Intense Chocolate Custards with Nibs

No matter the season or the setting, this thoroughly satisfying dessert hits the spot. The serving size is intentionally small – all the better to savor the intense hit of chocolate. I like to serve this with chocolate sorbet alongside, also embellished with a touch of crunchy chocolate nibs.

8 servings

Equipment

A double boiler; a baster; eight 1/4-cup (65 ml) vodka or shot glasses.

Ingredients

5 ounces (150 g) bittersweet chocolate, such as Valrhona Guanaja 70%
3/4 cup (185 ml) light cream or half-and-half
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
Fleur de sel  
About 1 tablespoon chocolate nibs (see Note)

Note

What are nibs? Cacao nibs are pieces of cacao beans that have been roasted and hulled. Nibs taste faintly similar to roasted coffee beans. They have a great crunch, a slightly nutty flavor, and a pleasant touch of bitterness.

Method

1.     Break the chocolate into small pieces.

2.     In the top of the double boiler set over, but not touching, boiling water, heat the cream and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water just until warm. Add the chocolate pieces, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Add the butter and stir to melt and combine. Spoon the mixture into the glasses. (I have found that if you use a baster to “pipe” the chocolate into the glasses, it is less messy.) Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.  

3.     At serving time sprinkle, with fleur de sel and chocolate nibs.

Make ahead note

The custards can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, covered and refrigerated.

Wine Suggestion

I love to serve this treat with the chocolate-friendly, sweet Banyuls reserve wine from Domaine La Tour Vieille in the Languedoc. With its touch of spice, hint of chocolate and overtones of raspberry, what could be a finer partner for a chocolate dessert?

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This recipe was first published in The French Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Lessons from Paris and Provence.

All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Red Ruby Bars

Rhubarb – still known as “pie plant” – always reminds me of my childhood, because wherever we lived my mother was sure to plant rhubarb in the vegetable garden, ensuring a steady supply of this tangy vegetable for pies as well as sauces for spooning over vanilla ice cream. But rhubarb can be visually problematic, often losing its gorgeous rub red color as it cooks. I think that I have found a solution: in these delectable bars the rhubarb is not precooked – it is cut into extra-thin slices so it cooks quickly as the bars bake, retaining its bright red color.

Makes 16 squares

Equipment

A 9 1/2  x 9 1/2-inch (24 cm) square baking pan; baking parchment; a food processor.

Ingredients

Pastry

4 tablespoons (60 g) salted butter, chilled
1 cup (140 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (65 g) confectioners’ sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon, preferably organic
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt  
2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt

Topping

3/4 cup (150 g) unrefined cane sugar, preferably organic, vanilla scented
1/4 cup (40 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 large egg whites, preferably organic and free range
3 cups (300 g) thinly sliced rhubarb stalks (about seven 10-inch; 26 cm)

Method

1.  Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2.  Line the baking pan with two pieces of baking parchment, letting the parchment hang over the sides. (This will make it easier to remove the dessert once baked.)

3.  Prepare the pastry: In the food processor, combine all the pastry ingredients and process to blend. The mixture should be soft and pliable.

4.  Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the baking pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake until firm, about 12 minutes.

5.     While the pastry is baking, prepare the topping: In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and egg whites and whisk to blend. Add the rhubarb and stir to coat it evenly with the egg-white mixture.

6.     Remove the pan from the oven and spoon the rhubarb topping over the warm pastry. Return the baking pan to the oven and bake until the topping is firm and golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove from the pan and cut into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

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This recipe was first published in The French Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Lessons from Paris and Provence.

All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Chocolate Satin

I have to confess that I have been known to obsess over a recipe. And this one became a big-time obsession. I tinkered with this over an entire summer, working to find just the right proportion of whipped egg white, cream,  and the best kind of chocolate to use, to create a dessert that is at once creamy, fragrant, full-flavored and, well, unforgettable. And of course it can also be made in the spring, fall, and winter! This dessert differs from a classic chocolate mousse in which would contain egg yolks as well as whites. The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and I have literally seen guests scraping the serving bowl clean. I consider this success!

8 to 12 servings

Equipment

A sifter; a 6-quart (6 l) metal bowl; a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a whisk; a 1 1/2-quart (1.5 l) saucepan; an attractive 2-quart (2 l) serving bowl.

