Dark Chocolate Pate Recipes

CHOCOLATE PATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F, 180C, Gas Mark 4.
• Coat a 9" or 10" bread loaf pan with cooking spray or lightly butter and set aside.
• Boil water in a kettle.
• Place butter, sugar and coffee in a double boiler (or place large mixing bowl on top of medium saucepan filled with boiling water) and heat until all butter is melted.
• Stir in broken chocolate and mix until smooth.
• Remove from heat (or remove mixing bowl from saucepan) and cool for 10 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time either mixing by hand or using a hand mixer at a slow speed (only blend, do not beat).
• Pour into greased bread pan.
• Place bread pan in a roasting pan filled with 1 to 1 1/2 inches of warm water.
• Place in oven for 60-75 minutes.
• Remove just before it starts to brown on the edges.
• Let stand until it cool to touch (will reduce in size).
• Place tightly covered in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight to set.
• To remove from pan, fill sink with 2-3 inches hot water and place pan in sink (careful not to let water spill in chocolate).
• Let sit 10-15 minutes (depending on water temp) and run a small sharp knife around to aid removal.
• Place serving plate on top and flip over.
• Cut into thin pieces.
• Serve with clotted cream, cream, whipped cream topped with fresh raspberries.
• Serves 12-15 slices.
• *N.B.Chocolate should be less than 60% cocoa content.A higher cocoa content will make the paté grainier.
• N.B.You can double the recipe and fill within ¼ inch of top of bread pan.Prepare ramekin dishes for left over liquid.

RICH, DARK CHOCOLATE PATE WITH RASPBERRY SPLASH

Steps:

• Line a 9 by 5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Place chopped chocolate into the top of a double boiler; add cream and butter. Melt over medium heat, stirring until completely smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute, continuing to stir.
• Whisk in egg yolks. Sift icing sugar into chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in liqueur. Pour into prepared pan.
• Chill for at least 8 hours to set, or overnight.
• Unmould cake, removing paper. Dust top with cocoa powder. Drizzle a large spoonful of the raspberry splash on each plate. Using a hot, wet knife, slice cake and place on plate.
• Raspberry Splash: In a food processor, puree raspberries, berry sugar and lemon juice. Pass sauce through sieve to remove seeds.
• Note: I have taken this recipe and cut it in half quite successfully ~ or ~ I have placed the cake in 2 smaller loaf pans and frozen one. Freeze for 1 month.

DARK CHOCOLATE TERRINE

Steps:

• Lightly oil an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2-inch loaf pan and line it as neatly as possible with plastic wrap, allowing the ends to drape over the sides. (I lay two pieces of plastic wrap crosswise in the pan, overlapping in the center.) Place the pan in the freezer.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Place the butter in the bowl, then the chocolate and coffee powder and heat until just melted, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. As soon as the chocolate and butter are melted, take the bowl off the heat and whisk in, one at a time, and in order, first the confectioners' sugar, then the cocoa powder, egg yolks, Cognac and salt. Set the bowl aside for 15 minutes to cool.
• Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the whites form firm but not dry peaks. Fold the whites into the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula.
• Without cleaning the bowl or whisk attachment, pour the cream and vanilla into the bowl and beat on high speed until it forms firm peaks. Fold the cream carefully but thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, fold the plastic wrap over the top and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, turn the terrine out of the mold and unwrap it. Spoon a puddle of Orange Sauce in the middle of each dessert plate and place a slice of the terrine in the middle. Sprinkle each serving lightly with orange zest and fleur de sel.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until very thick. Reduce to low speed and mix in the cornstarch.
• With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture (I use a liquid measuring cup for pouring). Pour the mixture into a clean, small, deep saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it reaches 180 degrees F on a candy thermometer and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. The mixture will coat the spoon. Don't cook it above 180 degrees F or the eggs will scramble! Immediately (it will keep cooking in the saucepan), pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in the vanilla, Cognac, Grand Marnier and orange zest. Cover and chill.

DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

DARK CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°. Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk and chocolate. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. , Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. , Gently stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted. Spoon into crust. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. If desired, serve with whipped cream and grated chocolate.