What do Passover and Easter have in common? Chocolate, of course!

RGBStock photo-Lusi

What do Passover and Easter have in common? While Passover may seem to be all about matzo, those celebrating the holiday know that it’s also about chocolate. Just check any store selling Passover goods and you’ll see shelf after shelf of the confection. It’s also about eggs, which seem to be in so many offerings.

And then there’s Easter- it’s chocolate and eggs too.

Chocolate and eggs together used to be the foundation of my go-to dessert when I entertained many years ago. It was so simple: melted chocolate, egg yolks and beaten egg whites. But then along came the risk of foodborne illness in the form of salmonella. That was the end of my use of raw eggs and the end of that simple chocolate mousse. Yet as I perused all kinds of recipes in anticipation of this year’s holidays, I still saw versions of that same recipe.

Well, it’s time to pitch the raw egg-chocolate combo. It’s simply not worth the risk of becoming a salmonella victim. It’s especially not worth it after you try New York Times columnist Melissa Clark’s recipe which calls for bittersweet chocolate and water – that’s it (except for a dash of fleur de sel).

I have also served the Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Fleur de Sel with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Absolutely delicious!

Enjoy and happy holidays!