Berry White Chocolate Cups With Mascarpone Cream Food

MASCARPONE AND DARK CHOCOLATE CREAM IN WHITE CHOCOLATE CUPS

Steps:

• Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners. Melt the white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon melted chocolate into each paper liner. Using a pastry brush, coat the chocolate evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the liners. Freeze until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Remelt the white chocolate in the bowl. Spoon 1 tablespoon into each cup and brush over the bottom and up the sides, forming a second coat. Freeze until completely set, about 1 hour.
• Melt the bittersweet chocolate in top of a clean double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. At this point, set aside to cool completely.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Set the whipped cream aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese, melted bittersweet chocolate, orange peel, and vanilla in a large bowl just until smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds (do not overmix). Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 2 batches. Transfer the mousse to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the mousse into the white chocolate cups. Sprinkle the white chocolate curls over the mousse and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate overnight, and then let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

FRESH FRUIT WITH MASCARPONE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE DIP

Steps:

• Melt 6 ounces chopped white chocolate with 1/2 cup whipping cream in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Remove the bowl from water and let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
• In another medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup whipping cream, one 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until blended and smooth. Fold melted chocolate into mascarpone.
• Serve the dip with fresh fruit; strawberries and cherries are terrific with it, but peach and nectarine slices would also be fun.

MILK CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE CUPS

Steps:

• Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Put 2 1/4 cups of the dark cocoa melting wafers and 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 minute. Stir until smooth; if any lumps remain, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
• Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the melted wafers into a paper liner and use a small pastry brush to brush the chocolate up the sides to the top of the paper. Make sure the paper is completely covered; if you can see paper through the coating it is too thin and needs to be spread more. Repeat with the remaining cupcake liners, reheating the melting wafers as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• Put the remaining 1 cup dark cocoa melting wafers and 2 teaspoons of the coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 minute total. Stir until smooth. If there are any lumps, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
• Put the white melting wafers and remaining 2 teaspoons coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 minute total. Stir until smooth. If there are any lumps, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
• Pour the melted dark cocoa melting wafers onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a small offset spatula until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Dollop the white melting wafers on top and use the spatula to swirl the white into the dark, creating a wave-like pattern. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• To make the filling, put the milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Stir until smooth. If there are any lumps, microwave again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth. Allow to sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until just warm.
• While the chocolate cools, remove the chocolate shells from the cupcake liners. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
• Stir the mascarpone and the slightly warm chocolate together in a medium bowl until no streaks remain. Combine the cream and the espresso powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed just until the cream holds firm peaks, about 3 minutes. Stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream, folding just until combined.
• Fill a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip with the mascarpone mixture. Pipe the mixture into each chocolate shell so that the filling comes above the edge of the cup. Break the chocolate bark into shards and stick a shard into the filling in each cup. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Reserve the extra bark for another use.

WHITE CHOCOLATE BRIE CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Fill each tart shell with chocolate, then cheese. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Top with marmalade. , Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. If desired, top with kumquat.

WINTER BERRY & WHITE CHOCOLATE POTS

Steps:

• For the white chocolate layer, heat the cream in a saucepan until steaming and bubbles appear around the edge. Add the chocolate and lemon zest and stir until melted. Set six short tumblers tilted on their sides in a muffin tin (this is how you get a slanted layer). Pour the mixture into the glasses, then chill for 4 hrs, or until set.
• For the berry layer, put all the frozen berries in a food processor and whizz until puréed. Push through a sieve using a wooden spoon directly into a jug, then stir through the lemon juice. Put the cream and sugar in a saucepan and warm gently until the sugar melts. Increase the heat and boil for 3 mins, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and stir through the purée. Cool for 15 mins before sitting the glasses upright and pouring over the white chocolate layer. Chill for 4 hrs or until set.
• Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Line a baking sheet with non-stick parchment. To make the shortbread, put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Mix in ¼ tsp fine sea salt, the flour and pistachios to get a stiff dough, then bring together with your hands into a smooth ball. Put between two sheets of baking parchment and roll out to around ½cm. Chill for 20 mins. Cut into 20 rounds about 4cm and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 mins, then slide off the sheet onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Can be made two days ahead and kept in an airtight container.
• When ready to serve, top the possets with the chopped pistachios and pomegranate seeds, and serve with the pistachio biscuits.

BERRY & CREAM CHOCOLATE CUPS

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Spread melted chocolate over the bottoms and up the sides of 12 foil muffin cup liners. Refrigerate for 25 minutes or until firm., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; beat in sour cream until smooth. Set aside., In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer., Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and reserved sour cream mixture. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate until chilled., Carefully remove foil liners from chocolate cups. Fill cups with pastry cream and strawberries. Chill until serving.

BERRY TART WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll rolling pin over top of shell to trim dough flush with rim and with a fork prick bottom of shell all over. Chill shell 30 minutes, or until firm.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell in middle of oven 20 minutes and carefully remove foil and weights or rice. Bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more, and cool completely in pan on a rack. Shell may be made 1 day ahead and kept in pan, loosely covered, at room temperature.
• In a bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer beat together mascarpone, cream, and sugar until mixture holds stiff peaks. Spoon mixture into shell, spreading evenly.
• Quarter strawberries and in a large bowl combine with remaining berries. In a small saucepan simmer marmalade and liqueur, stirring, until reduced to about 3 tablespoons and pour over berries. With a rubber spatula gently stir berries to coat evenly. Mound berries decoratively on mascarpone cream. Tart may be assembled 2 hours ahead and chilled. Bring tart to room temperature and remove side of pan before serving.