Chef’s Best
Romantic Sumptuous Desserts
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Mary Gross of Dolci.
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owner and pastry chef of Dolci
A fond remembrance of February is the warmth of an open heart. Make the smooth, rich Chocolate Torta in a heart-shaped pan for your special Valentine. The Pear and Almond Crostata is ample enough for two to share. Or, triple the recipe and serve it to all of your loved ones. Box or tin the cookies, tie them with a ribbon, and give a gift from your heart!
Chocolate Torta with Raspberry
6 oz semisweet chocolate
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
8 oz unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
4 large eggs
Place butter, both chocolates and sugar in a large microwave bowl, or on top of a double boiler. Microwave on high 4-6 minutes, or over simmering water in a double boiler (whisk until melted). Meanwhile, grease a 9” heart-shaped or round pan, preferably with a removable bottom. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment cut to fit. Grease the paper and sides of the pan. If using a removable bottom pan, wrap the outside of the pan in foil to prevent seepage. Whisk jam into the melted chocolate mixture, then the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan inside a larger pan or baking tray. Place on oven rack and pour about an inch of warm water into the larger pan. Bake at 325º for one hour and fifteen minutes. Remove torta from hot water and place on cooling rack until cool. Remove from pan, remove parchment, wrap, and chill thoroughly. Prepare the following icing:
6 oz. heavy cream
6 oz semisweet chocolate
In heavy saucepan, heat cream just before it boils. Whisk in chocolate until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes. Place torta on cooling rack and pour icing over top and down sides. Allow icing to set. Place on serving plate and garnish with fresh raspberries.
Pear & Almond Crostata
Pastry
3 oz unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp sour cream
Filling
2 large Anjou (brown) pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TB butter, melted
2 TB slivered almonds, lightly toasted
Egg wash
1 egg, separated
2 tsp water
For pastry, dice butter and cut into flour with a pastry blender. Stir in sour cream. Gently knead dough until it holds together. Divide pastry into two pieces, making one piece slightly larger than the other. Wrap and chill for about an hour.
For egg wash, lightly beat one tsp water with egg white. In a separate bowl, beat the yolk with the remaining water.
For filling, mix sugar and spices, add pears and butter and toss until blended.
On lightly floured surface, roll out the smaller pastry piece to a 7 inch round and the larger piece to a 9 inch round. Place 7 inch round on a baking tray lined with parchment. Lightly brush the round with the egg white and water. Discard unused portion. Spread the almonds within a six inch circle over the round. Mound the pear filling over the nuts. Gently place the 9 inch round over the filling. Seal, trim, and crimp the entire edges. Make sure the filling is completely sealed inside the pastry. Brush the pastry with yolk and water. Make 3 slits in the top of the dome. Bake at 375º for approximately 45 minutes or until top is brown and juices are bubbly. Serve at room temperature.
Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Pastry
2 tsp cocoa
1 cup all purpose flour
5 oz unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectionery sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Sift cocoa and flour, set aside. Cream butter and sugar, mix in vanilla and blend until smooth. Stir in flour mixture, lightly working the dough until it comes together. Form into a cylinder, wrap, and chill briefly.
Filling
4 oz. almonds
4 oz semisweet or milk chocolate
1 egg white
Process almonds and chocolate together. Stir in egg white. Chill until firm.
Garnish: melted chocolate or confectionery sugar
Assembly: Slice pastry into 20 equal pieces. Roll filling into 20 equal balls. Flatten each piece of pastry between your hands and wrap around each ball of filling. Place one inch apart on ungreased baking tray. Bake at 375º 15-18 minutes. Cool and dip into melted chocolate or dust with sugar.
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Joël Chenet of Croquembouche.
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Croquembouche
Chocolate Decadence
Pate a choux
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
4 oz unsalted butter
pinch salt
1/2 cup flour
3 TB cake flour
2 TB cocoa powder
3 eggs
Combine milk, water, butter, salt. Boil. Sift all dry ingredients, add to liquid, stir with wooden spoon. Remove pan from heat, add eggs one by one. Transfer to pastry bag. Pipe 6 puffs onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375º for 20 minutes or until light. Cool at room temperature.
Chocolate Mousse
3 eggs
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
8 oz dark chocolate, melted
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
Place eggs, egg yolks and sugar in bowl over double boiler. Whip until mixture is warm, remove from heat and whip until cool and pale yellow. Stir in melted chocolate, then fold in whipped cream.
Chocolate Sauce with Fresh Thyme
Infuse 4-6 sprigs of thyme in 1/2 cup of water for 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Boil all ingredients, add 1 oz butter and 1 oz bittersweet chocolate.
To assemble: cut off top of puffs, fill with chocolate mousse. On each plate, place a puff filled with mousse in the middle and pour warm chocolate sauce around it. Garnish with sprig of fresh thyme and /or fresh raspberries.
Spicy Pear Strudel with Cinnamon and Port Wine
Strudel
6 sheets of phyllo dough
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup warm honey
5 ripe pears, peeled and sliced (save peelings)
10 dried figs, poached in port wine (the day before), and cut-up
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 TB cinnamon
For the strudel, layer 6 sheets of phyllo. Mix honey with butter and combine with remaining ingredients and spread on phyllo layers. Roll up tightly and place roll on parchment-lined jelly roll pan. Brush with butter and bake at 375º until golden brown.
For Sauce
2 cups red wine
1 cup sugar
juice from poached pear
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
2 turns of peppermill
Cook all ingredients for 20 minutes over low heat. Puree in blender. Let strudel cool for 15 minutes, slice and arrange on plates with sauce. Garnish with fresh mint.
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