Cherry Chocolate Terrine Food

CHOCOLATE TERRINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium-sized bowl, fitted into a saucepan, covering but not touching barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter.
• Add the coffee and sugar and continue to whisk to dissolve the sugar. Continue cooking until very hot approximately 120 degrees F.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs. Pour into foil-lined loaf pan and bake in a water bath for 40 minutes.
• Let cool, then chill overnight. Turn out the next day and serve in slices.

DARK CHOCOLATE TERRINE

Steps:

• Lightly oil an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2-inch loaf pan and line it as neatly as possible with plastic wrap, allowing the ends to drape over the sides. (I lay two pieces of plastic wrap crosswise in the pan, overlapping in the center.) Place the pan in the freezer.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Place the butter in the bowl, then the chocolate and coffee powder and heat until just melted, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. As soon as the chocolate and butter are melted, take the bowl off the heat and whisk in, one at a time, and in order, first the confectioners' sugar, then the cocoa powder, egg yolks, Cognac and salt. Set the bowl aside for 15 minutes to cool.
• Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the whites form firm but not dry peaks. Fold the whites into the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula.
• Without cleaning the bowl or whisk attachment, pour the cream and vanilla into the bowl and beat on high speed until it forms firm peaks. Fold the cream carefully but thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, fold the plastic wrap over the top and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, turn the terrine out of the mold and unwrap it. Spoon a puddle of Orange Sauce in the middle of each dessert plate and place a slice of the terrine in the middle. Sprinkle each serving lightly with orange zest and fleur de sel.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until very thick. Reduce to low speed and mix in the cornstarch.
• With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture (I use a liquid measuring cup for pouring). Pour the mixture into a clean, small, deep saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it reaches 180 degrees F on a candy thermometer and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. The mixture will coat the spoon. Don't cook it above 180 degrees F or the eggs will scramble! Immediately (it will keep cooking in the saucepan), pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in the vanilla, Cognac, Grand Marnier and orange zest. Cover and chill.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE TERRINE

Steps:

• Up to one month before: melt the chocolate and half the butter in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. (Or melt in the microwave on Medium for 3 minutes.) When melted, stir with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth consistency, then allow to cool slightly.
• The day before: line 2 x 1.7 litre terrine or loaf tins with cling film. In a very large bowl, big enough to take all the terrine ingredients, beat the rest of the butter with 200g/8oz sugar using an electric hand whisk. It should become smooth. Now stir in the cocoa until you have a smooth chocolatey paste.
• Wash your beaters, then whisk the double cream until it forms soft peaks but no further. Underwhipped is better than overwhipped for this recipe. Wash the beaters again, then whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks.
• Stir in 125ml/4fl oz of the cherry brandy (save the rest for the syrup) and the cooled melted chocolate and butter into the cocoa butter paste. Stir in the cherries, then finally fold in your gently whipped cream, followed by the egg whites, until evenly mixed. Pour into the terrines and gently bang on a hard surface to settle. (You can prepare and freeze this up to a month ahead, or overnight.)
• Pour the remaining cherry brandy and the remaining 100g/4oz sugar into a small heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce by about two thirds to make a syrup, then allow to cool.
• Take the terrines out of the freezer and tip them on to a board. Line the tins with fresh cling film. As soon as the terrines are soft enough to slice but still firm, after 10-15 minutes, cut each one into 10 slices using a sharp knife so you get a lovely clean line with clear segments of cherries.Return the slices to the tins, interleafing each slice with greaseproof to keep them separate (see left). The last slice may not fit exactly, but don't worry. Cover and return to the freezer.
• One hour before serving: transfer to the fridge to take the chill off. Just before serving, lay a slice of the terrine on a spoonful of mascarpone, then drizzle each plate with syrup.

WHITE & DARK CHOCOLATE TERRINE

Steps:

• Brush a 2lb loaf tin (about 22 x 11 x 6cm) with oil, line completely with cling film (the oil will help it to stick to the sides), then line the base with a strip of baking parchment. Gently melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Using an electric whisk, beat in 200ml of the cream until the mixture is just holding its own shape. Set aside while you make the dark layer.
• Melt the dark chocolate as you did the white, then remove from the heat and cool for 1 min. Little by little, stir the remaining cream into the melted chocolate until you have a smooth, thick ganache. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, stir a third into the ganache to loosen it, then fold in the rest.
• To assemble, spoon just under half of the dark mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the surface. Spoon over the white chocolate and smooth, then gently spoon the remaining dark chocolate mixture over the top, being careful not to disturb the white layer, again smoothing the surface. Cover and chill for at least 2 hrs. If you're making the terrine the day before, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hr before serving.
• To serve, turn the tin upside down onto a serving plate and use the edges of cling film to ease out the terrine. Remove the cling film and baking parchment and serve with the Star anise biscuits (see Goes well with, right).