Chocolate Dome With Summer Berry Compote Food

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL DOMES

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, egg and 1 teaspoon hot water until smooth and combined.
• Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then flip out onto a cutting board to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 6 circles from the cake (save the scraps for another use); set aside.
• For the chocolate domes and mousse: Meanwhile, add the coconut oil and 3 ounces of the chocolate to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cavities of a silicone half-sphere mold with six 3-ounce-capacity cavities and tilt the mold to swirl the chocolate around until each half-sphere is coated entirely (you can also use your finger to swirl the chocolate around). Some chocolate may spill over on top of the mold, which is fine; it will break off when you unmold the domes. Tap out any excess chocolate and freeze until the chocolate is hardened, about 5 minutes.
• Put 1/4 cup of the cream in a small bowl and stir in the gelatin. Put the butter and remaining 6 ounces chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir the gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture until the gelatin is dissolved. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until well combined. Add the remaining chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until no streaks remain.
• For the filling and topping: Scoop 1/3 cup of the mousse into each chocolate cavity in the half-sphere mold. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a divot in the middle of each portion of chocolate mousse about halfway down. Pour a heaping teaspoon of caramel sauce into each divot. Top each half-sphere with a cake round, pressing down gently into the mousse (use a paper towel to wipe away any mousse that may seep out of the mold). Freeze until the mousse is set, about 1 hour.
• Gently peel the mold away from each of the half-spheres and place them cake-side down on a serving platter.
• Use a vegetable peeler to shave 1 tablespoon of chocolate curls from the chocolate. Put the remaining chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted, about 1 minute. Drizzle the melted chocolate over each dome and sprinkle with the chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

QUICK FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• If using strawberries, hull, halve or quarter to make them a similar size to the other berries. Tip all the fruits into a large pan with 2-3 tbsp water, sugar to taste and your choice of flavourings.
• Bring to the boil then simmer for 3-5 mins. Don't overcook, or the fruits will not hold their shape. Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, in the freezer for up to 3 months.

SUMMER BERRY COBBLER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine berries with sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Spread berry mixture out on a 10-inch tart or gratin dish. Dollop spoonfuls of scone dough evenly over the top of the fruit; leave a border around the edge of the dish for spreading. Drizzle the surface with melted butter and dust with sugar. Set on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the fruit juices bubbling.
• Cool for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with heavy cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; mix thoroughly. Cut in butter using 2 forks or a pastry blender. The butter pieces should be coated with flour and resemble crumbs.
• In another bowl, mix buttermilk and egg together, and then add to the flour mixture. Mix just to incorporate, do no overwork the dough.
• Roll blueberries in flour to coat, this will help prevent the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the scone when baked. Fold the blueberries into batter, being careful not to bruise.

VANILLA-BROWN BUTTER CAKE WITH SPRING FRUIT AND BERRY COMPOTE, MINT OIL AND TOASTED MARSHMALLOW SAUCE

Steps:

• For the vanilla brown butter cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 13-by-18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the powdered sugar, almond flour, all-purpose flour and egg whites and mix on low until the ingredients combine without any visible lumps, approximately 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, put the butter and scraped vanilla bean seeds in a 2-quart saucepan and cook on high heat, whisking occasionally. As the mixture cooks, the butter will begin to brown and it will start to smell amazing, about 15 minutes! The longer the butter and vanilla stay on the heat, the more "nutty" the final flavor will become. So cook it to your preference. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving the brown butter.
• Turn the stand mixer to the lowest speed and stream the hot brown butter into the batter, mixing for approximately 2 minutes.
• Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking sheet and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then cut into rectangles about 4 inches by 1 1/2 inches.
• For the toasted marshmallow sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add the corn syrup to the sugar/water mixture. If there are any granules of sugar on the side of the saucepan, brush them down using a pastry brush dipped in water.
• Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks appear, then turn the mixer down to medium speed.
• Place the saucepan on medium-high heat and cook the sugar mixture to thread stage, approximately 234 degrees F. Turn the stand mixer to high speed and stream in the cooked sugar. Continue to mix the meringue on high speed until the outside of the bowl feels cool to the touch, approximately 5 minutes.
• For the spring fruit and berry compote: Combine the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, figs, granulated sugar and mint in a mixing bowl and toss together. Let stand at least 5 minutes
• For the mint oil: Put the oil and mint in a blender and blend for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a saucepan, slowly bring to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Strain with a fine-mesh strainer, then let cool. Transfer the cooled mixture to a squeeze bottle.
• To assemble: Spoon and drag about 2 tablespoons of the marshmallow onto each plate and toast the top with a kitchen blowtorch. Place a rectangle of cake on top of each, then divide the fruit among the cakes. Decorate the plates with the mint oil from the squeeze bottle.

