Chocolate Delice With Salted Caramel Food

SALTED CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• 1. Grease the baking sheet with the 1 teaspoon butter, and set it aside on a heatproof surface.
• 2. Combine the sugar, chocolate, evaporated milk, and heavy cream, in a large (6- to 8-quart) saucepan or stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered and without stirring.
• 3. Once the mixture has come to a boil, insert the candy thermometer. Add the corn syrup, and stir gently with the heatproof spatula until everything is mixed well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to keep the mixture from burning, until the mixture reaches 230°F/110°C (thread stage), about 30 minutes.
• 4. Add the 3 1/2 tablespoons butter and, stirring continuously, cook the caramel until it reaches 238°F/115°C (soft ball stage), 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat.
• 5. Stir in the salt, making sure to mix well so that it's distributed evenly. Wearing oven mitts, carefully pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely until it's firm to the touch, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. (If it's humid, cover the caramel with plastic wrap until you can cut it and wrap it in wax paper.)
• 6. Lightly coat a sharp chef's knife with cooking spray, and run the tip around the edge of the baking sheet to release the caramel. Gently turn the caramel out onto the lined cutting board, and cut it into 1-inch squares. Wrap the pieces in wax twisting paper (to turn the squares into little logs, fold each piece over on itself, wrap the twisting paper around it and roll the wrapped caramel against the cutting board, then twist the ends of the paper shut).
• Store the caramels in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 4 weeks; they'll last for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1 cup white sugar and brown sugar gradually. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture gradually, beating well. Cover dough and chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Press a small amount of dough around each caramel-filled candy. Roll into balls. Pour 2 tablespoons white sugar into a small bowl. Dip the top of each ball into the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with some of the coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are set, about 8 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Prepare chocolate dough: In bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Beat until smooth. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and beat until blended.
• Sift flour into dough mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch tart pan. (You can use a 9-inch pan, but the crust will be thicker and the caramel may take longer to set in step 4.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart with foil, and fill with dried beans, rice or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, and bake until pastry is dry and set, another 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Prepare caramel filling: In a large saucepan, bring sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil. Stir or swirl the pan occasionally, until mixture is a medium amber color, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Caramel will continue to cook and darken off of the heat. Carefully but quickly whisk in the butter, cream, creme fraiche and salt until smooth (mixture will bubble up). Pour hot caramel into tart, and allow to cool and set, at least 1 hour.
• Prepare chocolate glaze: Place chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and whisk until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Pour glaze over tart, tilting tart for even coverage. Refrigerate until tart is set, at least one hour, then sprinkle with a few granules of fleur de sel. Keep refrigerated until serving.

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Gradually beat in flour, mixing well. Press 3 cups of dough onto bottom of a greased 13x9-in. pan. Bake until set, 20-22 minutes. , Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat until smooth. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with salt, then chocolate chips. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over top. Bake until light golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE DELICE WITH SALTED CARAMEL

Steps:

• Crème brulee.
• Pre heat oven to 140°C.
• For crème brulee, combine cream, milk and vanilla beans in a saucepan over a medium heat, bring to the boil and remove from heat. Remove vanilla beans from cream mixture and discard.
• Mix egg yolks, whole egg and sugar together, without incorporating too much air.
• Slowly whisk in hot cream and strain. Pour approximately half the mixture into a baking paperlined slice tin to a depth of 6-8mm. Place in a bain marie and bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm and set in the centre.
• Freeze in blast chiller. Cut out two 9cm circles and blast chill until ready to assemble.
• Choco cream.
• For choco cream, pour cream, cocoa, water and sugar into a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring regularly. Add chocolate and stir until melted.
• Squeeze water from the gelatine leaves, add to warm chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Sieve and chill over ice, refrigerate until cool.
• Whip cream to soft peaks and gently fold through 400g of choco cream until combined taking care not to knock out too much air. Refrigerate until assembly.
• Biscuit Base.
• For biscuit base, increase oven temperature to 180°C.
• Place flour, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor and process to a fine breadcrumb. Add egg and process until mixture starts to come together. Tip mixture onto a clean chopping board and press into a smooth dough, wrap in cling film and rest for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• Place pastry between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to 2-3mm thick. Cut out 9cm circles and place on a baking paper lined baking tray. Blast chill for 1 minute. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden and allow to cool.
• Chocolate glaze.
• For chocolate glaze, pour cream, glucose and water into a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Pour over chocolate and stir until melted and mixture is smooth.
• Salted caramel.
• For salted caramel, make a caramel with sugar and water. Whisk in cream until incorporated. Add butter a few pieces at a time, whisking between each addition and stir in salt. Continue to whisk to a thick glossy sauce.
• White chocolate stripes.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag. Keep warm or reheat in a bowl of warm water when ready to use.
• To assemble, place 2 x 10cm cake rings on a baking paper-lined tray. Place cooked biscuit bases in the centre of each cutter and top each with a circle of frozen crème brulee. Pour chocolate cream mixture over each cutter and spread over each stack so that it fills the gaps down the sides and the tops are level. Blast chill until frozen.
• To prepare the delice, place frozen rounds on a cooling rack set over a baking tray and gently remove the moulds using a blowtorch. Pour chocolate glaze generously over each frozen round so that it covers the sides and drizzle with white chocolate in stripes. Arrange toasted almonds around the edges.
• To serve, spoon salted caramel sauce onto a serving plate, sprinkle with salt and top with a delice.