Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (54 page)

Doris Duke’s Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Milk

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NOTICE:
This is definitely for the bittersweet division of the Chocolate Lovers Association—dense, dark, really bittersweet, extravagantly rich in chocolate, fabulously delicious, a luxurious and sophisticated dessert for the simple name “ice milk.” (Actually, it slightly resembles a sherbet, is closer to an ice cream, but is different from both.)

This is made in an ice-cream churn. And you will need a 4-quart size. Or it may be divided in half for a 2-quart churn.

1 tablespoon dry powdered instant espresso or other powdered instant coffee

¼ cup boiling water

1 cup strained unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

7 cups milk

2 pounds semisweet chocolate (see Note)

4 yolks (from eggs graded large, extra-large, or jumbo)

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon Cognac

Dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water.

Place the cocoa in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 cups of the milk (reserve remaining 5 cups) and the dissolved coffee. Stir/mix with a wire whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Break up or coarsely chop the chocolate and add it to the cocoa mixture. Place over moderately low heat and stir frequently until the chocolate is melted. Stir/mix with the wire whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Place the yolks in a large mixing bowl and stir just to mix. Gradually, stirring constantly, add about half of the hot chocolate mixture. Then add the yolk mixture to the remaining chocolate and stir well.

Place over low heat and stir constantly for about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the vanilla and Cognac. Then gradually whisk in the reserved 5 cups of cold milk, scraping the sides occasionally with a rubber spatula to keep the mixture smooth.

(For best freezing results I transfer the bowl to the freezer or refrigerator for about half an hour or more to chill before freezing.)

Now freeze in an ice-cream churn, following the directions for your particular churn.

Check the firmness some time before serving. If it is too firm, plan to transfer it to the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or so, depending on the size of the container, or, better yet, process, blend, or mix it as described in To Soften Ice Cream (see page 221).

NOTE:
Doris Duke used a semisweet chocolate that she said was a “must” for this recipe. It is from Li-Lac Candies, Inc., 40 8th Ave., New York City.

Mexican Chocolate Sherbet (water ice)

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This is extra-chocolaty, extra-dark, slightly exotic, yet light and refreshing. You will need a 3- to 4-quart ice-cream churn (see Note).

3 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups strained unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons dry instant coffee

7½ cups cold water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1½ tablespoons dark rum

You will need a 5- to 6-quart saucepan. Place the sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, and instant coffee in the saucepan and stir to mix. Stir in the water. Place over moderate heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Adjust the heat so it does not boil over (watch it carefully) and let boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Mix in the vanilla and rum.

Place in the freezer or refrigerator to chill a bit before freezing in the churn.

Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions for the churn. (This mixture will take longer to freeze than rich ice cream does. Also it will probably need more salt with the ice in the churn since it will not freeze as hard as ice creams do. It will also melt sooner at room temperature than rich ice creams.)

Serve it quickly in well-chilled bowls or glasses.

NOTE: To make 2 quarts of this sherbet use 2 cups sugar, 1 cup cocoa, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons dry instant coffee, 5 cups water, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1 tablespoon rum.

Mocha Chocolate Parfait

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With all the chocolating that went on while this book was being written, this was one of my husband’s favorites—he could not get enough. It is a creamy coffee-chocolate dessert frozen in individual wine or parfait glasses. It may be served the day it is made or it may be frozen for a few weeks.

You will need a candy thermometer.

2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dry powdered instant espresso or other powdered instant coffee

⅓ cup water

4 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon dark rum

Chop the chocolate into medium-small pieces and set them aside on a piece of wax paper.

Place the sugar, espresso, and water in an 8-cup saucepan (it must have at least an 8-cup capacity or the syrup will boil over). Stir over high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Insert candy thermometer and let boil without stirring until the thermometer registers 230 degrees—the thread stage. (The mixture will rise to the top of the pan and bubble hard—if necessary reduce the heat slightly to keep the mixture from spattering.)

Meanwhile, place the yolks in the small bowl of an electric mixer and beat at high speed until they are pale lemon-colored.

When the sugar syrup is ready add the chopped chocolate to it, remove from the heat, and stir until the chocolate is melted.

