Jacques Torress Chocolate Nest Recipes

JACQUES TORRES'S CHOCOLATE LEATHER

Steps:

• Freeze a large marble slab overnight.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.
• Ladle a small amount of melted chocolate onto the frozen marble. Working quickly, use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate across the marble into one thin layer. Once smooth, use a knife to cut the chocolate to the desired width. Using the offset spatula, peel the chocolate strip from the marble. The chocolate may then be wrapped around the perimeter of a cake as a decorative element.

JACQUES TORRES'S CHOCOLATE SPIRALS

Steps:

• Place a tall glass container and a bottle of vodka in the freezer overnight.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a small round pastry tip.
• Fill frozen glass container two-thirds full with frozen vodka. Drizzle chocolate into the vodka. The more you move the pastry bag, the more organic the spiral. The chocolate will set instantly. Using 2 wooden skewers, remove the chocolate spiral to a parchment-lined baking sheet; let dry until ready to use. The spirals may be used to decorate cakes and cupcakes.

JACQUES TORRES'S CHOCOLATE BOWLS

Steps:

• Blow up a small clear balloon and tie to seal. Dip a side of the balloon into a large bowl of tempered chocolate, covering about halfway up the side of the balloon. Rotate balloon and repeat dip two more times, to create a petal like pattern. Shake off excess chocolate from the bottom. Place upright or at an angle (the direction will determine the shape of the finished bowl) on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat process for additional bowls. Refrigerate until set, 3 to 6 minutes.
• To test whether the chocolate has set, squeeze the balloon. If the chocolate pulls away from the balloon, then it is set. To remove the bowl, pop the balloon with a quick poke of a knife. Discard balloon scraps. Fill bowl as desired. Bowls may be filled with chocolate mousse, ice cream, or whipped cream, and garnished with berries.

JACQUES TORRES'S CHOCOLATE NEST

Steps:

• Fill a rimmed baking sheet tray with water and freeze overnight, to create an ice slab.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water or a double boiler. Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a small plain round pastry tip.
• Remove the frozen sheet tray from the freezer. Working quickly, drizzle the melted chocolate across the ice lengthwise to form long strands of chocolate. Repeat until sheet pan is filled with strands of chocolate. Using a pairing knife, cut a clean edge on either end of the chocolate strands; set scraps aside for another use. Using your hands, quickly gather all of the strands and shape into a round nest. It will set instantly. Fill with candy eggs, if desired. Use nest to decorate a cake or create a smaller version to use on a cupcake.

WORKING WITH CHOCOLATE BY JACQUES TORRES

Steps:

• Melting Chocolate:
• Chocolate melts best at temperatures between 104 and 113 degrees F (40 and 45 C). Never melt chocolate directly over a heat source. Use an indirect heat source like a hot water bath so the chocolate reaches a temperature of 104 to 113 degrees F (40 to 45 C). This is the perfect temperature to begin tempering.
• Tempering Chocolate:
• Tempering is important because it determines the final gloss, hardness, and contraction of the chocolate. When you melt chocolate, the molecules of fat separate. In order to put them back together, you temper it. There are a variety of ways to do it.
• One of the easiest ways to temper it is to place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. Be careful; the chocolate will not look like it has melted because it retains its shape. The chocolate should be only slightly warmer than your bottom lip. You may still see lumps in it but, don¿t worry; the residual heat of the chocolate will melt them. You can also use an immersion blender to break up the lumps and start the recrystallization process. Usually, the chocolate begins to set (recrystallize) along the side of the bowl. As it begins to crystallize, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate and they will begin the recrystallization process. I like to use glass bowl because it retains the heat and keeps the chocolate tempered a long time.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, tempering is achieved by adding small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate but is usually one fourth of the total amount. I usually use an immersion blender to mix the two together.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is call tabliering. Chocolate is melted over a hot water bath to a temperature between 88 and 90 degrees F (31 to 34 C). (White and milk chocolate are melted to a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less, depending on the amount of milk fat they contain.) Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured on a cold table or marble surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until the temperature of the chocolate is approximately 81 degrees F (27 C). At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining one third of non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass in the bowl has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is further worked on the cold table until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room and makes a big mess.
• Checking Tempering:
• A simple method of checking tempering is by applying a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within 5 minutes.
• Storing Chocolate:
• You need to use enough to make it easy to work with so you will always have extra chocolate in molding most of these recipes. Chocolate is susceptible to moisture and absorbs external odors. It is also important to protect it from light and air. Store it in a cool dry place in closed packaging. The ideal temperature for storing chocolate is between 54 and 68 degrees F (12 and 20 C). Do not store chocolate in the refrigerator where the humidity (moisture) will affect it.
• A soft white layer on the surface of chocolate is called fatbloom. It is caused when a thin layer of fat crystals forms on the surface of the chocolate. Storage at a constant temperature will delay the appearance of fatbloom.
• Sugarbloom is a rough and irregular layer on top of the chocolate caused by condensation (when chocolate is taken out of the refrigerator). This moisture will dissolve the sugar in the chocolate. When the water evaporates, the sugar recrystallizes into rough, irregular crystals on the surface and gives the chocolate an unpleasant look. Prevent sugarbloom by preventing temperature shocks.

EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE - JACQUES TORRES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Tightly wrap outside of 10-inch diameter springform pan with 3 sheets of heavy-duty foil. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Spray inside of pan with nonstick spray.
• Combine both chocolates in double boiler over simmering water. Stir until just melted. Remove from over water.
• Bring 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup plus 2 T water to boil in saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. Gradually whisk hot syrup into into melted chocolate (mixture may look curdled). Add butter; whisk to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl to blend well, about 2 minutes. Using rubber spatula, gently fold egg mixture into warm chocolate mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan (batter will come halfway up sides).
• Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of cake pan.
• Bake cake until wooden skewer inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Remove cake pan from water. Remove foil; cool completely on rack.
• Cut around cake sides to loosen. Remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Dust with cocoa powder and serve.

CHOCOLATE BLACK-OUT CAKE WITH GANACHE DRIZZLE -JACQUES TORRES

Steps:

• I made this cake in a set of metal dry measure cups. You can use a traditional 9-inch baking pan, if you prefer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the cake: Melt the butter into the coffee. When the butter has melted, whisk in the buttermilk.
• Placed the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and place on low speed. Add the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda 1 at a time and mix just until combined. Add the vanilla and the coffee buttermilk mixture. Mix just until combined.
• If you are using dry measure cups, place the batter in a container with a spout to make it easier to pour the batter into the dry measure cups. Place the measuring cup molds onto a cookie sheet. Spray each cup with vegetable cooking spray. Fill each cup half full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• To make the ganache drizzle: Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. 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 will cause the fat in the chocolate to separate. If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid. I use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate. Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous.
• Unmold the cakes and let cool on a wire rack placed over a parchment paper lined baking sheet. When cool, stack the cakes on top of each other with the largest cake on the bottom layer. Placing the cakes on a wire rack placed over a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to spread the ganache over the cakes letting the excess drizzle over the sides. Use an offset spatula to move the cakes to the presentation plate.
• Make the chocolate curls: Use a block of white chocolate. Pull a vegetable peeler over the edge to create chocolate curls. Use the curls to decorate the cakes.

JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. When the milk boils, remove it from the heat and make a ganache by adding the chopped chocolate. Whisk well, stirring into the edge of the saucepan to combine. The ganache should be homogenous and smooth. Set the ganache aside.
• In a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the heavy cream, butter, and sugar. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. The butter should be completely melted and the sugar completely dissolved. Once the mixture has come to a boil, pour the cream into the warm ganache.
• Place the sauce over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. As the chocolate sauce cooks, it will begin to thicken slightly. When it reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and pour it into a clean, dry bowl. Cover by placing plastic wrap directly on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Let the chocolate sauce cool to room temperature before storing at room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. When cold, the chocolate sauce will become thick enough to be scooped with a spoon.
• One of the wonderful qualities of this sauce is that it can be reheated whenever needed. If using a microwave, simply place the chocolate sauce in a microwavable bowl and heat it at medium-high power in 30-second intervals until it becomes liquid. On the stovetop, place it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until it becomes liquid. If you store it in a squeeze bottle, you can easily drizzle it over a dessert or decorate a plate. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. It can also be frozen for up to two months if stored in an airtight container, to be kept on hand for a last-minute dinner party. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat as described above until liquid.

JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Heat heavy cream and honey in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbled begin to form.
• Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
• Add half the hot cream to chocolate, let mixture stand for about 30 seconds undisturbed, then stir lightly to combine. Repeat with remaining cream, then stir the resulting ganache gently until all chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Add butter, and whisk until well blended.
• Fill shell with ganache, transfer to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until filling is set (about 1 1/2 hours). When ready, remove tart from refrigerator, and serve.