Chocolate paradise pt 1

10 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 tablespoon Butter
1½ pounds Bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons Rich espresso coffee
½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
6 larges Eggs; separated
 pinch salt
½ cup Heavy cream
6 Egg yolks
½ cup Sugar
1 pinch Salt
1 cup Champagne or white wine
1 cup Heavy cream
5 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa
¾ cup Water
½ cup Sugar
3 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Whipping cream

Directions

SABAYON MOUSSELINE

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Here is a recipe that went with the chocolate theme. I had this at Towers' restaurant Stars in San Francisco. Very yummy! When Carolyn Weil and I (Jeremy Towers) developed this dessert, the final version elicited my comment, in the back of the kitchen at the Santa Fe Bar & Grill, "Now, that is close to paradise." Hence the name. You will need a loaf pan 12 by 4 inches and 5 to 6 inches deep, a sheet or jelly roll pan, and parchment or greaseproof paper.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut parchment paper to fit a sheet pan, butter it, and put the paper in the pan.

Boil a pot of water and lower to a simmer. Put 8 ounces of the chocolate in a metal bowl over the simmering water until it melts. Remove from the water and stir in the espresso and vanilla.  Let the mixture cool slightly and then mix in the egg yolks.

Whip the egg whites and salt together until soft peaks are formed. While continuing to whip, sprinkle in the sugar gradually and then whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 more minutes. Be careful not to over whip. Fold the egg white mixture quickly but thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Spread the mixture in the sheet pan.

Bake until the pastry is firm and has risen evenly, about 20 minutes. Let cool (it will fall as it does so).

While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate cream. Heat the cream in a large saucepan and remove from the heat just before it boils. Chop the remaining chocolate in to small bits, add to the hot cream, and stir until the chocolate melts. Strain and set aside to cool until it is just warm.

To assemble the chocolate paradise, remove the chocolate pastry from the sheep pan and remove the paper. Cut into 3 even rectangles just smaller than the loaf pan. Lice the bottom and sides of the loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour in a quarter of the chocolate cream then place a layer of the chocolate pastry on the top. Repeat layers, ending with cream. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 3 hours.

To unmold, dip the loaf pan in hot water for a few seconds to release the edges and then turn over into a plate.

To serve, cut the chocolate paradise into ½ inch –thick slices. Serve with mousseline and drizzle with warmed chocolate sauce.

Sabayon Mousseline Sauce:

The secret to holding sabayon (zabaglione) is to keep whisking it over ice without stopping until it is quite cold.

Put two trays of ice in a container large enough to just hole a wide, rather shallow, stainless-steal mixing bowl. Half fill the container with water and keep this ice bath by the stove. Bring a pot of water that is large enough to hold the cooking bowl so that it sits half down into the pot.

Combine the yolks, sugar, and salt in a stainless-steel mixing bowl. Mix will and add the champagne or wine.

Over barely simmering water, whisk the mixture vigorously until it is thick and pale yellow, about 10 minutes. Put the cooking bowl immediately into the ice bath and whisk vigorously again until the sabayon is cool. Keep chilled. When you want to us the sauce, whip the cream and fold it into the sabayon.

Chocolate Sauce:

To make the chocolate sauce, mix 4 tablespoons cocoa with just enough of the water to make a smooth paste. Bring the sugar and remaining water to a boil and stir into the cocoa. Whisk until smooth and return to the saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Let cool a bit. When the mixture is still warm, stir in the butter and then the cream.

continued in part 2

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