yield: Serves 12
A show-stopper centerpiece cake for February fourteenth. White chocolate provides a rich, buttery texture. To serve, remove the chocolate lid and break it into pieces to nibble along with the cake.
Ingredients
Chocolate Heart Lid
* 3 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt or Tobler), chopped
* 3 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
Cake
* 9 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt or Tobler), chopped
* 5 large eggs, separated, room temperature
* 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1tablespoon framboise liqueur or Grand Marnier
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, warm
* 3/4 cup cake flour
Icing
* 12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
* 3 tablespoon light corn syrup
* 3 tablespoons framboise liqueur or Grand Marnier
Assembly
* 1 1-pint basket strawberries, hulled and halved
* 1 1/2-pint basket raspberries
* 1 1-pint basket strawberries with stems, halved through stem end (stems left intact)
Berry Compote
* 2 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled and sliced
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons framboise liqueur or Grand Marnier
* 2 1/2-pint baskets raspberries
Preparation
To make heart lid:
Cut heart-shaped piece of waxed paper about 4 inches larger than 8x2-inch bottomless heart-shaped cake pan. Place on cookie sheet. Lightly oil inside of heart pan with vegetable oil. Butter outside of pan. Place heart pan atop paper on cookie sheet. Press waxed paper up onto outside of buttered pan to adhere, to prevent chocolate from leaking out. Place white chocolate in bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until smooth. Remove from over water. Place bittersweet chocolate in another bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; stir until smooth. Remove from over water.
Drop white chocolate by spoonfuls inside heart, spacing apart and allowing some to touch inner edge of pan. Drop bittersweet chocolate by spoonfuls into spaces. Move heart pan gently from side to side to distribute chocolate evenly and fill in heart completely. Swirl mixtures together using tip of knife. Holding cake pan to cookie sheet with hands, tap sheet firmly on counter to flatten chocolate. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
Run small sharp knife around outside of pan to loosen chocolate. Remove pan. Refrigerate chocolate lid until ready to use. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover with plastic wrap.)
To make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8x2-inch bottomless heart-shaped cake pan. Cut heart-shaped piece of heavy-duty foil 4 inches larger that heart cake pan. Butter and flour foil. Place on heavy large cookie sheet or double-stacked cookie sheets. Center heart pan on foil. Wrap foil around outsides of pan, folding, pressing and crimping firmly to adhere, to batter from leaking out. Place white chocolate in bowl. Set bowl over sauce-pan of simmering water; stir until smooth. Remove from over water.
Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl until pale yellow and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 3 minutes. Beat in framboise and vanilla, then butter. Add melted chocolate and beat until just combined.
Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until just stiff. Mix flour into chocolate mixture (batter will be very thick). Stir in 1/4 of whites to lighten. Gradually fold in remaining whites. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes. Cover top with foil. Bake until tip of small knife inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes (cake will be well browned). Cool in pan on rack.
To make icing:
Melt chocolate, butter and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Stir in framboise. Cool icing until firm enough to spread, about 2 hours.
Run small sharp knife around cake pan sides to loosen. Cut cake into 2 layers using serrated knife. Place bottom cake layer on platter cut side up. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Cover with top cake layer cut side down. Spread all but 1/2 cup icing over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake until icing is set, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate cake and remaining icing separately. Rewarm icing over very low heat until just spreadable before continuing with recipe.)
To assemble:
Mound some hulled strawberries and raspberries on right half of heart cake. Position lid atop berries at angle, moving berries around so that left edge of lid rests on left edge of cake. Tuck half of strawberries with stems, stems facing out, between cake and lid. Spread remaining icing over sides of cake where lid is attached, smoothing with spatula to create boxlike appearance. Reserve remaining strawberries and raspberries for garnish. Refrigerate cake until icing is set, about 1 hour. (Can be assembled 12 hours ahead.)
To make Berry Compote:
Toss two 1-pint baskets strawberries with sugar and framboise in large bowl. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours. Add raspberries and toss gently.
Arrange reserved berries on platter around cake. Serve cake, spooning compote over each piece.