MILK CHOCOLATE DOME WITH CARAMEL CREAM, FLEUR DE SEL AND PISTACHIO CRUNCH ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Mousse:
• Whip the 16 ounces heavy cream to soft peaks. Bring the milk and remaining 4 1/2 ounces of cream to a boil. Beat the sugar and egg yolks until smooth. While whisking egg yolk mixture, add a small ladle of the hot cream and whisk well to temper. Add the yolk mixture to the cream mixture and cook over low heat, while whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat. Strain and pour over the chocolate. Mix to incorporate. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
• Caramel Cream:
• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Once mixture boils, don't stir anymore. Boil until the mixture turns a dark caramel color. Once a dark caramel color is achieved, remove from the heat and carefully add half quart cream and the vanilla bean. Be careful as the mixture may sputter a bit when you add the cream. Bring back to a boil and cook until a uniform consistency is achieved. Strain and let cool overnight. Whip the remaining half quart of cream to soft peaks. Fold in the caramel.
• Assembly:
• While the ice cream is still soft stir in 1 cup of pistachio nougatine. Place in freezer until ready to serve.
• Pipe the mousse into 4-ounce dome molds and gently spoon up the sides to create a shell. Place in the freezer until set. Pipe in about 2 tablespoons of the caramel cream into each dome mold. Top with a chocolate disk and a round of chocolate biscuit. Place in the freezer until set and then unmold and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Warm the chocolate glaze. Place a sable round on a plate. Glaze the dome and place it on top of the cookie. Top with a dot of gold leaf. Serve with the pistachio ice cream and chocolate garnishes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the egg whites in a mixer and whisk until frothy. While whisking, slowly add the 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of sugar and whisk to soft peaks. Meanwhile whisk together the yolks, oil and water until frothy. Stir in the remaining 2 cups sugar. Sift the remaining dry ingredients and whisk into the yolk mixture.
• Gently fold in the meringue. Spread between 3 full sheet pans lined with parchment and bake until the cake springs back in the center, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut with a round cutter to fit directly at the base of the dome mold.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and yolk, 1 at a time, just to combine.
• Sift all dry ingredients and add a little at a time until just mixed together. Roll out very thin, about 1/8-inch. Cut out with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter. Sprinkle disks with sugar and bake off until dry to the touch, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool.
• Bring the water, sugar, cream and corn syrup to a boil. Pour over the chocolates and mix together. Let cool.
• Preheat oven to 325 degree F.
• In a large pot, melt the butter and corn syrup. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and pectin and cook, stirring until you have reached a full boil. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the pistachios. Spread onto parchment lined sheet pan and bake in the oven until golden brown. Let cool. Grind in a food processor into small chunks.
• Bring the milk, cream, vanilla beans and half the sugar to a boil. Whisk together the remaining sugar and yolks. While whisking, add a ladle of the hot cream mixture to the yolks. Stir the yolk mixture into the cream mixture and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and strain. Let cool and process in an ice cream machine.
• Temper chocolate and spread a thin layer out onto parchment. Sprinkle lightly with fleur de sel before it sets. Cut out with a 3/4-inch circle cutter.

CHEF LEE ANNE WONG'S PANCAKES WITH SUMMER BERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together over a large piece of parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk until a thick batter is formed. Whisk in the melted butter.
• Heat a nonstick griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of butter and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Ladle 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan to form a pancake. Cook until you see bubbles break the surface of the pancake and the underside is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then carefully flip the pancake to finish cooking on the other side, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pancakes to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm (or place in a preheated 200 degree F oven, covered) and continue to make the pancakes until all of the batter has been used up, wiping out the pan or griddle with a paper towel after each use.
• Serve with warm Summer Berry Compote.
• In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mixed berries, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Saute the mixture, stirring often, until the berries begin to break down and release their juices, around 5 minutes. Add the pinch of salt and check for seasoning (add more sugar and lemon juice, if desired).
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil leaves. Serve immediately with warm pancakes.

WARM BERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Melt the butter over a low heat. Stir in the sugar and vanilla extract, then cook until the sugar melts. Toss in the raspberries and blueberries. Give them a good shake, then cook for 2-3 mins until the fruit starts to soften. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.