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Kosher pastries must follow Jewish kosher laws, which prohibit mixing milk with meat or non-dairy foods. They must be made in a certified kosher kitchen and can be labeled as “kosher” or “kosher pareve.” During Passover, additional strict kosher rules apply, including the prohibition of leavened bread and certain grains.
A kosher pastry is any type of cake, cookie, or small dessert that is baked in accordance with Jewish kosher laws. Among other things, kosher rules prohibit mixing milk with any meat product or specifically non-dairy foods. This restriction affects not only what is eaten together, but also how the food is prepared. Dishes and utensils that touch dairy products must be kept separate, and stricter kosher cooks keep separate workspaces, tools, and even tools like ovens to ensure cross-contamination. A pastry cooked in accordance with these specifications can be properly labeled and sold as a kosher pastry.
Most kosher rules pertain to meats, but baked goods are implicated to the extent that their recipes often call for dairy products. Meat and dairy products can never be mixed in kosher foods, cooking or even in the same meal. For this reason, many kosher pastas are made without dairy ingredients in facilities and with utensils that have never touched the dairy ingredients. Foods like this that contain neither meat nor dairy are called pareve.
For a bakery to sell kosher pastries, its bakery must generally be certified kosher by a rabbi or some rabbinical authority. Commercially marketed kosher pastry products are generally designated as kosher by certain labels, symbols, or certifications. Commercial sweets may be labeled simply as “kosher,” which means they contain dairy, or “kosher pareve,” which means they’re dairy-free. A kosher pareve pastry usually looks like a regular pastry, but contains milk substitutes such as applesauce, oils, or some margarines.
Kosher baked goods and other kosher products are often sold in specific kosher grocery stores, but can also be found in most mainstream grocery stores. Home cooks who maintain kosher kitchens can easily make kosher baked goods at home too. An important aspect of kosher cooking is that all the ingredients are known: the addition of non-certified kosher jams, spreads, and other fillings can destroy the kosher nature of the food served.
Even a fully compliant kosher bakery may not be kosher for Passover. Passover, a Jewish holiday celebrated each spring, has its own set of very strict kosher rules that don’t apply during the rest of the year. A pastry must be specifically labeled “kosher for Easter” to be consumed during the Easter period.
One of the first requirements for Easter food is that it be made in a “purified” kitchen. In most cases, this means that the kitchen needs to be scrubbed completely, removing all old food and food items. Leavened bread is specifically prohibited, a restriction that applies to many kosher pastries.
In basic parlance, leavened bread is any bread that has risen – basically any bread with yeast. Passover leavening regulations also prohibit the use of wheat, rye, and oats, among other things, unless specifically certified by a rabbi. This usually means that any flour is prohibited. Kosher cooking for Passover can therefore be a challenge. Easter cakes are often made with matzo flour and may include kosher chocolate, coconut, or hazelnut paste.
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