Decadent Duo For Decadent Duos Chocolate Cups With Whipped Cream Food

MASCARPONE AND DARK CHOCOLATE CREAM IN WHITE CHOCOLATE CUPS

Steps:

• Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners. Melt the white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon melted chocolate into each paper liner. Using a pastry brush, coat the chocolate evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the liners. Freeze until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Remelt the white chocolate in the bowl. Spoon 1 tablespoon into each cup and brush over the bottom and up the sides, forming a second coat. Freeze until completely set, about 1 hour.
• Melt the bittersweet chocolate in top of a clean double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. At this point, set aside to cool completely.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Set the whipped cream aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese, melted bittersweet chocolate, orange peel, and vanilla in a large bowl just until smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds (do not overmix). Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 2 batches. Transfer the mousse to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the mousse into the white chocolate cups. Sprinkle the white chocolate curls over the mousse and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate overnight, and then let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE CUPS WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil.
• In blender or food processor combine egg, sugar, a pinch of salt, semisweet chips, and liqueur. Run processor or turn on blender to low setting. Pour in boiling milk in a slow stream. The hot milk will cook egg and melt chocolate. Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth.
• Spoon chocolate into 4 demitasse cups and chill. After dinner, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat to combine. Top the chocolate cups with a dollop of cream and garnish each cup with mint sprigs.
• Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons. If you use teacups, this recipe will yield 2 cups, rather than 4.

PLUOT GALETTES WITH APPLE MINT AND CALVADOS-LACED WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pulse together 1 1/2 cups of the flour, 10 tablespoons of the butter and the salt in a food processor. While pulsing, add just enough water for the dough to come together. Remove to a counter and knead a couple times. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into four pieces. Roll out into 10-inch rounds on floured parchment paper and slide onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together the ground almonds, granulated sugar and the remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Sprinkle the mixture over the pastry rounds.
• In a medium mixing bowl, sprinkle the sliced pluots with some granulated sugar and half of the apple mint and toss. Place the pluots in the middle of each pastry round and gently fold the pastry up and around the fruit. Brush the top and edges of the dough with some egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Dot the pluots pieces of the 2 tablespoons butter.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the bottom is cooked through.
• While the galettes are baking, melt the plum preserves in a small saucepot, just to soften. Brush the melted preserves on the crusts as soon as the galettes come out of the oven, and sprinkle with the remaining apple mint.
• Whip the cream with an electric mixer. Add a sprinkle of superfine sugar and a dash of calvados and mix in.
• Dollop the galettes with whipped cream and serve.

SPIDERWEB DIRT CUPS

Steps:

• Whisk together the instant pudding mix and milk in a large bowl until smooth. Let sit until slightly set, 5 minutes.
• Whip the cream in another large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and mix on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Transfer one-third of the whipped cream to the pudding and whisk until fully incorporated, then carefully fold in the remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
• Divide half of the pudding mixture among 6 clear cups or glasses (each 9 fluid ounces), filling them about halfway. Top each cup with 1 heaping tablespoon of the crushed cookies, then nestle 2 or 3 gummy worms and 3 or 4 candy eyeballs into the "dirt," against the side of the cup so they are visible. Layer each cup with another heaping tablespoon of the crushed cookies and about 1/3 cup of the remaining pudding, then finish with 2 more heaping tablespoons of the crushed cookies. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with kitchen towels. To make the spiderwebs, fill a large bowl with crushed ice and a small amount of water. Press the ice down so the surface is as flat as possible. Transfer the melted wafers to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip (or a resealable plastic bag with one corner snipped off). Pipe into the ice bath 4 intersecting lines to create a 3-inch asterisk, then pipe a circle just inside the asterisk and a smaller circle inside the first circle. Let the spiderweb set for 10 to 15 seconds then gently transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make 8 spiderwebs; since they are fragile it is good to have a couple extra.
• To make the spiders, arrange the gummy bears flat-side up. Use kitchen shears to snip 3 narrow triangles out of each short end, creating 4 legs on both sides of each spider.
• Place a spiderweb on each dirt cup then top with a gummy spider. Serve cold.

STRAWBERRY WONTON CUPS WITH ORANGE MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• For the wontons: In a large bowl combine the strawberries, orange juice and powdered sugar. Allow the strawberries to macerate for 20 minutes.
• Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 24-count mini muffin tin with cooking spray. To create the wonton cups make a small fold in the center of each wonton and push it into the muffin cup, leaving a cup empty between each wonton. Bake the cups until the edges are golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Cool the cups while you make the whipped cream.
• For the whipped cream: In a bowl using an electric mixer, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Whip until the cream has soft peaks, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cups: Drain the berries, reserving the macerating liquid. Place a few berry slices in the bottom of each cup. Fill the cup with a tablespoon of whipped cream and top with additional strawberry slices. Drizzle with the reserved berry juices and serve.