Classic Chocolate Marquise Food

CHOCOLATE MARQUISE

Steps:

• For Filling:
• Scald cream in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour filling into large bowl. Refrigerate until filling is very thick but still spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.
• For Syrup:
• Bring sugar, water and chopped prunes to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add Cognac. Cover and let mixture steep 1 hour. Strain, reserving prunes and syrup separately.
• For Cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 11x17 1/2-inch cookie sheet with 1-inch-high sides. Line cookie sheet with parchment. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, cream 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in large bowl. Gradually beat in sugar (mixture will be grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in melted unsweetened chocolate and prunes reserved from syrup. Stir in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and scraping down sides of bowl. Transfer batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Dust parchment sheet with cocoa powder. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto prepared parchment sheet. Peel parchment off cake bottom. Cool completely.
• Trim 1/2 inch off each short edge of cake. Cut remainder of cake into three 5x10 1/2-inch rectangles (there will be some cake left over). Place 1 cake layer onto 4 1/2x10-inch cardboard rectangle. Brush cake with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 3/4 cup filling over. Place second cake layer atop filling. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 3/4 cup filling over. Top with third cake layer. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 1 cup filling over top and sides of cake to coat. Chill cake until coating is firm, 45 minutes.
• Heat remaining filling in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Add 1/4 cup butter and whisk until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Chill until glaze is slightly thickened but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer cake on cardboard base to rack set over large piece of foil. Pour glaze over top and sides of cake, smoothing sides only. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Melt milk chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour chocolate into small parchment cone. Cut off tip to form small opening. Pipe chocolate lines 1/2 inch apart crosswise over top of cake. Starting at 1 short edge 3/4 inch from long edge, draw tip of small sharp knife through chocolate lines to second short edge. Starting at second short edge 3/4 inch from first line, draw knife tip through lines in opposite direction. Continue drawing knife tip through chocolate lines, spacing drawn lines 3/4 inch apart and reversing direction each time, creating chevron pattern.
• Transfer cake to platter. Spoon all glaze left on foil into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch (no. 3) star tip. Pipe shell pattern unto platter around base of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover cake loosely and refrigerate. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.)

CHOCOLATE MARQUISE RECIPE

Steps:

• Line a large (1kg/2lb) loaf tin with cling film.
• Gently melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie or a pot over a pan of simmering water.
• Stir in the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until everything is melted and dissolved.
• Whisk in the eggs yolks, one by one, until smooth.
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
• Mix a little egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then carefully fold in the rest retaining as much air as possible.
• Pour into the lined loaf tin, cover tightly with clingfilm and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Take out of the freezer 1 - 2 hours before you want to serve and it'll soften into the most delectable dessert ever.

WHITE & DARK CHOCOLATE TERRINE

Steps:

• Brush a 2lb loaf tin (about 22 x 11 x 6cm) with oil, line completely with cling film (the oil will help it to stick to the sides), then line the base with a strip of baking parchment. Gently melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Using an electric whisk, beat in 200ml of the cream until the mixture is just holding its own shape. Set aside while you make the dark layer.
• Melt the dark chocolate as you did the white, then remove from the heat and cool for 1 min. Little by little, stir the remaining cream into the melted chocolate until you have a smooth, thick ganache. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, stir a third into the ganache to loosen it, then fold in the rest.
• To assemble, spoon just under half of the dark mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the surface. Spoon over the white chocolate and smooth, then gently spoon the remaining dark chocolate mixture over the top, being careful not to disturb the white layer, again smoothing the surface. Cover and chill for at least 2 hrs. If you're making the terrine the day before, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hr before serving.
• To serve, turn the tin upside down onto a serving plate and use the edges of cling film to ease out the terrine. Remove the cling film and baking parchment and serve with the Star anise biscuits (see Goes well with, right).

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

WHITE CHOCOLATE & STRAWBERRY MARQUISE

Steps:

• Line a 1.2 litre loaf tin with a double layer of cling film allowing it to overhang the edges. Arrange rows of sponge fingers, widthwise, across the base. Sprinkle evenly with 3 tbsp orange juice.
• Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl with the butter. Microwave on Medium for 1½-2 mins, gently stirring halfway through. Whisk cream with 1 tbsp icing sugar until it just holds its shape. Fold in the melted chocolate until evenly mixed.
• Select 8-10 even sized strawberries. Spoon half the chocolate mix into tin, then put selected strawberries down the centre of the tin, pressing down gently. Spoon over remaining chocolate cream and smooth the top. Fold overhanging cling film over marquise. Chill for at least 24 hrs, preferably 2 days in the fridge until set.
• Weigh out 250g of the remaining strawberries, roughly chop them and put in the food processor with 2 tbsp icing sugar and 1 tbsp orange juice. Blitz until smooth, then press through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Chill until needed.
• To serve, unmould marquise and cut into thick slices. Serve with strawberry sauce and a few reserved strawberries.