Boys of Cooking

A Passover dessert that’s good enough to make year-round.

Makes 12 servings

Combine

1½ cups sugar

¾ cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

6 tablespoons water

in a heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves; bring to rolling boil. Pour syrup into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered until cold and thickened, about three hours. (Can be prepared three days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom of 9- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan. Combine

½ cup cake meal

6 tablespoons potato starch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

in small bowl; whisk to blend. Combine

6 ounces pitted dates (about 1¼ cups), chopped

1 tablespoon cake meal

in medium bowl. Toss to coat and separate pieces. Mix

1 cup walnuts (about 4 ounces), toasted, coarsely chopped

into dates. Separate

6 eggs

Beat

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted margarine, melted, cooled

and 1 cup orange syrup. Add egg yolks, two at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in

1½ tablespoons grated orange peel

then dry ingredients. Stir in date mixture.

Using clean beaters beat egg whites with

½ teaspoon salt

until soft peaks form. Gradually add

¼ cup sugar

beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into batter to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in three additions.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. (Can be made one day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Brush some of remaining orange syrup over cake. Cut cake lengthwise into four equal strips. Cut each strip into three diamonds, reserving remaining cake for nibbling.

Adapted from Bon Appétit magazine