Cocoa clouds
6 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | cup | ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
| ¼ | cup | GRANULATED SUGAR |
| ⅓ | cup | BLANCHED WHOLE ALMONDS |
| ¼ | cup | UNSWEETENED ALKALIZED COCOA POWDER |
| 5 | 3.52-OUNCE BARS TOBLERONE SWISS MILK CHOCOLATE WITH HONEY AND ALMOND NOUGAT | |
| 3 | tablespoons | UNSWEETENED ALKALIZED |
| 1¾ | cup | HEAVY CREAM |
| ¼ | cup | GRANULATED SUGAR |
| 3½ | tablespoon | UNSWEETENED ALKALIZED |
| ⅛ | teaspoon | SALT |
| ½ | cup | UNSALTED BUTTER, CHILLED AND CUT INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES |
| ¾ | teaspoon | VANILLA EXTRACT |
| 2 | tablespoons | ICE WATER COCOA POWDER |
| 1½ | cup | HEAVY CREAM |
| ¼ | teaspoon | ALMOND EXTRACT COCOA, SIFTED |
| ¾ | teaspoon | VANILLA EXTRACT |
| COCOA, FOR GARNISH | ||
| - Tish Boyle | ||
Directions
COCOA ALMOND CRUST
MILK CHOC ALMOND FILLING
COCOA CREAM
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Six 4½-inch fluted tartlette pans with removable bottoms.
Make the cocoa almond crust:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade,
place the flour, sugar, almonds, cocoa powder and salt. Process the dry
ingredients for 30 to 45 seconds, until the almonds are coarsely chopped. Add the butter pieces and the vanilla to the bowl and pulse the
mixture 5 or 6 times until incorporated but still crumbly. Add the ice
water and pulse a few more times to form a dough.
Divide the dough mixture (it will still be crumbly) among six 4 ½ inch
tartlette pans with removable bottoms. Using your fingertips, press the
dough into the bottom and up the sides of each pan. Place the tartlette
pans on a baking sheet; place the sheet in the freezer for 45 minutes.
Remove the tartlette shells from the freezer. Cover the pans with a
sheet of aluminum foil, pressing the foil against the bottom and sides
of each pan. Fill each pan, over the foil, with ceramic pie weights or
dried beans. Bake the tartlette shells for 15 minutes. Remove the foil
and weights. Return the shells to the oven and hake an additional 10
minutes. Cool the tartlette shells on a wire rack completely.
Make the milk chocolate almond filling: Break the Toblerone bars up into pieces, following the bars' indentations, and place the pieces into the bowl of a food processor
fitted with a metal chopping blade. Add the cocoa to the bowl and process the chocolate for 30 to 45 seconds, until finely ground.
Transfer the chocolate to a medium bowl.
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a gentle boil. Pour the hot
cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds to melt
the chocolate. Gently whisk until smooth. Stir in the almond extract.
Remove 1 ½ cups of the filling to another medium bowl. Cover both
bowls with plastic wrap and allow them to stand at room temperature for
3 hours.
Fill the cocoa clouds:
Using a hand-held electric mixer set at medium speed, heat the reserved
1 ½ cups filling for 1 to 2 minutes until light in color and fluffy.
Scrape the unwhipped filling onto the tartlette shells, dividing it
evenly. Use a small metal cake spatula to smooth the filling into an
even layer in the bottom of each shell. Scrape the whipped mixture over
this filling, dividing it evenly and smoothing it into an even layer on
each shell.
Make the cocoa cream:
In a chilled, medium bowl, stir together the cream, sugar, cocoa and
vanilla (the mixture will not be cohesive). Using a hand-held electric
mixer set at medium-high speed, beat the mixture until stiff peaks just
start to form. Cover and refrigerate the cocoa cream until up to two
hours before serving the cocoa clouds.
Garnish the cocoa clouds:
Remove the tartlettes from the pans. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a
medium star tip (such as Ateco #5) with the cocoa cream. Pipe the cream
in a shell pattern over the filling on each tartlette, covering it completely. Place each cocoa cloud on a dessert plate. Dust lightly with
cocoa. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.
Submitted By CHARLENE DEERING On 03-13-95