From epicurious.com
Showing posts with label white chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label white chocolate. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2009
Friday, January 25, 2008
White Mountain Chocolate Cupcakes - Frosting
Pair with any chocolate cupcake.
Seven-Minute Frosting
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
Put the sugar, waer, egg whites, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double broiler with at least 2-quart capacity and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high speed until opaque, white, and foamy, about 1 minute. Put the bowl over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water or the bottom of the double broiler. The top container should sit firmly over the pan of hot water; be sure to keep the cord of the elecric mixer away from the burner. Beat on high speed until the frosting forms a soft peeak that stands straigh up if you stop the beaters and lift them up, about 7 minutes. The frosting should regiser 160 F on a thermometer. Remove the container of frosting from the water, add the vanilla and almond exracts, and continue beating for 2 minutes to further thicken the frosting.
Use a thin metal spatula to spread the thick layer of frosting, about 1/2 cup, over the top of each cupcake, dipping the spatula gently into the frosting to make swirls. Serve the cupcakes, or carefully cover them and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
From Cupcakes! by, Elinor Klivans.
Seven-Minute Frosting
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
Put the sugar, waer, egg whites, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double broiler with at least 2-quart capacity and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high speed until opaque, white, and foamy, about 1 minute. Put the bowl over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water or the bottom of the double broiler. The top container should sit firmly over the pan of hot water; be sure to keep the cord of the elecric mixer away from the burner. Beat on high speed until the frosting forms a soft peeak that stands straigh up if you stop the beaters and lift them up, about 7 minutes. The frosting should regiser 160 F on a thermometer. Remove the container of frosting from the water, add the vanilla and almond exracts, and continue beating for 2 minutes to further thicken the frosting.
Use a thin metal spatula to spread the thick layer of frosting, about 1/2 cup, over the top of each cupcake, dipping the spatula gently into the frosting to make swirls. Serve the cupcakes, or carefully cover them and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
From Cupcakes! by, Elinor Klivans.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
White Chocolate Tiramisu Trifle with Spiced Pears
To show off layers, use a 12-cup trifle dish, a footed glass bowl measuring about 8-inches across and 5-inches deep.
Spiced Pears
1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
2 cups pear juice or pear nectar
1 1 /4 cups sugar
12 whole green cardamom pods, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
4 1-inch diameter rounds peeled fresh ginger (each about 1/8 inch thick)
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
5 large firm but ripe Anjou pears (3 to 3 1/4 pounds), peeled
White Mascapone Mousse
7 oz high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped
1/2 cup poire Williams (clear pear brandy)
1/4 cup water
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 8- to 8.8 oz container mascorpone cheese*
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Trifle Assembly
3 3-oz packages soft ladyfingers**, separated
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger
White chocolate curls
1 Tbs powdered sugar
Spiced Pears
Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer with knife, about 35 minutes. Transfer liquid with pears to large bowl and refridgerate until cold, about 3 hours.
Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Boil poaching liquid in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until slightly thickened and reduced to generous 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain into 2-cups measuring cup; discard spices in strainer. Cool. Cover and chill pears and pear syrup until cold.
Mousse
Combine white chocolate, pear brandy, and 1/4 cup water in top of double
boiler set over simmering water. Stir until smooth (mixture will be very liquidy). Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean, discard bean. Transfer white chocolate mixture to large bowl; gradually add mascarpone, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cool mascarpone mixture until barely lukewarm.
Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture in 4 additions. Cover and chill white chocolate mousse until set, about 3 hours.
do ahead Pears and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Trifle Assembly
Cut pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Arrange ladyfingers, rounded sides down, in single layer in bottom of 12-cup trifle dish (about 8 inches in diameter and 5 inches deep), covering bottom completely (using about 15 ladyfingers). Drizzle 5 Tbs pear syrup evenly over ladyfingers, making layer slightly thicker around outer edges of dish to allow mousse to be more visible (center of mousse layer will be thin). Starting at single layer with curved edges against sides of dish atop mousse, covering completely. Repeat layering of ladyfingers, syrup, mousse, and pears 2 more times. Cover with fourth layer of ladyfingers (some ladyfingers and pear slices may be left over). Drizzle ladyfingers evenly with 5 Tbs syrup.
do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate trifle and remaining pear syrup separately.
Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups whipping cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup pear syrup and beat until stiff peaks form. Working in batches, transfer cream to large pastry bag with large star tip. Pipe rosettes all over top of trifle, mounding slightly in center. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Garnish with chocolate curls.
do ahead Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.
Sift powdered sugar over trifle just before serving.
*Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.
**Available in the bakery or bread section of some supermarkets and at speciatly food stores.
test-kitchen tip To make chocolate curls, place one 3/4-oz bar of high-quality chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina) on a plate and microwave on high at 5-second intervals just until slightly softened, but not hot or beginning to melt. Using vegetable peeler and starting at one long edge of the chocolate bar, shave white chocolate into curls. If the shaved chocolate breaks into small shards, it's not soft enough, so place in microwave again for a few seconds. If the chocolate becomes too soft, let it stand at room temperature or chill brifely until it firms up a bit.
Bon Appetit, December 2007.
Spiced Pears
1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
2 cups pear juice or pear nectar
1 1 /4 cups sugar
12 whole green cardamom pods, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
4 1-inch diameter rounds peeled fresh ginger (each about 1/8 inch thick)
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
5 large firm but ripe Anjou pears (3 to 3 1/4 pounds), peeled
White Mascapone Mousse
7 oz high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped
1/2 cup poire Williams (clear pear brandy)
1/4 cup water
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 8- to 8.8 oz container mascorpone cheese*
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
Trifle Assembly
3 3-oz packages soft ladyfingers**, separated
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger
White chocolate curls
1 Tbs powdered sugar
Spiced Pears
Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer with knife, about 35 minutes. Transfer liquid with pears to large bowl and refridgerate until cold, about 3 hours.
Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Boil poaching liquid in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until slightly thickened and reduced to generous 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain into 2-cups measuring cup; discard spices in strainer. Cool. Cover and chill pears and pear syrup until cold.
Mousse
Combine white chocolate, pear brandy, and 1/4 cup water in top of double
boiler set over simmering water. Stir until smooth (mixture will be very liquidy). Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean, discard bean. Transfer white chocolate mixture to large bowl; gradually add mascarpone, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cool mascarpone mixture until barely lukewarm.
Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture in 4 additions. Cover and chill white chocolate mousse until set, about 3 hours.
do ahead Pears and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Trifle Assembly
Cut pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Arrange ladyfingers, rounded sides down, in single layer in bottom of 12-cup trifle dish (about 8 inches in diameter and 5 inches deep), covering bottom completely (using about 15 ladyfingers). Drizzle 5 Tbs pear syrup evenly over ladyfingers, making layer slightly thicker around outer edges of dish to allow mousse to be more visible (center of mousse layer will be thin). Starting at single layer with curved edges against sides of dish atop mousse, covering completely. Repeat layering of ladyfingers, syrup, mousse, and pears 2 more times. Cover with fourth layer of ladyfingers (some ladyfingers and pear slices may be left over). Drizzle ladyfingers evenly with 5 Tbs syrup.
do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate trifle and remaining pear syrup separately.
Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups whipping cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup pear syrup and beat until stiff peaks form. Working in batches, transfer cream to large pastry bag with large star tip. Pipe rosettes all over top of trifle, mounding slightly in center. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Garnish with chocolate curls.
do ahead Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.
Sift powdered sugar over trifle just before serving.
*Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.
**Available in the bakery or bread section of some supermarkets and at speciatly food stores.
test-kitchen tip To make chocolate curls, place one 3/4-oz bar of high-quality chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina) on a plate and microwave on high at 5-second intervals just until slightly softened, but not hot or beginning to melt. Using vegetable peeler and starting at one long edge of the chocolate bar, shave white chocolate into curls. If the shaved chocolate breaks into small shards, it's not soft enough, so place in microwave again for a few seconds. If the chocolate becomes too soft, let it stand at room temperature or chill brifely until it firms up a bit.
Bon Appetit, December 2007.
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