INGREDIENTS

10 ounces (300 g) 70% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (see Notes)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon Homemade Vanilla Extract (recipe on page 439 of My Master Recipes or pure vanilla extract
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
3 large egg whites, free-range and organic, at room temperature (see Notes)
1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Note

In our tests, we found best results with Lindt Excellence 70%, a chocolate, which is readily available at supermarkets. Be cautious about using just any chocolate; in chocolate with less than 70% cacao the final result will not always be firm enough.

METHOD

1.  Place the chocolate in the metal bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and vanilla extract.  

2.  In the saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over moderate heat. Pour the hot cream into the bowl with the chocolate, and, working rapidly, mix with a wooden spoon to melt the chocolate until you have a smooth and glossy texture, about 2 minutes. Let cool.  

3.  In the bowl of the mixer, whisk the egg whites at highest speed until frothy, about 10 seconds. Continue whisking until soft peaks form, about 1 minute more. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk at highest speed until satiny and stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes more. The mixture should be airy, glossy, and stiff like a meringue.

4.  Add about one-quarter of the egg white mixture to the cooled chocolate mixture to lighten it. Whisk gently until no streaks of white remain. Spoon the rest of the egg white mixture on top of the mixture in the bowl. Fold in the whipped egg white by hand: Using the edge of the spatula or a large metal spoon, cut through the two mixtures until you reach the bottom, then draw the spoon along the bottom of the bowl. Turn your wrist to bring the spoon up the side of the bowl, lightly bringing the chocolate mixture from the bottom to the top. As you do so, turn the bowl about 45 degrees, lightly overturning the spoon to fold the chocolate on top of the egg whites. Turning the bowl as you fold will incorporate the mixtures more efficiently. Continue cutting into the mixture and folding until just incorporated.

5.  Pour the mixture into the serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 1 week. The dessert will be firmer than a mousse but not as firm as a cake or brownie. Scoop into ice cream bowls with an ice-cream scoop or large, rounded spoon. Serve chilled. 

NOTE

Raw eggs are used in this preparation. Consuming raw eggs may increase the risk of foodborne illness. Raw eggs should be avoided by the very young and the very old, pregnant women, and anyone with a compromised immune system.

VARIATION

Mix about 1/2 cup (60 g) of chocolate cacao nibs into the chocolate mixture before folding, and/or sprinkle the top of the satin with cacao nibs at serving time.

MAKE AHEAD NOTE

This dessert can be prepared up to 1 week in advance, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.   

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This recipe was first published in My Master Recipes. All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Fig + Almond Tart

We have multiple varieties of fig trees on our property in Provence, and from June to October they offer an abundance of sweet fruits, some vibrant green, some green tinged with purple, and some almost black. My favorite variety is the small and delightfully sweet Ronde de Bordeaux, an ideal fig for tarts and jams.  

8 servings  

Equipment

A 10-inch (25 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom; a rolling pin; a baking sheet lined with baking parchment; a blender or a food processor.

Ingredients

A 14-ounce (400 g) sheet of Blitz Puff Pastry (page 294 or The French Kitchen Cookbook) or purchased all-butter puff pastry, thawed (see Notes)
1 cup (80 g) almond meal (see Note)
5 tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup (65 g) unrefined cane sugar, preferably organic, vanilla scented
2 tablespoons (20 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk, preferably organic and free-range
1 tablespoon fig jam 1 3/4 pounds (875 g; 35 to 40) small purple figs, stems trimmed Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Roasted Fig Sorbet (page 272 of The French Kitchen Cookbook), for serving

Notes

In our tests, we have preferred Dufour brand frozen puff pastry, available at most specialty supermarkets. See www.dufourpastrykitchens.com. Be sure to leave ample time for thawing frozen dough, at least 6 hours in the refrigerator.

Almond meal (sometimes called almond flour) is made from whole, unblanched (skin-on) almonds. For this recipe, whole, unblanched almonds can be finely ground in a food processor. Do not over-process or you may end up with almond butter.

METHOD

1.  Fold the pastry in half, transfer it to the tart pan and unfold it. Without stretching the dough, lift it up at the edges so that it naturally falls against the rim of the pan. With your fingertips, very delicately coax the dough onto the rim. There should be a generous overhang. With the rolling pin, roll over the top of the tin, trimming off the overhanging pastry to create a smooth, well-trimmed shell.

2.  Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the tart shell on the baking sheet.

3.  In the food processor, combine the almond meal, butter, sugar, flour, egg yolk, and fig jam and process to blend. Transfer the almond mixture to the pastry shell. Smooth out the top with a spatula. Place in the oven and bake just until the pastry firms up and begins to brown, and the almond mixture browns, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.

