Chestnut Chocolate Pie Food

CHESTNUT CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• For the dough, cut the chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl. Melt over a hot water bath and cool slightly. Separate eggs and beat egg whites. Mix egg yolks with sugar until creamy. Add chocolate and chestnut puree. Fold in egg whites. Mix flour with baking powder and sift into the dough. Mix well. Line bottom of a springform pan (9" in diameter) with parchment paper and pour in the dough. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F for 30 minutes. Cool briefly in the pan and then remove to cool completely.
• For the cream, melt chocolate. Separate eggs and beat egg whites. Stir egg yolks with chestnut puree. Add chocolate and fold in egg whites.
• Set base on a plate and surround with a cake ring. Spread in cream and smooth. Chill for 2-3 hours.
• Caramelize sugar in a pan just before serving. Pat chestnuts dry between paper towels and roll in caramel. Place on a sheet of parchment paper to dry. Decorate cake with chestnuts, slice and serve.

CHOCOLATE-CHESTNUT MOUSSE

Steps:

• Bring chestnuts, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until milk is reduced by one-quarter and chestnuts smash fairly easily against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon, 15-17 minutes.
• Meanwhile, finely chop 4 oz. chocolate. Using a peeler, shave remaining 1 oz. chocolate; set aside until ready to serve.
• Purée chestnut mixture in a blender on high speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add chopped chocolate and 1 tsp. brandy and blend on high speed until chocolate is melted, about 30 seconds. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (if lumps form, stir vigorously until smooth), 15-20 minutes.
• Whip 2 cups cream with a whisk in another large bowl until it just barely holds soft peaks. Stir one-third of cream into chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in remaining cream just until incorporated. Transfer mousse to a large serving bowl, cover, and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
• Whip remaining 1 cup cream and 1/2 tsp. brandy with whisk in a large bowl to medium peaks. Garnish mousse with reserved chocolate shavings and serve with whipped cream alongside.
• Do ahead
• Mousse can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

CHOCOLATE-NUT SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the shortening and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the butter and pulse a few times until it is in pea-size pieces. Add the egg yolk and ½ cup ice water and pulse a few times until the dough just begins to clump together; add up to ¼ cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Lay out 2 sheets of plastic wrap; put about three-quarters of the dough on one sheet and the remaining dough on the other. Gently pat each into a rectangle, using the plastic wrap to help you. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Roll out the larger piece of dough into a 13-by-19-inch rectangle (about ¿ inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Ease into an 11-by-17-inch jelly roll pan, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
• Make the filling: Pulse the nuts in a food processor until roughly chopped. Combine with the chocolate chunks in a bowl, then evenly sprinkle the mixture over the crust. Whisk the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice and vanilla in a bowl; pour over the nut mixture.
• Roll out the smaller piece of dough into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; cut out ten 1-inch-wide strips of dough. Lay 5 strips diagonally over the filling, about 2 inches apart, then lay the remaining strips perpendicular to them. Trim the strips at the edge of the baking sheet (use the trimmings to extend any strips that are too short). Fold in the overhang and crimp the edges with your fingers. Brush the edges and the strips of dough with heavy cream. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely, at least 2 hours.

CHOCOLATE AND CHESTNUT PIE

Steps:

• Cream the butter& sugar together until pale& creamy.
• Add the chestnut puree, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
• Place over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate is melted, stirring until smooth.
• Stir the chocolate into the chestnut mixture until combined, then add the brandy.
• Pour the filling into the cold pie crust.
• Level the surface until smooth.
• Refrigerate until set.
• Decorate with whipped cream, chocolate leaves or dusted with cocoa.