Dulce De Leche Chocolate Parfait Food

CHOCOLATE DULCE DE LECHE BARS

Steps:

• Make shortbread crust:
• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Butter a shallow 9- to 9 1/2-inch square baking pan (1 to 1 1/2 inches deep). Line bottom and 2 sides with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Butter parchment.
• Blend together butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl with a fork. Sift in flour and blend with fork until a soft dough forms.
• Spread dough evenly in baking pan using an offset spatula or back of a spoon, then prick all over with fork.
• Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack, about 30 minutes.
• Make chocolate dulce de leche:
• Bring cream and dulce de leche to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon until dulce de leche has dissolved.
• Whisk together yolks in a bowl, then slowly whisk in hot cream mixture. Return to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pan is visible in tracks of spoon and mixture registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until melted.
• Make bars:
• Pour chocolate mixture over cooled shortbread and chill, uncovered, until cold and set, about 2 hours.
• Run a small knife around edges to loosen, then transfer to a cutting board using parchment. Cut with a hot clean knife (dip in hot water and wipe clean between cuts) into 24 bars. Chill until ready to serve.

DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• For the stovetop method: Remove the label from the can of sweetened condensed milk. Place 3 to 4 forks upside down on the bottom of a large 6- to 8-quart pot. Place the unopened can on top of the forks and cover with water by a few inches. (The forks help to prevent a vacuum between the bottom of the can and the pot.) Place the pot over high heat until it reaches a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low or low to maintain a steady simmer for about 3 hours. Add more water to the pot if necessary to ensure that the can is submerged at all times. Let the can cool to room temperature in the water before removing. Open the can and scoop out the contents. The dulce de leche should be dark and caramelized.
• For the oven method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a shallow baking dish in a roasting pan. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the baking dish and cover the dish with foil. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until the dulce de leche is dark and caramelized, 60 to 75 minutes, checking the water level occasionally and adding more if needed. Let cool, then whisk until smooth.
• Transfer the dulce de leche to an airtight container, put plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

DEVIL'S FOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DULCE DE LECHE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 9-inch cake pans.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until light and aerated. Stir in melted chocolate, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and coffee and whisk until combined.
• In three additions, pour wet mixture into dry mixture, whisking well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool.
• For the frosting: Beat cream to soft peaks. Set aside. Beat together dulce de leche, cream cheese, vanilla and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until well combined. Fold in the whipped cream, cover with plastic wrap and keep room temperature until ready to use.
• To assemble the cake: Once the cake is completely cool, put one layer on a serving plate and put a healthy dollop of frosting on top. Spread the frosting to the edge then place the other cake layer on top and frost.

DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a large, 4-quart saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the baking soda and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a bare simmer. Stir occasionally, but do not re-incorporate the foam that appears on the top of the mixture. Continue to cook for 1 hour. Remove the vanilla bean after 1 hour and continue to cook until the mixture is a dark caramel color and has reduced to about 1 cup, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a month.

DULCE DE LECHE COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch-square baking dish with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; coat the foil with cooking spray. Pulse 2 cups flour, the butter, confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the salt in a food processor until the mixture starts clumping together, about 1 minute. Press firmly and evenly in the bottom and 1/4 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake until firm and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the dulce de leche, heavy cream, egg yolks and the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture over the crust and sprinkle with the chocolate chips and pecans. Return to the oven and bake until set around the edge but slightly jiggly in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer to the rack and let cool completely. Lift out of the pan using the overhanging foil. Remove the foil and cut into pieces.

DULCE DE LECHE CHOCOLATE PARFAIT

Steps:

• 1. In a large saucepan with water boiling, add sweetened condensed milk can. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2:30 hours making sure there's always water covering it.
• 2. Remove from the water and allow the dulce de leche to cool, about 45 minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile make the chocolate pudding; in a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, coffee and salt; whisk well and set aside.
• 4. In another bowl, whisk yolks and vanilla extract; set aside.
• 5. In a saucepan over medium heat add milk. Using a sieve, sift cornstarch mixture and then stir until the mixture is smooth and warmed up. When it starts to simmer, temper the eggs by adding a little milk mixture at a time, whisking constantly. Pour in tempered egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk constantly. Add chopped chocolate, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir constantly until melted, about 3 minutes or until smooth and thick.
• 6. Remove from the heat and add butter; stir until blended. Place some wax paper on top making sure it touches the surface to prevent skin formation. Let the pudding cool off, about 30 minutes.
• 7. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add cooled dulce de leche, milk and heavy cream. Using a fine sieve, add ¼ cup cornstarch and sift into the mixture. Stir very well until dulce de leche is incorporated and the mixture is warm. Quickly whisk egg yolks and pure vanilla extract; set aside.
• 8. When dulce mixture is warm, temper the eggs by adding a little milk mixture at a time, whisking constantly. Pour in tempered egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and becomes pudding.
• 9. Remove from the heat, place wax paper on top making sure it touches the surface and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• 10. To assemble; spoon a layer of chocolate pudding and alternate with dulce de leche pudding into a tall dessert cup. Finish with chocolate pudding. Add a dollop of dulce de leche pudding in the center and garnish with coffee or espresso beans or a chocolate heart. Serves 8
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DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Put the sugar in a large saucepan. Turn the heat to a medium temperature and carefully melt the sugar. Gently tilt the pan as the sugar melts, rather than stirring, as it will adhere to a spoon or spatula.
• When the sugar is melted, add the butter and stir into the sugar. It will bubble, so take care. Next, add the milk a little at a time, stirring continuously.
• Finally, add the can of condensed milk and stir well until it is fully incorporated. Keep stirring as the dulce de leche bubbles and thickens over a medium heat. It will need a further 5-10 mins of cooking. It will turn a darker shade of brown and take on a slight orange-red hue as it darkens. It should be thick enough to leave a clear channel in the pan when a spoon is run through and then add a pinch of salt. It will firm up as it cools. The dulce de leche can be stored in a jar in the fridge and will keep for up to a month. If not storing in a jar ensure it's covered so a skin doesn't form.

DULCE DE LECHE CHOCOLATE PARFAIT

Steps:

• In a large saucepan with water boiling, add sweetened condensed milk can. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2:30 hours making sure there's always water covering it.
• Remove from the water and allow the dulce de leche to cool, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the chocolate pudding; in a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, coffee and salt; whisk well and set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk yolks and vanilla extract; set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat add milk. Using a sieve, sift cornstarch mixture and then stir until the mixture is smooth and warmed up. When it starts to simmer, temper the eggs by adding a little milk mixture at a time, whisking constantly. Pour in tempered egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk constantly. Add chopped chocolate, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir constantly until melted, about 3 minutes or until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and add butter; stir until blended. Place some wax paper on top making sure it touches the surface to prevent skin formation. Let the pudding cool off, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add cooled dulce de leche, milk and heavy cream. Using a fine sieve, add ¼ cup cornstarch and sift into the mixture. Stir very well until dulce de leche is incorporated and the mixture is warm. Quickly whisk egg yolks and pure vanilla extract; set aside.
• When dulce mixture is warm, temper the eggs by adding a little milk mixture at a time, whisking constantly. Pour in tempered egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and becomes pudding.
• Remove from the heat, place wax paper on top making sure it touches the surface and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• To assemble; spoon a layer of chocolate pudding and alternate with dulce de leche pudding into a tall dessert cup. Finish with chocolate pudding. Add a dollop of dulce de leche pudding in the center and garnish with coffee or espresso beans or a chocolate heart. Serves 8.