Chocolate Crème Chiboust Recipes

CHOCOLATE CRèME CHIBOUST

Steps:

• If making the Meyer lemon tarts, line a 9 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat.
• Put the milk in a saucepan and bring almost to a simmer. Whisk the cocoa powder and gelatin together and add to the milk. Whisk until smooth.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until creamy. Mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons sugar and add to the yolks. Whisk until light. Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the simmering milk to the yolks and whisk for about 1 minute to temper them (keep the pan off the heat while you do this). Then scrape the yolks into the saucepan and whisk well. Return the pan to the heat and cook, whisking just about constantly so the chocolate cream doesn't scorch. The mixture will become very thick. Watch for the cream to bubble up, almost like lava. Once you see the first bubble erupt, cook for another minute, still whisking. Remove from the heat and mix with an immersion blender, scraping the pan often, until very creamy.
• Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk. Add the egg white powder, a pinch of cream of tartar, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Beat the whites at the lowest speed while you make the sugar syrup.
• Combine the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Mix with your fingers until the sugar is like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat until the syrup reaches 250°F. Once the sugar comes to a boil, increase the mixer speed on the egg whites to medium. You want the whites not quite at soft peaks when the syrup is ready.
• With the mixer still at medium speed, pour the syrup in a steady stream into the whites, avoiding the whisk and the sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to high and beat the whites until the sides of the bowl feel cool.
• Mix the chocolate cream again with the immersion blender. Mix about one-quarter of the whites into the cream to lighten it, then scrape into a large bowl. Fold in the remaining whites.
• Spread the chiboust into the baking sheet and even it out. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about 2 hours.
• If you are making the chiboust to serve on its own, just put it into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• While it isn't essential for you to temper chocolate or the recipes in this book, the bright, shiny surface of tempered chocolate will give your dessert a beautiful, professional look. Use the best-quality chocolate, preferably Valrhona. Chop 5 ounces (142 g) bittersweet chocolate into small, even pieces. Reserve 1 ounce (28 g). Put the 4 ounces of chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of barely simmering-not boiling-water. Melt the chocolate, stirring often with a heatproof rubber scraper to keep the temperature even. When the chocolate is melted and has reached about 110°F, stir in the reserved chocolate. When the new chocolate has melted-this will happen very quickly-move the bowl to the counter and let the chocolate cool to 88°F to 90°F and keep the chocolate at this temperature. To test it, dip a small offset spatula into the chocolate. The chocolate should set within 4 minutes. If the chocolate has cooled down below 88°F, you can zap it for a second or two in a microwave, but be careful not to bring the temperature above 90°F.

WARM LEMON CHIBOUST WITH LEMON THYME INFUSED MILK CHOCOLATE VELOUTé

Steps:

• Make Chiboust:
• In 3-quart pot over moderate heat, bring milk and cream to boil. In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Gradually whisk hot milk and cream mixture into egg-yolk mixture, then return mixture to pot. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain custard, pressing on solids, through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl.
• Place lemon juice in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over juice and let stand 1 minute to soften, then stir until dissolved, about 1 minute. Stir lemon juice mixture and lemon zest into custard, press plastic wrap onto surface of custard, and let cool at room temperature.
• In small saucepan, stir together 3/4 cup water and remaining 11 tablespoons sugar. Clamp on candy thermometer and set over moderate heat. Simmer, uncovered and undisturbed, until thermometer registers 235°F, 10 to 12 minutes. While syrup is simmering, in large bowl using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt just until soft peaks begin to form, about 3 to 4 minutes. With mixer running, slowly and carefully pour hot syrup into egg whites, then continue to whip until meringue thickens, becomes glossy, and holds soft peaks, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• When custard has cooled, gently fold in meringue. Divide Chiboust evenly among 12 silicone muffin cups and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Make dough:
• In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Using pastry blender or fingertips, blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. In small bowl, whisk together yolks and 1 tablespoon ice water, then drizzle over flour mixture and stir with fork until just combined. With floured hands, gently knead mixture until dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth, 4 to 5 times. Form dough into ball, then flatten into 5-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• On 13- by 18-inch piece of parchment, lightly dusted with flour, roll out dough to 1/4-inch-thick-round (about 12 to 13 inches in diameter). Transfer parchment and dough to sheet pan, then cover with plastic and chill in refrigerator 30 minutes.
• Bake Chiboust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove dough from refrigerator. Using 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds and place on large baking sheet. Remove Chibousts from freezer, unmold, and place one on each dough round. Sift confectioners' sugar over and bake until Chibousts are puffy and thin crust has formed on top, about 20 minutes.
• While Chibousts are baking, make chocolate velouté:
• In large saucepan over moderate heat, bring cream to boil. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• In one-quart pot over moderate heat, heat sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water, whisking constantly, until sugar dissolves, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour syrup over chocolate and whisk until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice and thyme. Keep warm.
• Assemble:
• Remove Chibousts from oven. Using blowtorch, brown top of each by moving flame evenly back and forth over top until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle each Chiboust with 2 tablespoons chocolate velouté and serve warm.