Last weekend, my husband's job hosted an Israeli Culture Night as part of their Israel 75 celebration. For context, my husband has worked for a non-profit Jewish organization for three years. It was a small event with the two instructors being Hebrew teachers who were born and raised in Israel and came to America when they were adults. Luckily, that happened to be my weekend off from work, so I was able to attend. I am glad I could go because the event was so much fun! I also got a fun night out with my husband, which is always a win in my book.
The first part of the event was making two Israeli desserts. The first was Israeli Chocolate Balls. Traditionally, the base of this dessert is Tea Biscuits, but Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies were thrown into the mix for this event. The cookies are placed in a plastic bag, crushed with a rolling pin, then placed in a big mixing bowl. Then, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, heavy cream, and, if memory serves me right, a small amount of rum extract and Israeli instant coffee are melted in a saucepan and then slowly added into the bowl of cookie bits, kind of like making the dough for a cake-pop. Once the mixture is of the right consistency, it is rolled into a small ball and tossed in sprinkles or shredded coconut. This dessert was easy to make, plus they were absolutely delicious. These little truffle-like treats were rich, decadent, and a chocolate lover's dream.
The second dessert, while I can't remember the actual name of it, can best be described as Israeli Tiramisu. The recipe was simple too! First, you combine cream cheese, heavy cream, a packet of vanilla pudding, a small tub of sour cream, and sugar, and then smooth it out by adding a little milk. Next, in a smaller bowl, dissolve some of the Israeli instant coffee in warm water. Then, you dunk the same Tea Biscuits used to make the chocolate balls into the coffee, add a layer of cream, and repeat! After that, if you want, you can add a chocolate ganache or chocolate swirls to the top. Finally, put the dessert in the fridge for a few hours to chill, and then enjoy! The instructor allowed us to make a miniature version of this dessert for ourselves, but she also made a full-size one before the event so everyone could try it. It was just as delicious as the first dessert. That one had a layer of chocolate ganache on top that paired with the coffee-soaked cookies and the light creamy filling. It was safe to say this event satisfied my sweet tooth.
The second part of the event was learning Israeli dances. We learned three dances, one line dance and two done in a circle formation. The line dance was to a song called "Jerusalem" by Master KG. It is a very upbeat song that makes you want to dance. The line dance gave off an Electric Slide vibe, so learning it was easy once you got the hang of it. The other two dances were to songs whose names were in Hebrew, so unfortunately, I don't remember them. The circle dances were new to me as I am used to the traditional American line dances, but they were a lot of fun. One dance did make me a little dizzy, but if that's the only complaint, I call that a win in my book. The energy was contagious, and the instructor was funny and engaging and broke down the moves so everyone could get them. If he taught an Israeli dance class, I would be the first to sign up.
Overall, I would say the event was a success! Everyone had a great time, I met more of my husband's coworkers and their families, and the entire thing felt like a giant family gathering. I have learned that community are really big in Jewish culture, and I admire that about them. I look forward to attending more events like this in the future! If you want the actual recipes for either of the desserts, please let me know and I'll have my husband get them from the baking instructor.
Image 1 via The Best No-Bake Israeli Ice Box Cake
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