Bittersweet Pastries With Raspberry Sauce Recipes

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE TORTE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with parchment paper. Stir chocolate and margarine in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool until lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until pale and very thick, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture in 2 additions and beat until well blended. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake torte until crust forms on top and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter and some moist crumbs still attached, about 55 minutes (top may crack). Run small sharp knife around torte to loosen. Cool in pan on rack (torte will fall and crack). Remove pan sides. Invert torte onto platter. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.)
• Grind 1/3 cup sugar in blender until fine powder forms. Place doily atop torte. Sift ground sugar over doily; gently remove doily. Garnish torte with raspberries, if desired. Serve with Raspberry Sauce.

EASY RASPBERRY PASTRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Unfold puff pastry onto a cutting board; cut crosswise into 5 equal strips.
• Spread 4 strips with raspberry jam, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Stack coated strips; top with remaining strip. Freeze until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. With a serrated knife slice stack crosswise 1/4-inch-thick placing slices on baking sheets as you work, 4 inches apart. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake until puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

RASPBERRY DESSERT WITH VANILLA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the raspberries, orange juice and tapioca; let stand for 15 minutes. Stir in sugar and salt. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Cover and refrigerate., For vanilla sauce, combine cornstarch and sugar in a small saucepan; gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat., Whisk 1/2 cup of hot mixture into the egg; return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or just until the sauce thickens slightly and reaches 160° (do not boil)., Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a large bowl; press a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap over top of sauce. Refrigerate until serving., Divide raspberry mixture among four dessert dishes; top with vanilla sauce.,

CHOCOLATE MOLTEN CAKES WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE AND CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Butter six 3/4-cup souffle dishes or custard cups.
• Stir the butter and chocolate in a heavy, medium saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly.
• Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl to blend. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar, and then the melted chocolate and the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared dishes, dividing equally. Bake the cakes until the sides are set but the center remains soft and runny, about 11 minutes (or up to 14 minutes for batter that was refrigerated).
• Run a small knife around the cakes to loosen. Immediately turn the cakes out onto plates. Spoon Raspberry Sauce around the cakes. Top with Vanilla Sweet Cream and Chocolate Truffles.
• Cook the raspberries, confectioners' sugar and lemon juice over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any seeds and chill.
• In chilled bowl, whisk the cream until it begins to foam and thicken. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk just until soft peaks form.
• Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Make sure that you have chopped the chocolate as finely as possible to allow it to melt quickly and easily. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl. Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Then slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous. Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once; the shock of the temperature extremes would cause the fat in the chocolate to separate.
• Pour the ganache onto a plastic wrap-covered baking sheet and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature.
• When the ganache has cooled to the consistency of a thick paste, scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds spaced 1-inch apart on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. To pipe the mounds, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you begin to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. You can also use a spoon and drop small mounds of ganache onto the baking sheet. Let the truffles harden in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, until they are hard enough to roll with your hands.
• To roll the mound into a ball, place a truffle between both palms, squeeze slightly and roll between your hands. The truffles will look nicer if they are as round as possible.
• When all the truffles are rolled into balls, they are ready to be coated. If they have become too soft, place them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to coat. Roll in cocoa powder or chopped walnuts, one at a time.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MOUSSE IN PHYLLO WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• On a work surface, stack phyllo sheets and cut out three 6-inch squares (6 total), discarding scraps. Stack phyllo squares between 2 sheets of wax paper and cover with a kitchen towel. Line each of two 1/2-cup muffin tins with 1 phyllo square, pressing gently into bottom, with edges overhanging top of tin. Repeat with remaining squares in same 2 tins, overlapping corners in different directions, but do not reposition phyllo once in tin (it may tear).
• Bake phyllo shells in middle of oven until edges are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer phyllo shells to a rack and cool completely. Phyllo shells may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Make sauce:
• In a saucepan, simmer raspberries and granulated sugar, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes and stir in eau-de-vie or liqueur. In a blender, purée mixture until smooth and strain through a sieve into a heatproof bowl. Chill sauce, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
• Make mousse:
• In a small saucepan whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch and add water and egg, whisking until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, whisking and simmer, whisking vigorously, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate and eau-de-vie or liqueur, stirring until chocolate is melted. Transfer mixture to a metal bowl set in a bowl of ice and cold water and beat until cold and lightened in color. In a bowl, beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold into chocolate mixture gently, but thoroughly. Chill mousse, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
• To make chocolate curls:
• In a small metal bowl, set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate and on a baking sheet (not non-stick) spread it with a metal spatula as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool chocolate until firm to the touch but not hard. (Alternatively, chill chocolate on sheet in refrigerator; if it becomes too hard let it soften slightly at room temperature.) with a pastry scraper or metal spatula held at an angle, scrape chocolate slowly from sheet, letting it curl. Transfer curls carefully as formed to another baking sheet lined with wax paper. Chocolate curls may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely. An ounce of chocolate yields enough chocolate curls to garnish 2 to 4 Servings.
• To serve:
• In a bowl, whisk cream until it just begins to thicken. Pour some raspberry sauce onto 2 dessert plates and dot with thickened cream. Pull point of a skewer or wooden pick through cream to form hearts. With a sieve, dust phyllo shells with confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Arrange phyllo shells on top of sauce and spoon about 1/3 cup mousse into each shell (do not overfill). Top mousse with chocolate curls.

CHOCOLATE DESSERT WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Line bottom of a 9-in. springform pan with parchment; set aside. , Place chocolate and butter in top of double boiler. Bring water to boil; reduce heat and stir chocolate until melted. , In a large bowl, beat eggs for 2 minutes. Slowly add chocolate mixture to eggs, beating at medium speed about 10 minutes. Blend in sugar and flour just until mixed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes (cake will not be set in the middle). Chill. , For the sauce, combine raspberries, 1-3/4 cups water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Put through sieve; discard the seeds. Add water if needed to make 2 cups juice. , Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl; stir until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to raspberry mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat; cool. , To serve, spoon about 2 tablespoons sauce on each dessert plate; place a thin wedge of chocolate dessert on sauce. Garnish with whipped cream and reserved raspberries.

BITTERSWEET PASTRIES WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the raspberry sauce, thaw raspberries, if frozen. Do not drain. Place raspberries in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Press berries through a fine-mesh sieve; discard seeds. Stir in 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. Cover and chill until serving time.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil; set aside. In a small bowl, beat together egg and water; set aside.
• Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll to a 12-inch square. Cut into twelve 3x4-inch rectangles. Place about 1 teaspoon of Ghirardelli® 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips in the center of each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Brush edges of squares with egg mixture. Fold each to form a 3x2-inch rectangle. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Repeat process with remaining puff pastry sheet.
• Prick tops with a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg mixture. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly on wire racks. Dust tops of pastries with powdered sugar. Enjoy warm raspberry sauce.