Then, very gradually, beating at a rather low speed, add the hot chocolate mixture to the yolks, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating until smooth. Remove from the mixer.

Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture cools to room temperature. Test against the inside of your wrist. (If it is the least bit warm it will deflate the whipped cream.)

Meanwhile, in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the cream only until it holds a soft shape—not stiff. Let it stand at room temperature until you are ready for it. (If it separates a bit while standing, stir lightly with a wire whisk until reincorporated, but not until it becomes any stiffer.)

When the chocolate has cooled to room temperature stir in the vanilla and rum. Stir in one large spoonful of the whipped cream. Stir in another spoonful and then fold in half of the remaining cream. Transfer to a larger mixing bowl and fold in the remaining cream.

You will need six 8-ounce wine glasses or tall, narrow parfait glasses. Either spoon the mixture into the glasses or transfer it to a wide-mouthed pitcher and pour it into the glasses. Do not fill them all the way—leave a bit of headroom so the glasses can be covered without disturbing the top of the dessert.

Cover each glass tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze for about 2 to 3 hours until firm (although this is equally delicious, if not more so, before it is completely firm). Or freeze much longer, if you wish.

Freezer temperatures vary. If yours is down to zero the parfait may become too firm. Check the parfait ahead of time and if it is too firm transfer it to the refrigerator for about an hour or two before serving. It should have the consistency of a firm ice cream, but as this does not melt the way ice cream does, a little softer or a little harder is O.K.

Serve as is, or top each portion with Chocolate Shavings (see 263) or a few Chocolate Cigarettes (see page 267).

A bottle of Amaretto may be passed with this—a small amount poured over each portion is delicious.

Frozen Chocolate Marquise with Mocha Cream

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A chocolate Marquise is a rich, thick, chocolate mousse—one of the richest—generally prepared in a dome-shaped mold. This recipe, originally called Bonbon Chocolate, is really a frozen Marquise made in a loaf pan (see Note). It has a sensational consistency, similar to a rich, dense ice cream, but smoother. It may be served 5 or 6 hours after it is made or it may wait for a few days. The recipe, which does not take long to prepare, may easily be increased.

8 ounces semisweet chocolate

4 ounces (1 stick) sweet butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup granulated sugar

4 eggs (graded large or extra-large), separated

Pinch of salt

Prepare a 4-cup metal loaf pan (8 × 4 × 2 inches) as follows: Cut or tear two strips of aluminum foil, one for the length and one for the width, each one long enough to extend a bit over the rim of the pan. Press them into place in the pan. Brush with a thin layer of tasteless salad oil, and set the pan aside.

Break up the chocolate and place it in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Cover and let stand for a few minutes until the chocolate is partially melted. Remove the cover and stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula until it is completely melted and smooth. Remove the top of the double boiler from the hot water and set aside to cool.

In the small bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter. Add the vanilla. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the sugar and add the rest of it to the butter. Beat well for several minutes. Then add the egg yolks one at a time, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating well after each addition. After adding the last yolk, beat for 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture is very creamy. Then add the cooled chocolate and beat only until blended.

Transfer the mixture to a medium-size mixing bowl.

Wash and dry the mixer bowl and beaters. Now, in the clean, dry small bowl of the mixer add the salt to the egg whites and beat until they increase in volume and barely hold a soft shape. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue to beat only until the whites hold a shape when the beaters are raised—they should not be beaten until completely stiff and/or dry.

In several additions, small at first, fold the whites into the chocolate mixture.

Turn the dessert into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and cover it with wax paper or plastic wrap—the foil that extends over the top of the pan should be folded down on the outside.

Freeze for 5 or 6 hours, or it may be stored in the freezer for several days.

This may be unmolded an hour or so before dinner (or earlier if you cover it with plastic wrap).
Remove the wax paper from the top. If the foil lining does not cover the corners of the pan, cut between the dessert and the pan to release it. Invert a chilled platter over the pan. Holding carefully, invert the platter and the pan. Hold the edges of the foil to help release the pan. Remove the pan and peel off the foil. If necessary, with a small metal spatula smooth over the top and sides of the loaf and return it to the freezer.