Romantic Valentine’s Day gifts
Valentine’s Day is here! Do you still need to get a gift for that special someone? Chef Richard from American Club joins FOX6 WakeUp to provide romantic Valentine’s Day ideas. Below are recipes for Chocolate Sabayon, Chocolate Decadence Torte, Pate Sablee Dough, and Valentine’s Desert.
Chocolate Sabayon
Ingredients
5 tablespoons dry Marsala
4 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
METHOD:
Heat the Marsala in a microwavable glass bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 30 seconds.
In a separate metal mixing bowl whip egg yolks with sugar until light and lemony colored. Add the cocoa powder. Gradually add the hot Marsala.
Set bowl over pan of simmering, not boiling water, whisk continuously until very thick and mixture just begins to stick to the bottom. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until melted and warm. Cool slightly
Yields ¾ cup
Chocolate Decadence Torte
Ingredients:
For the Sponge Cake;
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, clarified*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sifted cake flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
For the Syrup;
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Myers Dark Rum
For the Chocolate Chantilly;
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Callebaut)
3 cups whipped cream – beaten stiff
For the Chocolate Glaze;
2 cups heavy cream
1 pound and 6 ounces chocolate – finely chopped
Method:
For the Sponge Cake;
Prepare 9-inch round cake pan by lining bottom of pan with parchment paper cut to fit bottom. Spray all of cake pan with vegetable oil spray.
*To make clarified butter, melt 5 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over low heat. When completely melted, remove from heat, let stand for about 5 minutes allowing the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Skim the foamy white butter from the top; discard. Spoon off the clear yellow liquid and reserve-this is clarified butter. Set aside. Discard the milk solids on the bottom of the pan. You should have approximately 4 tablespoons clarified butter for this recipe.
Sift together cake flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Over a hot water bath, heat eggs and sugar together until about 100° F. Beat in an electric mixer with a whip attachment at moderate speed until light and fluffy and just to room temperature. Fold in flour and cocoa powder mixture until blended. Fold in clarified butter and vanilla extract.
Pour batter into prepared 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 350° F. for about 30-35 minutes or until a inserted toothpick comes out clean.
For the Syrup;
In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a rolling boil. Cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate overnight.
Add rum just before using.
For the Chocolate Chantilly;
Melt chocolate thoroughly until completely smooth. Remove from the water bath and leave at room temperature for 5 minutes. Beat the chilled cream until stiff. Whisk 1/4 of the cream into the chocolate, scraping the sides to insure incorporation. Fold the rest of the cream in until thoroughly incorporated.
For the Chocolate Glaze;
Bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add all of finely chopped chocolate. Whisk until absolutely smooth.
Final Preparation:
When cake is cool, cut into 2 portions horizontally . Brush first layer with rum syrup. Place back in 9-inch cake pan that has been lined with parchment on the bottom and sides. Make the Chocolate Chantilly cream. Place two-thirds of the cream into the bottom layer of the cake, cover with 2nd cake layer. Brush with rum syrup. Cover with rest of Chocolate Chantilly Cream.
Thoroughly wrap cake in plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.
After completely frozen unmold the cake and place on cardboard round, cut exactly to fit. Chocolate cream layer should be up. Let defrost in refrigerator for 4 hours. Make the chocolate glaze. Allow to cool somewhat until glaze is only light warm. Place cake on a wire rack on a sheet pan. Pour all over cake and sides and allow to flow. With a spatula and one motion remove excess glaze from top. Place in refrigerator. Loosen cake sides from glazing rack with a very warm metal spatula. Decorate as desired. Cut with a very hot clean knife.
Makes One 9-inch cake
Pâté Sablée Dough
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Method:
Place the flour, butter, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add the egg and pulse just until the pastry begins to hold together, about 20 times. Transfer the pastry to waxed paper. Flatten the dough into a disk.
Dust your fingers with flour, then, working very quickly with just your fingertips, press the dough into a 10 ½-inch loose-bottomed black tin tart pan. Press the dough up sides of the shell and crimp evenly. Cover carefully with plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Prick the bottom of the shell with the tines of a fork. Line the shell loosely with heavy-duty foil, pressing well into the edges so the pastry does not shrink while baking. Fill with baking weights, rice, or dried beans – making sure you get all the way into the edges – to prevent shrinkage. Bake just until the pastry begins to brown around the edges and seems firm enough to stand up by itself, about 20 minutes.
For a partially baked shell: Remove the weights and foil and continue baking until lightly browned all over, about 10 more minutes.
For a fully baked shell: Remove the weights and foil. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Watch the pastry carefully! Ovens vary tremendously and pastry can brown very quickly. Cool for at least 10 minutes before filling.
One (10 1/2-inch) pastry shell
Valentine’s Dessert
Roll the Sablée dough to ¼-inch thickness. Using a heart cookie cutter 4-inch by 4-inch at the widest and tallest parts cut heart shapes. Place on a parchment lined, very flat cookie sheet.
Brush with an egg wash made of 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cold water.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool.
Make the Chocolate Chantilly
4 ounces of 50% cocoa mass chocolate
1 ½ cups heavy cream, whipped
Pipe on top o f the cookie. Place the prepared chocolate sabayon on the middle of the plate, about 3 tablespoons.
Place the cookie/Chantilly on top.
Top with fresh raspberries.
Decorate with love.
