Chocolate Amaretti Custard With Fresh Fruit Food

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust oven racks in the upper-third and lower-third positions. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Break the almond paste into small pieces and add it to the bowl of a food processer along with the sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Process until the almond paste is very finely chopped and well incorporated with the salt and sugar. Add the egg whites and vanilla, and process until a smooth dough forms, about 30 seconds. With a small scoop or spoon, dollop the batter onto the baking sheets, 1 tablespoon at a time, spaced 2 inches apart. Top each cookie with a few almond slivers and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• Bake until the cookies have risen and cracked slightly but are still soft in the center, 13 to 14 minutes; rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan the nonstick spray. Refrigerate. Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor. Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add the grated orange peel and pulse briefly, until incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Blend until the eggs are incorporated. Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again. Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate. Pulse until blended. Clean the sides of the bowl. Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a platter. Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI

Steps:

• Crumble almond paste into a food processor; add sugar and pulse until evenly combined. Add egg whites and process until incorporated. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa; gradually add to almond mixture and mix well., Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° until tops are cracked, 17-20 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-AMARETTI TORTES

Steps:

• For tortes:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Line bottom of cups with parchment paper rounds. Place on rimmed baking sheet.
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Using on/off turns, blend almonds, amaretti, cinnamon, and salt in processor until finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl. Add butter, sugar, and eggs to processor; mix until blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Add cookie mixture and melted chocolate. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Divide batter among custard cups. Bake until tops of tortes are dry and puffed and tester inserted into centers comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Transfer cups to rack; cool 15 minutes. Run small knife around edges of cups to release tortes. Turn tortes out onto rack and turn right side up; cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• For topping:
• Beat together cream, sugar, and almond extract in medium bowl until cream holds peaks. (Can be made 4 hours ahead; refrigerate.)
• Place 1 torte on each of 4 plates. Top with dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle with crumbled amaretti, and serve.

AMARETTO CUSTARD

Steps:

• Warm Half& Half.
• Place sugar, egg yolks, salt, Amaretto, vanilla flavor, almond flavor, and almond paste in another bowl, mix well.
• Mix the Half& Half with egg yolk mixture.
• Pour mixture through a sieve.
• Pour mixture into well-buttered and sugared ceramic molds.
• Bake at 350 degrees in water bath for about 45 minutes or until set.
• Cool, unmold, and serve with fresh sliced fruit, fruit sauce, caramel sauce, or whipped cream.
• Yield: four servings.

REALLY EASY APRICOT & AMARETTI CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the apricots into a roasting tin, toss with the orange zest, juice and sugar and roast for 15-20 mins until soft. Remove the skins if you like. Tip into a bowl to cool.
• Whisk the mascarpone and custard together until completely blended.
• Tip the biscuits into a large glass bowl, then top with the apricots and custard. Scatter generously with the grated chocolate, then cover and chill until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE-AMARETTI CUSTARD WITH FRESH FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour caramel into 5-cup ring mold. Using pastry brush, quickly brush caramel up sides of mold. Cool.
• Whisk 1 cup milk and cocoa in large bowl until cocoa dissolves. Whisk in remaining 2 cups milk, 2/3 cup sugar, rum, egg yolks and eggs. Stir in amaretti cookies. Pour custard into caramel-lined mold.
• Place mold in large roasting pan. Add enough warm water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pan and ring mold with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crust forms on top of custard and center 1 inch still moves when mold is gently shaken, about 35 minutes (do not overbake or custard will curdle). Transfer mold to rack and cool completely. Cover and chill overnight.
• Using small sharp knife, cut oranges between membranes to release segments. Run knife around sides of mold. Place plate atop mold. Invert custard onto plate, shaking gently to loosen and letting caramel run over custard. Remove mold. Arrange fruit in center of custard.