Equipment
Ingredients
Egg Batter Base
- 4 matzo, broken into rough quarters
- 4 eggs
- 120 ml whole milk
- 40 g granulated sugar
- 3 g ground cinnamon
Strawberry Wine Filling
- 200 g strawberry preserves
- 60 ml sweet red wine
- 2 g ground cinnamon
Honey-Butter Glaze
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 60 g honey
- 1 g flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 239 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 89 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 96 mg
- Potassium
- 96 mg
- Calcium
- 42 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 10 mg
- Phosphorus
- 75 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 80 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 16 mcg
- Water
- 44 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175 C (350 F). Line the 20x20 cm baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, granulated sugar, and 3g of ground cinnamon until completely homogeneous.
Add the broken matzo pieces to the egg batter. Press them down gently to submerge and let them soak for 5 to 8 minutes, allowing the matzo to absorb the liquid without disintegrating.
In the small mixing bowl, whisk the strawberry preserves, sweet red wine, and remaining 2g of cinnamon until smooth.
Arrange half of the soaked matzo pieces in an even layer at the bottom of the prepared baking dish, pouring a small amount of the residual egg liquid over them to bind the base.
Spread the strawberry wine filling evenly over the bottom matzo layer, leaving a small border around the edges to prevent burning against the sides of the dish.
Top with the remaining soaked matzo pieces to enclose the filling. Pour any remaining egg batter entirely over the top.
Bake the bars at 175 C (350 F) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is set and the top edges are puffed and golden brown.
During the last 5 minutes of baking, combine the unsalted butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer gently until melted and slightly bubbling.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Immediately pour the hot honey-butter glaze evenly over the baked matzo surface. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
Allow the dessert to cool completely in the dish on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before using the parchment overhang to lift it out. Cut into 9 equal squares.
Chef's Notes
- Soaking the matzo translates the classic matzo brei technique into a structured pastry application, ensuring a tender bite reminiscent of bread pudding.
- For an alcohol-free version, substitute the sweet red wine with an equal volume of grape juice, though you may want to reduce the preserves slightly to balance the sweetness.
- The residual heat of the baked bars will help the honey-butter glaze absorb slightly into the top layer, creating a sticky, decadent crust.
- Use a serrated knife and clean the blade between cuts to achieve sharp, professional-looking squares without dragging the sticky strawberry layer.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.
Reheating: Serve chilled, at room temperature, or warm briefly in a 150 C oven for 5 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Bars fall apart when cut
Cause: The dessert was cut while still warm, or not enough egg batter was poured over the layers to bind them
Fix: Chill the dish in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up the butter glaze and filling before attempting to slice again
Prevention: Allow to cool completely to room temperature before slicing, and ensure the residual egg mix is fully utilized during assembly
Matzo is dry and tough in the center
Cause: Matzo was not soaked long enough in the egg batter
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure all pieces are fully submerged and given the full 5 to 8 minutes to hydrate
Cultural Context
Matzo serves as the foundational carbohydrate during the eight days of Passover when leavened breads are strictly forbidden. This recipe elevates the humble unleavened bread by applying techniques reminiscent of matzo kugel and matzo brei, pairing it with sweet kosher wine which is a staple at the Passover Seder table.
