate their knowledge of the background of rafrefet tapoozim by completing the Final Sample Test.

II. KITCHEN ORGANIZATION: TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

A. TIMING

1. This recipe requires a good deal of time for one student or another to be standing over a pot and stirring. Since this activity gets very boring very fast, it is a good idea to rotate the students who are performing this task.
2. You may or may not wish to prepare a batch of this pudding ahead of time. It is supposed to be chilled before being eaten, but it can be sampled warm by the students. Depending on your timing and number of classes, a batch prepared by the first group of students can be sampled by the second and so on.
3. Make sure orange juice is thawed before class.
4. Have a student lay out the serving dishes while the pudding is being prepared.

B. TECHNIQUES

1. It is advisable to provide other activities for students who may become disruptive when not directly participating in the preparation at every moment.
2. Note the division of the measurement of the sugar. Keep an eye on the students to make sure they are aware that sugar is added in two places so that the total measurement is correct.
3. Egg whites will not beat properly if even a speck of yolk gets into them. Have the students separate each egg white separately and if it is okay, it can be added to the other whites. If not correctly separated, add yolk and set aside for another use as a whole egg.
4. Bowls and beaters must be meticulously clean for egg whites to beat properly as even a slight haze of oily or foreign substances will prevent the whites from becoming stiff.
5. If drips occur while ladling, the correct technique for cleaning the edge is to dampen a paper towel or edge of a kitchen towel and wipe carefully until clean.

III. TEACHING TECHNIQUES

A. Additional points that can be discussed with the students are:

1. Why is it necessary to use potato starch instead of cornstarch during Passover?

    

Answer: Corn is classified as a legume and is forbidden in the Ashkenazic Orthodox tradition along with other legumes, such as peas and beans. The Sephardim allow these vegetables, and cornstarch would be acceptable in a Sephardic household. As far as flavor, cornstarch and potato starch are indistinguishable from one another in taste as well as the way they behave chemically in the recipe. In recent years, the Conservative Ashkenazic movement has reversed many of the prohibitions about this sort of kitniyot and are now allowing the use of legumes.

2. Why is vanilla not permitted for Passover?

Answer: Vanilla flavor comes from a bean that grows on a vining member of the orchid family. As a bean, it is likewise not permitted among the Ashkenazic Orthodox. Many of these families would use vanillin or vanilla sugar (sugar which is flavored with vanillin) as a substitute. This substance is a chemical substitute for real vanilla and contains none of the real thing.

B. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

There are many neglected orange orchards in Israel. A fruit-bearing tree may not be cut down according to Jewish law. Where real estate has become valuable for building, orchards have been neglected so that the trees will eventually die or cease to bear fruit and can then legally be cleared away to make room for new construction. Ask the students how they feel about this law and what would happen in the United States if the law were to be enacted here. Did the ancient Israelis foresee a conflict in the allocation of land for food as opposed to shelter? Is the legislature in this country acting to prevent farms from being swallowed up by housing developments?

MATERIALS FOR RAFREFET TAPOOZIM

• 1 doz. large eggs
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 2/3 c. cornstarch
• 1 12-oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 lemon
• vanilla extract
• 1 package sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
• small bowls for separating eggs
• electric mixer
• wire whisk
• 4-qt. saucepan
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• large ladle
• 15 individual serving dishes (these can be little plastic cups or plastic drinking glasses)
• plastic spoons

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FOR THE STUDENTS:

RAFREFET TAPOOZIM

ORANGE PUDDING

Oranges grow in great abundance in Israel and are one of the relatively few food items that are sometimes exported by Israel to the United States. The variety most often found in U.S. supermarkets is the Jaffa orange, which rivals our navel orange in sweetness and seedless-ness. It is also beautiful to behold and usually has a very thick skin. Like all Israeli fruits, though, it is only eaten fresh in season, so if you are in Israel in the summertime, as I was, you probably won't be able to find a decent orange anywhere.

The following recipe makes use of frozen orange juice concentrate, so it can be enjoyed at any time of the year. The fluffy orange pudding it produces is pareve and so can be eaten after a meat meal. While relatively simple to make, it can be dressed up and made very elegant by spooning it into beautiful stemmed glasses and topping with whatever you like. One suggestion would be to top off with a thin layer of Sabra, an Israeli liqueur made from oranges and chocolate. The Israelis often top it off with sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut. At any rate, whether served in a plain custard cup or an elegant glass, it is equally delicious.

The egg white in this dessert is not completely cooked, so it is a good idea to take care in the selection of eggs to make sure there are no hairline cracks and that they have been properly refrigerated to insure against the salmonella bacteria. Each egg should be separated individually and examined for blood spots (which would render the egg not kosher) before being added to the rest of the separated.

It is always challenging to find interesting desserts that are appropriate after a Passover
seder. If you substitute potato starch for the cornstarch in this recipe and eliminate the vanilla extract, you will find you have a lovely, light, and pareve Passover dessert.

RAFREFET TAPOOZIM

ORANGE PUDDING

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 c. sugar, divided
• 2/3 c. cornstarch
• 1 12-oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 4-2/3 c. boiling water
• 2 t. fresh lemon juice
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• Sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut to taste (optional)

1. Separate the eggs.
2. In a 4-qt. saucepan, use a wire whisk to beat together the egg yolks and 3/4 c. of the sugar until well mixed.
3. Whisk in the cornstarch and orange juice concentrate until the mixture is smooth.
4. Gradually add the boiling water while whisking.
5. Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and just begins to boil under the surface.
6. Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
7. Meanwhile, in electric mixer bowl, use clean beaters to beat the egg whites until just foamy.
8. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 c. of sugar and beat just until stiff peaks form.
9. Whisk about a third of the beaten whites into the hot custard to lighten it.
10. Immediately add all of the custard to the whites in the mixing bowl and whisk just a few seconds longer, just until the pudding is smooth.
11. Use a thermometer to make sure the temperature of the mixture reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that any harmful bacteria in the eggs has been dispatched. (If this temperature has not been reached, it may be necessary to whisk the mixture over boiling water until the correct temperature is reached.
12. Using a ladle, the bottom of which is wiped against the edge of the mixing bowl to prevent drips, ladle the pudding into individual serving dishes, sprinkle the top with coconut if desired, and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
13. Makes approximately 15 individual size servings.