Bittersweet Chocolate And Cardamom Cream Jalousie Food

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 40-second intervals, stirring after each, until just melted. Whisk until smooth; set aside.
• Combine the milk, sugar and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 7 minutes. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a blender. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and pulse until just combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Transfer the chilled custard to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a resealable container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

PICKLED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH SAGE AND CARDAMOM

Steps:

• In a non-reactive bowl, combine the squash and salt, toss to coat, and allow to stand at room temperature for about 4 hours. Drain, rinse well, and squeeze out extra moisture by the handfuls.
• In a medium non-reactive pot, combine all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice to dissolve the brown sugar. Add the squash, bring back just to a simmer, then remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, uncovered.
• When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, cover and refrigerate.
• The squash will be tasty in about 2 hours, but will improve in flavor if allowed to sit overnight. This pickle will keep, covered and refrigerated, for about 2 months.

RIESLING POACHED PEARS WITH CARDAMOM CREAM

Steps:

• Pour the Riesling into a medium saucepan and whisk in the sugar until it dissolves.
• Peel the pears, leaving stem intact, if present. Remove bottom stem end with a small melon baller, and continue to scoop up into the pear to remove the core. Place the pears right in the Riesling mixture (poaching liquid) after they are peeled and cored to prevent them from discoloring. (The acidity of the wine keeps them from browning). Add just enough water to cover the pears.
• To keep the pears submerged in the poaching liquid, cut a circle of parchment paper the size of the pan and lay on the surface of the liquid. Place a small plate on top of the paper to make sure the pears are completely submerged. Cook the pears over medium-high heat, just until the liquid comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and poach the pears until they are just soft. The pears should be tender enough to pierce with a knife. This takes about 20 to 25 minutes for ripe medium pears, but this can vary depending on the size, variety and ripeness of the pear.
• Remove the pan from the heat and cool the fruit completely in the poaching liquid. Refrigerate the fruit in the liquid in a sealed container until ready to serve. (The fruit will hold for 4 to 5 days, the longer the fruit is stored in the poaching liquid, the fuller the flavor).
• Pour about half of the poaching liquid into a skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to cook and reduce until the liquid gets syrupy and about the consistency of honey.
• Meanwhile, whip the cream together with the sugar and cardamom until cream just holds soft peaks. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve, place a pear in a bowl or on a plate. Drizzle with reduced Riesling syrup and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE-CARDAMOM CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM, SPUN SUGAR BIRD'S NESTS AND JEWEL-ENCRUSTED BIRD'S EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line mini cupcake pans with 48 mini cupcake liners.
• Melt the chocolate in the boiling water. In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy and stiff but not dry. Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and vanilla on medium speed until fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Blend in the melted chocolate. Sift together the rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the chocolate mixture, beating after each addition until smooth. Fold in the Chocolate-Cardamom Ganache. Fold in the beaten whites. Fill the cupcake liners halfway and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
• To assemble: When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, prepare a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Fill the bag with Chocolate Buttercream and pipe the tops of each mini cupcake, keeping the icing in low profile. Dust the top of the cupcakes with the cocoa powder. Place a Spun Sugar Bird's Nest on top of each cake. Carefully peel the Jewel-Encrusted Bird's Egg off the silicon mat. Place an egg inside each nest.
• Crush the cardamom in a spice grinder. Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring the cream and cardamom just to a simmer over medium-high heat; pour the mixture over the chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until cool. Beginning near the center and working outward, stir the melted chocolate into the cream until the mixture is combined and smooth (do not over stir).
• In a medium bowl, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy and at desired consistency.
• Secure a long-handled wooden spoon under a heavy cutting board on the edge of counter, with the handle facing out and extending over the edge. Place newspaper on the floor directly under the cutting board.
• In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and corn syrup and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Cook until the mixture turns pale amber and registers 340 degrees F (hard-crack stage) on the candy thermometer. Dip the prepared whisk into the caramel. Holding the whisk about 2 feet above the spoon handle, swing the caramel back and forth like a pendulum in long arcs, allowing the strands to fall in threads over the handle. Let stand until ready to use. Gently gather the strands into a ball, shaping nests with your fingers, about 1-inch in diameter.
• Heat the white chocolate over a double boiler until melted. Remove from the heat. When the chocolate begins to cool, transfer it to a pastry bag and tie off the top of the bag using a twist tie.
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Cut a small slice off the end of the pastry bag (if the chocolate runs out to quickly let it sit a bit longer). Draw an oval egg no bigger than 1/4-inch. As soon as you draw the shape, sprinkle it with an assortment of the crystal sugars, layering them on top and next to one another. (Make it easy by putting the sugars into small ramekins so you can easily get to the desired color.) Place the eggs in the fridge to set up for a few minutes.

BRIOCHE BREAD PUDDING WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CARDAMOM

Steps:

• For the brioche: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk the yeast and sugar together with the warm milk. Allow to sit for 5 to 7 minutes in a warm, draft-free place while the yeast blooms and forms a foamy raft on the surface. When this happens, your yeast is alive and ready to go.
• Whisk 4 of the eggs into the yeast mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the all-purpose flour, bread flour and salt. Start the mixer on low speed and mix for 2 minutes, until the dough begins to come together into a shaggy mass. Increase the speed to medium and mix the dough for 2 minutes more to activate the gluten.
• Add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to completely incorporate before adding the next. The dough will get very sticky. Continue mixing until the dough is shiny and smooth, 3 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a well-greased large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, remove the plastic and scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down the dough by pressing it firmly with your hands until it deflates back to its original size. Spread it out slightly and fold the dough into thirds like a letter, bringing the top half over the center and the bottom half up and over the center. Place the dough back into the greased bowl, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill in refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
• Grease an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan (6-cup capacity) with butter or shortening.
• Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and punch down once more. Scoop the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and flatten into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Starting from a shorter end, roll the dough up to form a log and place, seam-side down, in the prepared pan.
• Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow to proof one last time in a warm draft-free place, until the dough expands to reach the top of the loaf pan, 1 to 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of water to make your egg wash. Lightly brush egg wash all over the top of brioche. Bake until it is deep golden brown on top, 35 to 40 minutes. (If you are unsure if the brioche is done, the internal temperature should measure 200 degrees F.) Allow the brioche to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
• For the bread pudding: Slice the brioche into 1-inch cubes and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake until the bread cubes are crisp and slightly crunchy but not as hard as croutons, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the custard.
• Add the milk to a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, peppercorns and nutmeg. Smash the cardamom pods with bottom of a bowl or glass, just enough for pod to burst and release seeds and add to the pot. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds with the back of a paring knife. Add the pod and seeds to the milk. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat to allow the aromatics to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Slowly stream into the infused milk mixture while whisking constantly.
• Add the toasted brioche to a 9-by-13-inch ovenproof glass pan. Pour the milk and egg mixture over. (You may have to add half the milk mixture and let the bread absorb it before adding the rest.) Sprinkle the white chocolate chips over the top.
• Bake until the custard is set, 35 to 40 minutes. If the bread pudding starts to brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil for the duration of cooking time.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.