4.  Cut an X in the top of each fig and gently squeeze from the bottom to open the fruit like a flower. Arrange the figs, cut side up, side by side on top of the almond mixture.

5.  Return the tart pan to the oven and bake until the figs and the filling are dark and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. While the tart is still warm, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. After about 10 minutes, carefully remove the tart from the sides of the pan, leaving it on the pan base. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges, with Roasted Fig Sorbet. This tart is best served the day it is baked.

The secret: Ripe, but not overly ripe figs, which tend to give up too much liquid and turn the pastry soggy. Tip: Figs freeze beautifully. Treat them as you would berries: Arrange the whole fruit stem side up, side by side on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a zippered plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. For use, thaw at room temperature.

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This recipe was first published in The French Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Lessons from Paris and Provence.

All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Honey + Saffron Brioche

I have rarely seen students so enthused and bursting with pride as their airy brioche puffs to grandeur in the oven, arriving shiny and golden to the table just moments later. There is great triumph in baking perfection, and after a class, e-mails, photos, tweets and Facebook notations attest to the students prowess in the kitchen. In my kitchen, I use honey rather than sugar as a sweetener. The reasons are simple, honey just makes food taste better and for us it’s a homegrown product, produced from our bees that call Chanteduc and Provence home. When preparing this brioche, don’t omit the saffron: Infusing it in the warm milk dramatizes the intensity of these golden threads and adds an exotic flavor and aroma to the final product, not to mention the touch of color.

Note that you’ll need to start the brioche several hours before you plan to bake it.

Makes 2 loaves, about 16 slices each

Equipment

A heavy-duty mixer fitted with a flat paddle; a dough scraper;  two nonstick 1-quart (1 l) rectangular bread pans.

INGREDIENTS

sponge

1/3 cup (80 ml) whole milk, lukewarm
A generous pinch of best-quality saffron threads (about 1 heaping teaspoon, 30-40 filaments, or 0.3 gram)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons; 9 g) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 large ultra-fresh egg, preferably free-range and organic, lightly beaten
2 cups (280 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour

Dough

1/3 cup (80 ml) lavender honey, or other mild, fragrant honey
1 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 large, ultra-fresh  eggs, preferably free-range and organic, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups (210 g) unbleached, all purpose-flour
12 tablespoons (6 ounces; 180 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Egg wash  

1 large, ultra-fresh egg, preferably organic and free-range, lightly beaten

Note: 

A reliable saffron source is The Spice House www.thespicehouse.com 

METHOD

1.   Prepare the sponge: In the bowl of the heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the milk, saffron, yeast, and honey and stir to blend. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and 1 cup (140 g) of the flour and and stir to blend. The sponge will be soft and sticky. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup (140 g) flour, covering the sponge. Set aside to rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes. The sponge should erupt slightly, cracking the layer of flour.

2.   Prepare the dough: Add the honey, salt, eggs and the 1 1/2 cups (210 g) of the flour to the sponge. With the paddle attached, mix on low speed just until the ingredients come together, about 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes.

3.   To incorporate the butter into the dough, it should be the same consistency as the dough. To prepare the butter, place it on a flat work surface, and with the dough scraper, smear it bit by bit across the surface. When it is ready, the butter should be smooth, soft, and still cool – not warm, oily, or greasy.

4.   With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time. When all of the butter has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high for 1 minute. Then reduce the speed to medium and beat the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will be soft and sticky.

5. First rise: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

6. Chilling and second rise: Punch down the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight, or for at least 4 hours, during which time it will continue to rise and may double in size again.

7. After the second rise, the dough is ready to use.

8. To bake the brioche: Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, each weighing about 2 1/2 ounces (75 g).  Roll each piece of dough tightly into a ball and place 6 pieces side by side in each bread pan. Cover the pans with a clean cloth and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

9.  Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

10.Lightly brush the dough with the beaten egg. Working quickly, use the tip of a pair of sharp scissors to snip several crosses along the top of each pan of dough. (This will help the brioche rise evenly as it bakes). Place the pans in the oven and bake until the brioche loaves are puffed and deeply golden, 30 to 35 minutes.  Remove the pans from the oven and place on a rack to cool. Turn the loaves out once they have cooled.

The secret

Top-quality honey makes all the difference here. Honey not only enriches the flavor of this brioche, but also helps keep it moist.  

