Chai Chocolate Custard With Ginger Cream Food

CHAI CHOCOLATE CUSTARD WITH GINGER CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Combine all spices and place in a mortar. Using the pestle, crush them. Set aside. In a medium saucepot, combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Bring to a scald. Pull from heat. Add the crushed spices and allow to infuse for about 10 minutes. Add the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. At this time mixture should be heated slightly, the tea added and infused for 10 minutes. After the infusing process, add a small amount of warm mixture the yolks and temper. Add entire yolk mixture back to the custard, stir. At this point the entire mixture should be passed through a chinois. Pour custard base into desired ovenproof dishes. Fill about 2/3 full allowing room for the ginger cream. Bake in a water bath just until set. Allow the custard to sit at room temperature to cool for about 30 minutes. Chill.
• For the Ginger Cream: Combine heavy cream, milk and sugar. Bring to a scald. Pull from the flame. Add ground ginger and allow to infuse for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, presoak a gelatin leaf in cool water. Pass milk mixture through a chinois. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool mixture in ice bath while stirring. Just before it sets, pour ginger cream over the top of the baked chocolate custard. The top should be smooth and just the white should be showing. Chill and allow the Ginger Cream to set.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD CREAM WITH SPICED RASPBERRIES AND COCOA NIB TUILE

Steps:

• To make the chocolate sheet: In a saucepan, mix the cream, water, sugar, and carageenan. Add the melted chocolate and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Pour through a chinois onto an acetate-lined quarter sheet pan. Let set.;
• To make the cocoa nib cream: Bring 1 cup of the cream to a boil in a saucepan with the cocoa nibs. Simmer for 5 minutes, and then pour into a blender and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and add the gelatin.
• In a medium bowl, whip the whites and sugar to medium peaks. Fold the whites into the cocoa nib mixture. Whip the remaining 1 cup cream to soft peaks and fold into the nibs-egg white mixture. Pour onto an acetate lined quarter sheet pan.
• To make the port sauce: In a small saucepan, simmer the port with the cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and allspice until it reduces to a syrup consistency.;
• To make the cocoa nib tuiles: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grind the isomalt, cocoa nibs, and shortbread cookies into a fine powder. Sift onto a parchment paper-lined sheet tray. Bake for 7 minutes. Let cool slightly and cut into desired shape.
• To assemble: Gently place the chocolate sheet atop the cocoa nib cream sheet. Using a ring cutter, cut out a circle or square. Top with a similar size cocoa nib tuile. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries dressed in the port sauce.

CHAI POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• For custard:
• Combine first 7 ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 15 minutes to develop flavor.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Pour cream mixture through fine strainer into medium bowl. Discard solids in strainer.
• Whisk egg yolks, brown sugar, and orange peel in 4-cup measuring cup to blend well. Gradually whisk in cream mixture. Pour custard into custard cups, dividing equally (cups will not be full). Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Cover baking pan with foil. Pierce foil in several places with skewer to allow steam to escape.
• Bake custards until softly set (centers will move slightly when cups are shaken gently), about 30 minutes. Remove custards from water. Cool on rack. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
• For topping:
• Beat whipping cream and sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Place dollop of whipped cream atop each pot de crème and serve.