Chocolate Custard Cream With Spiced Raspberries And Cocoa Nib Tuile Food

EASY CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Beat eggs and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Whisk milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, brandy, and salt together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Slowly pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs while stirring; pour mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not boil.
• Let custard cool to room temperature, at least 10 minutes. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

COCOA NIB FRAPPE

Steps:

• Pulse the cocoa nibs in a spice grinder 3 to 4 times until the nibs are coarsely chopped. Place the nibs in a 1-quart microwave-safe measuring cup and add the 16 ounces of milk. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes or until the milk reaches 160 degrees F. Steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the chocolate, sugar, water and salt in the carafe of a 1-liter French press. Set aside.
• After steeping, return the nib-milk mixture to the microwave and heat on high for 2 minutes until it simmers or reaches 185 degrees F. Strain the hot nib-milk mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into the French press carafe. Set aside for 1 minute, and then stir to combine the chocolate and milk. Pump the plunger of the French press 10 to 15 times to froth and aerate. Pour the mixture into a standard ice cube tray and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
• Combine the frozen hot chocolate cubes with the 4 ounces of milk, half-and-half or coffee in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

DARK CHOCOLATE PIE WITH COCOA NIB PRALINE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish.
• Mix melted butter, sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Add flour and mix until well blended. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish; crimp edges decoratively. Bake crust until golden brown and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack. Maintain oven temperature.
• For cocoa nib praline:
• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cocoa nibs and chopped pecans. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until mixture spreads and is deep golden brown, about 18 minutes (mixture will flow together into 1 piece on baking sheet). Remove from oven; cool completely on sheet. Break praline into irregular pieces or shards. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight in single layer at room temperature.)
• For chocolate filling:
• Bring 2 cups milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup milk to blend in medium bowl; whisk in cocoa powder and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and butter; whisk until melted and smooth. Pour filling into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until filling is cold and set, about 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Cut pie into wedges. Serve with whipped cream and praline pieces.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Prepare crust: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until combined. Add butter and shortening and pulse 10 to 12 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over mixture; pulse 5 to 6 times or until dough clumps together, adding up to 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary. Gently shape dough into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Roll dough into a 12-inch circle (about 1/8 inch thick) on a floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate; turn edges under and crimp. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Line pastry with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment paper and continue to bake until lightly browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool while preparing filling.
• Prepare filling: Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk together heavy cream, milk, and egg yolks in a medium bowl until completely blended. Gradually whisk egg mixture into sugar mixture.
• Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, just until mixture begins to boil, 6 to 8 minutes. Cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, butter, and vanilla until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is completely smooth.
• Spread filling in the cooled crust. Place plastic wrap directly on the warm filling and chill in the refrigerator until set, 8 to 24 hours.
• Prepare topping: Beat heavy cream and vanilla at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar, beating until soft peaks form.
• Just before serving, top pie with whipped cream.

TIA MARIA & CHOCOLATE CREAMS

Steps:

• Put the chocolate into a bowl. Mix the cream with the Tia Maria, reserve 2 tbsp, then tip the rest into a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat and tip straight over the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate melts. Divide between 2 small glasses and allow to cool slightly. Whip the remaining cream until slightly thickened, then spoon over the cooled chocolate mix. Chill for at least 1 hr to set. While you're waiting, cut a heart shape from a piece of thick card.
• When ready to serve, set the card over the glass and sift over a dusting of cocoa powder. Lift off carefully and do the same with the other glass.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH RASPBERRY CREAM

Steps:

• Add the milk and egg yolk to a measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
• Add 5 tablespoons sugar, the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt to a medium saucepan, and whisk to combine, breaking up any lumps. Whisk the milk and egg yolk mixture into the sugar mixture until smooth.
• Set the pan over medium-low heat and cook the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble, stirring the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula and making sure to scrape the corners and bottom of the pan. Once it bubbles, cook for an additional minute until thick and creamy, taking extra care to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to avoid scorching the mixture, 6 to 8 minutes total. If you do get a few small lumps, whisk the mixture vigorously for a few seconds to smooth them. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Spoon the pudding into two small serving bowls or glasses, and press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of each pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• When you are ready to serve the pudding, make the raspberry cream: Combine 1/2 teaspoon sugar with about 4 raspberries in a small bowl. Mash them together with a fork and macerate. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to medium peaks. Dollop the mashed raspberries over the top of the whipped cream and fold a few times. (The mixture should be streaky.)
• Top the pudding with the remaining raspberries and a dollop of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.