Chocolate Meringue "Sandwiches"

Chocolate Meringue "Sandwiches"

Chocolate lovers, rejoice -- this is your dessert. Cocoa powder flavors flat disks of meringues, and rich bittersweet chocolate is the base for the filling that holds them together. The components can be made ahead. Store the meringues, airtight, for up to 2 weeks, and the filling, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Let the assembled desserts sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, so the filling softens.

Yield: 8 Servings

For the meringues:
1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) powdered sugar
4 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

For the filling:
3/4 cup (6 ounces) heavy whipping cream
8 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Make the meringues:

Preheat the oven to 250 F.

Draw 20 circles, 2 inches in diameter, 1 inch apart, on a piece of parchment paper. Put the paper in the baking pan, marked side down.

Sift the powdered sugar with the cocoa.

Put the egg whites in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Beat the whites with the whisk attachment, starting on medium speed. When they start to froth, add about a third of the granulated sugar and beat until they become opaque and increase in volume. Add another third of the sugar and beat until they start to become firm, then turn up the mixer speed, add the rest of the sugar, and beat until they are stiff but still glossy. The whites will hang in soft, droopy peaks from the whisk when it is lifted from the bowl.

Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift a third of the powdered sugar and cocoa over the bowl (this will be the second time it is sifted) and fold this into the whites. Use a rubber spatula to fold, going to the bottom of the bowl in the center and coming up along the side. Rotate the bowl slightly after every fold. Fold in the remaining powdered sugar in two stages, sifting it into the bowl each time.

Fit a pastry bag with a plain 3/8-inch tip, and fill it with the meringue. Starting in the center of each circle, pipe a coil, filling the, circles.

Bake the meringues on the middle shelf of the oven until they are firm and can be detached from the paper, about 1 hour.

Cool the baking pan on a rack. When the meringues are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Make the filling:

Bring the whipping cream to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove it from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate into the cream until it is smooth. Transfer the chocolate cream to a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate.

Assemble the desserts:

The filling should be the consistency of thick mayonnaise. If it is freshly made, cool it until it thickens; if made ahead, leave it at room temperature until it softens.

Pile a generous tablespoon of filling in the middle of 8 meringues. Gently place another meringue on top of each, being careful not to push down too hard, so that each sandwich maintains some height. Put the meringues in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Crush the remaining meringues between pieces of wax or parchment paper. Remove the filled meringues from the freezer. Using a small offset spatula or a kitchen knife, smooth the remaining filling onto the sides of the sandwiches. Roll each finished sandwich in the crushed meringues.

Refrigerate the desserts until 30 minutes before serving.

Variation:
To make these for a dessert buffet, pipe the meringues into 1-inch instead of 2-inch disks.

Source: A Sweet Quartet: Sugar, Almonds, Eggs, and Butter: A Baker's Tour Including 33 Recipes by Fran Gage

Chocolate Balls with Caramelized Almonds

Chocolate Balls with Caramelized Almonds

Yield: about 60

Flavorless oil for the baking sheet
1 1/4 cups (9 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) water
1 2/3 cups (9 Ounces) whole blanched almonds, at room temperature
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Lightly oil a baking sheet with a flavorless oil.

Mix the sugar and water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Use an unlined copper sugar-pot if you have one. Cook the syrup over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the sugar dissolves. Put a candy thermometer in the pan. Wash any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the thermometer reaches 248 F.

Remove the thermometer, and turn off the heat. Add the almonds. Stir until the sugar syrup clumps and turns opaque. Over low heat, continue stirring until the sugar remelts and coats the nuts with a caramel-colored syrup. This will take about 20 minutes. If the nuts start to smoke, remove the pan from the heat for a minute, turn down the heat, and continue to cook.

When the sugar has melted again, carefully pour the almonds in the syrup onto the oiled baking sheet. Be careful -- the almonds will be very hot.

When the candy is cool, break it apart. Store it in an airtight container (not in the refrigerator) until you are ready to make the chocolate balls.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. (how to melt chocolate)
Use a food processor to grind the candy into a powder.
Mix the candy powder and the warm chocolate together.
Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate the candies until firm, but bring to room temperature before serving.

Source: A Sweet Quartet: Sugar, Almonds, Eggs, and Butter: A Baker's Tour Including 33 Recipes by Fran Gage

Chocolate Biscotti

Chocolate Biscotti

Although in Italy, biscotti is the term for cookie, here is a recipe that has become synonymous with the name biscotti. They are a wonderful dipping cookie or accompaniment to ice cream or sorbet.

The Metropolitan Bakery Cookbook Yield: 120 biscotti

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper (or use nonstick baking sheets). In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the lemon zest and liqueur. At low speed, add the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks and almonds.

Sprinkle a work surface with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Divide the dough in half. Roll each piece in the sugar into a 15-inch log. Arrange the logs, 3 inches apart, on 1 prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until center of each log is firm when gently pressed with a fingertip. Cool logs on the baking sheet 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Transfer the logs to a large cutting board. With a serrated knife, slice each log crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer the slices, cut-side down, to the baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until crisp. Transfer the biscotti to wire racks and cool completely.

Source: The Metropolitan Bakery Cookbook by James Barrett and Wendy Smith Born
Artisan Breads, Pastries, and Desserts from Philadelphia's Premier Bakery

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

This is not only the ultimate banana bread but also the perfect vehicle for overripe bananas. It is based on a recipe that my mom used to make when my brother and I were growing up. I thought that chocolate chips were needed in an otherwise perfect cake. This cake freezes beautifully, so eat one now and freeze one to enjoy later.

Yield: 8 servings

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (625 ml)
2 tsp baking soda (10 ml)
1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)
1 cup canola oil (250 ml)
2 cups granulated sugar (500 ml)
4 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large) (500 ml)
1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (325 ml)
3/4 cup toasted walnuts (optional) 175 (ml)

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)

Two 9- by 5-inch (2 L) metal loaf pans, lined with parchment or waxed paper, greased

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture, beating just until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.

Spread batter in prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on racks.

Tip: You can easily freeze overripe bananas, skin and all. Just be sure to thaw them before mashing.

Source: 125 best Chocolate Chip Recipes by Julie Hasson

Black Cherry & Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

Black Cherry & Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

Frozen YogurtYield: 6 servings

1-1/2 cups (approx. 8 oz.) pitted black cherries, fresh or frozen
2 cups cherry low fat yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Swirl
1 ounce chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
2 Tablespoons water

Coarsely chop 1/2 cup cherries; set aside. In a blender or food processor container, combine remaining cherries, yogurt, honey and almond extract; process until smooth. Stir in reserved cherries. Transfer mixture to ice cream maker; freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. When frozen, place 1/4 of yogurt in medium container; drizzle with 1/4 of Chocolate Swirl; repeat with remaining yogurt and chocolate. Store in freezer until ready to serve.

Chocolate Swirl
In a small saucepan, combine 1 ounce chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate and 2 Tablespoons water. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe)
Calories: 211, Fat Total: 3 g, Protein: 4 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Carbohydrates: 46 g, Sodium: 42 mg, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Calories from fat: 12%
Source: National Honey Board