Chocolate Amaretti Custard With Fresh Fruit Recipes

BING CHERRY-AMARETTI FOOL

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute. Heat and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes., Place sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, extracts, 1 cup cherries and gelatin mixture in a blender; cover and process until cherries are pureed. Transfer to a large bowl., In a small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Remove 1/2 cup whipped cream; reserve for topping. Gently fold remaining whipped cream into cherry mixture. Fold in crushed cookies and remaining chopped cherries. Divide mixture among 8 dessert dishes. Refrigerate at least 2 hours., Serve with reserved whipped cream and optional toppings as desired.

AMARETTO CUSTARD

Steps:

• Warm Half& Half.
• Place sugar, egg yolks, salt, Amaretto, vanilla flavor, almond flavor, and almond paste in another bowl, mix well.
• Mix the Half& Half with egg yolk mixture.
• Pour mixture through a sieve.
• Pour mixture into well-buttered and sugared ceramic molds.
• Bake at 350 degrees in water bath for about 45 minutes or until set.
• Cool, unmold, and serve with fresh sliced fruit, fruit sauce, caramel sauce, or whipped cream.
• Yield: four servings.

LEMON MERINGUE WITH AMARETTI COOKIE TOPPING

Steps:

• For the custard: In a small saucepan, bring the milk and lemon zest to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and egg yolks (the mixture will be thick). Pour the milk mixture into the bowl, whisking until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk slowly and constantly over medium-low heat until smooth and thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Whisk in the lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Transfer the custard to a clean bowl and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• For the meringue: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the syrup cool for 1 minute. While the sugar mixture is cooking, in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and beat until the egg whites hold soft peaks. Reduce the speed to low and carefully drizzle the hot syrup down the side of the mixing bowl. Beat at high speed until the egg whites hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the lemon juice.
• Fold the custard into the meringue, then spoon into serving bowls or cups. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
• For the topping: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, blend together the flour, brown sugar and butter until the mixture begins to form into clumps, about 20 seconds. Add the cookies and pulse until the cookies are crushed into 1/4-to-1/2-inch pieces. Pulse in the almonds until combined. Arrange the mixture in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the almonds begin to brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle the topping over the meringue custard and serve.
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served use shell eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method.

CHOCOLATE-AMARETTI CUSTARD WITH FRESH FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour caramel into 5-cup ring mold. Using pastry brush, quickly brush caramel up sides of mold. Cool.
• Whisk 1 cup milk and cocoa in large bowl until cocoa dissolves. Whisk in remaining 2 cups milk, 2/3 cup sugar, rum, egg yolks and eggs. Stir in amaretti cookies. Pour custard into caramel-lined mold.
• Place mold in large roasting pan. Add enough warm water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pan and ring mold with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crust forms on top of custard and center 1 inch still moves when mold is gently shaken, about 35 minutes (do not overbake or custard will curdle). Transfer mold to rack and cool completely. Cover and chill overnight.
• Using small sharp knife, cut oranges between membranes to release segments. Run knife around sides of mold. Place plate atop mold. Invert custard onto plate, shaking gently to loosen and letting caramel run over custard. Remove mold. Arrange fruit in center of custard.