Thanks to the demand for gluten-free items, finding flourless sweets isn't as difficult as it used to be.
One bakery in Lincoln Park is really getting creative.
The memories are made nearly every day at Sweet Mandy B's in Lincoln Park, where they specialize in kid-friendly treats. But this time of year, they also shift into Passover mode, which means eliminating the yeast and flour.
"We have our matzo s'mores, which is very popular. We also have our chocolate covered marshmallows. We have also our turtles as well as our butterscotch pudding, chocolate pudding. We offer, we do offer quite a variety," said Sherrie Tan, one of the bakers at Sweet Mandy B's.
There's no law that says you can't use high-quality chocolate and caramel, although more devout eaters should know that this is not necessarily "kosher for Passover." However, if you're just trying to eliminate flour, you might opt for the range of turtles.
"Toasted nuts with caramel, that's kind of chewy. And then you like put chocolate on top. And we offer three different chocolates. Like white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate," said Tan.
The matzo s'mores are something new, and they wisely substitute matzo - that unleavened, ubiquitous Passover cracker - in place of graham crackers. Even squares are cut, then spread with melted chocolate. Four marshmallows go on top and get baked, just until they start to turn color and get soft. The other half of the chocolate-covered matzo goes on top, then everything gets a generous drizzle, be it chocolate or caramel.
Puddings are also another flourless option, as is the namesake dense cake, topped with berries.
"Our flourless we can't even keep up with it sometimes. Everyone really likes the flourless, it's like a dense chocolate treat for everyone," Tan said.
So clearly, we've moved beyond the days of just chocolate covered matzo and flourless chocolate cake. The bonus is, all these flourless items are great if you're celebrating Passover or if you're gluten free.
Flourless items like the puddings and cake are available year round but the matzo s'mores will just be offered during the holiday.
Sweet Mandy B's
1208 W. Webster
(773) 244-1174
http://sweetmandybs.com/