Note

The brioche is best eaten the day it is baked. It can be stored for a day or two, tightly wrapped. To freeze, wrap it tightly and store for up to 1 month. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature. 

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 This recipe was first published in The French Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Lessons from Paris and Provence.

All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Ginger Almond Bars

This is a gluten-free version of my classic Chestnut Honey Squares that I have been making for years, always to rave reviews from my students and friends.

Here, fresh ginger and candied ginger team up to make an uplifting, zesty treat that can be prepared in any season. This quick yet impressive dessert lends itself to endless reincarnations, using various dried fruits and citrus zests, even a cocoa version for chocolate lovers!

Makes 16 bars

Equipment

A 9 1/2  x 9 1/2-inch ( 24 cm) square baking pan; baking parchment; a 2-quart (2 l) saucepan; a baking rack.

Ingredients

Base

3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter
1-3/4 cups (165 g) almond meal (also called almond flour or almond powder)
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons mild honey, such as clover  
1 large egg, free range and organic, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (80 g) sliced almonds
1/3 cup (45 g) minced candied ginger
1/3 cup (80 ml) mild honey, such as clover
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 

Fresh Thyme Sorbet (page 92 of My Master Recipes) or Rosemary Sorbet (page 491 of My Master Recipes), for serving (optional)

Method

1.  Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the pan with baking parchment, letting the parchment hang over the sides. (This will make it easier to remove the dessert once baked.)

2.  Prepare the base: In the saucepan, melt the butter. Add the almond meal, fresh ginger, honey, egg, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. The mixture should be thick and sticky.

3.  Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan. To help make a level and even pastry, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pastry. Using a flat-bottomed glass (or your fingers), smooth out the base by pressing gently to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Bake until the pastry is slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, prepare the topping: In the same saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the almonds, candied ginger, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated.

5.  Once the base is baked, spread the topping evenly over the base and bake until the topping is a dark and sizzling, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not underbake. 

6.  Transfer the pan to a rack to cool in the pan. When the dessert is completely cool, remove it from the pan using the overhanging parchment as handles and cut it into 16 even squares. Serve with fresh thyme or rosemary sorbet.

Make ahead note

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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This recipe was first published in My Master Recipes. All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.

Chestnut Honey Squares

These rich honey squares satisfy with just a single bite. And they are so pretty once they come from  the oven, that you will proudly announce “I made these!”

Makes 32 squares

Equipment

A 9 1/2  x 9 1/2-inch ( 24 x 24 cm) baking pan; baking parchment; a food processor.

Ingredients   

 

pastry

3/4 cup (120 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (45 g) almond meal (see Note)  
3 tablespoons (35 g), unrefined caned sugar, preferably organic, vanilla scented
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1 large egg yolk, free-range and organic
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (80 g) sliced almonds
1/3 cup (30 g) candied orange or lemon peel, cut into tiny cubes
1/3 cup (65 g) unrefined cane sugar, preferably organic
2 tablespoons intensely-flavored honey, such as chestnut
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Note

Almond meal (sometimes called almond flour) is made from whole, unblanched (skin-on) almonds. For this recipe, whole, unblanched almonds can be finely ground in a food processor. Do not over-process or you may end up with almond butter.

Method

1.  Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2.  Line the baking pan with baking parchment, letting the parchment hang over the sides. (This will make it easier to remove the dessert once baked.) 

3.  Prepare the pastry:  In the food processor, combine the flour, almond meal, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of water. Pulse to incorporate. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, tablespoon by tablespoon, through the feed tube, pulsing until just before the pastry forms a ball. You may not need all the water.  

4.  Turn the dough out into the prepared baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Place in the oven and bake until the pastry begins to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.

5.  While the pastry is baking, prepare the topping: In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. If using a vanilla bean, use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the melted butter. Dry the vanilla bean at room temperature, then place in a jar with sugar to make vanilla sugar. Seal the jar. Add the almonds, candied peel, sugar, honey, and, if using, the vanilla extract. Heat just until the ingredients are incorporated.

6.  Remove the pan from the oven and spread the almond-honey mixture evenly over the pastry. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is a deep gold, 12 to 15 minutes.

7.  Remove from the oven. Transfer to a rack to cool in the pan. Once it has cooled remove from the pan and cut into 32 squares. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days).

Variation

Substitute dried black currants for the candied citrus.

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This recipe was first published in The French Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Lessons from Paris and Provence.

All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.