Jacques Torres Chocolate Coconut Napoleon Food

SAVORY CHOCOLATE NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Use an offset spatula to spread a 1/8-inch-thick layer of tempered chocolate over a sheet of acetate. When the chocolate begins to set but is not yet hard, use a sharp paring knife or rolling cutter to cut 1-inch squares. When the chocolate is set, peel off the acetate and break apart the chocolate squares.
• Place the softened cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Add the chives, paprika, salt and pepper and turn the mixer on medium speed. Mix just until combined.
• Place the cream cheese mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a dollop of the cream cheese onto a chocolate square. Top with a square of chocolate. Pipe another dollop of cream cheese and cover with another square of chocolate. Viola!

CHOCOLATE COCONUT NAPOLEON

Steps:

• CHOCOLATE SAUCE FOR GARNISH:
• Prepare the chocolate cream: The base of the chocolate cream is a creme anglaise, which is poured over chocolate to make a ganache.
• Pour half of the sugar into a small mixing bowl and set the remaining sugar aside. Add the egg yolks and whisk until well combined. The mixture should be thick, smooth, and homogenous.
• Pour the heavy cream, milk, and remaining sugar into a non-reactive 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, place it over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Temper the egg mixture with the hot mixture by carefully pouring about 1/3 of the hot mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk immediately to keep the eggs from scrambling. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. The liquid will begin to thicken. When it reaches 182 degrees on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, it is finished and should be removed from the heat. If you do not have a thermometer, you can tell that it is finished by using the following method: In one quick motion, dip the spatula into the creme anglaise and hold it down horizontally in front of you. With the tip of your finger, wipe a clean line down the center of the spatula. If the trail keeps its shape, the creme anglaise is ready. If the trail fills with liquid, cook it for another minute and repeat the test. The objective is to remove the creme anglaise from the heat just before it boils. If the creme anglaise boils, the egg yolks will scramble. If this happens, you can still use it if you mix it with a hand-held immersion blender, food processor, or a blender. You will need a blade to liquefy the scrambled egg pieces. Remove from the heat.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl and make a ganache by pouring the creme anglaise over the chocolate in two or three additions. Use a hand whisk to incorporate fully after each addition. The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth. Whisk in the Grand Marnier. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set. As the cream cools, the cocoa butter in the chocolate will harden and hold everything together. The cream will also become more flavorful as it cools. If you have time, make this a day in advance to give the chocolate flavor time to develop. (The chocolate cream can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.)
• Prepare the tuiles: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the coconut, sugar, eggs, and butter in a medium-size mixing bowl and mix with a hand whisk until well combined. Place a silicon mat on a baking sheet. (If you do not have a silicon mat, you can use a nonstick baking sheet.) Use a small offset spatula dipped in water to spread 4-inch circles of the tuile batter on the mat or baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake until evenly light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the tuiles to cool on a wire rack.
• Assemble the Napoleon: Place one tuile in the center of each plate. Dip a large spoon in hot water and roll it through the chocolate cream to form a quenelle, or egg-shaped scoop, of chocolate cream. Place the chocolate cream in the center of the tuile and repeat for the remaining plates. Top with a second tuile and another quenelle of chocolate cream. Top each with a third tuile. Garnish the plate with the chocolate sauce and creme anglaise. You could also use fresh berries in season or chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT CANDY

Steps:

• Use a ladle to fill the plastic chocolate candy mold of your choice ( I used a small Bon Bon shape), with the tempered bittersweet chocolate. Tap the mold on the counter to encourage the air bubbles to depart. When the mold is full, empty it into the bowl of chocolate. The inside of each cavity should be evenly coated with chocolate. Scrape the mold clean with an offset spatula and place it upside down on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Once the chocolate starts to harden, about 5 minutes, scrape the edge clean again, with a chef's knife. When the chocolate sets, it shrinks or retracts from the sides of the mold. A clean edge will keep it from sticking and cracking as it shrinks. You can place the mold in the refrigerator for several minutes to help the chocolate to harden. Repeat with as many candy molds as you would like.
• For the filling: Place the coconut milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the corn syrup, coconut rum and rum. Place the white chocolate and in a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate in the bowl and mix thoroughly. Stir in the shredded coconut. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature (though it should still be soft enough to pipe). Place the mixture in a piping bag and fill each chocolate cavity with the coconut mixture, to just shy of the top of the cavity. Allow this to set until the mixture hardens, about 2 hours.
• Use an offset spatula to cover the openings of each cavity with more tempered bittersweet chocolate. When the chocolate has begun to set, use an offset spatula to scrape away the excess chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set completely. Overturn the mold and give it a quick rap on the counter. The chocolates will release from the mold. They are ready to serve.
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.
• From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres.

JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE COCONUT NAPOLEON

Steps:

• For the Chocolate Cream: The base of the chocolate cream is a creme anglaise, which is poured over chocolate to make a ganache. Pour half of the sugar into a small mixing bowl and set the remaining sugar aside. Add the egg yolks and whisk until well combined. The mixture should be thick, smooth, and homogenous.
• Pour the heavy cream, milk, and remaining sugar into a non-reactive 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, place it over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Temper the egg mixture with the hot mixture by carefully pouring about 1/3 of the hot mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk immediately to keep the eggs from scrambling.
• Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. The liquid will begin to thicken. When it reaches 182 degrees on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, it is finished and should be removed from the heat. If you do not have a thermometer, you can tell that it is finished by using the following method: In one quick motion, dip the spatula into the creme anglaise and hold it down horizontally in front of you. With the tip of your finger, wipe a clean line down the center of the spatula. If the trail keeps its shape, the creme anglaise is ready. If the trail fills with liquid, cook it for another minute and repeat the test. The objective is to remove the creme anglaise from the heat just before it boils. If the creme anglaise boils, the egg yolks will scramble. If this happens, you can still use it if you mix it with a hand-held immersion blender, food processor, or a blender. You will need a blade to liquefy the scrambled egg pieces. Remove from the heat.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl and make a ganache by pouring the creme anglaise over the chocolate in two or three additions. Use a hand whisk to incorporate fully after each addition. The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth.
• Whisk in the Grand Marnier. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set. As the cream cools, the cocoa butter in the chocolate will harden and hold everything together. The cream will also become more flavorful as it cools. If you have time, make this a day in advance to give the chocolate flavor time to develop. (The chocolate cream can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.)
• For the Coconut Tuiles: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the coconut, sugar, eggs, and butter in a medium-size mixing bowl and mix with a hand whisk until well combined. Place a silicon mat on a baking sheet. (If you do not have a silicon mat, you can use a nonstick baking sheet.) Use a small offset spatula dipped in water to spread 4-inch circles of the tuile batter on the mat or baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake until evenly light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the tuiles to cool on a wire rack.
• To Assemble: Place one tuile in the center of each plate. Dip a large spoon in hot water and roll it through the chocolate cream to form a quenelle, or egg-shaped scoop, of chocolate cream. Place the chocolate cream in the center of the tuile and repeat for the remaining plates. Top with a second tuile and another quenelle of chocolate cream. Top each with a third tuile. Garnish the plate with the chocolate sauce and creme anglaise. You could also use fresh berries in season or chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Heat the heavy cream in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Make sure that you have chopped the chocolate as finely as possible to allow it to melt quickly and easily. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl. Make a ganache by pouring about half of the hot cream over the chocolate and letting it sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Then slowly whisk until smooth and homogenous. Do not add all of the hot cream to the cold chocolate at once; the shock of the temperature extremes would cause the fat in the chocolate to separate. As the chocolate melts, you will see some elasticity if there is no fat separation. This means the chocolate still has an emulsion; the fat molecules are still holding together. If the ganache separates, it loses its elasticity, collapses, and becomes very liquid. I use a hand-held immersion blender to ensure a smooth ganache and to keep the emulsion of the chocolate. Add the remaining cream gradually and mix until all of the hot cream is incorporated and the ganache is smooth and homogenous.
• If the ganache separates, it is very easy to fix. Simply add a small amount of cold cream and whisk well. This will bring the ganache back together. The ganache should be thick, shiny, and smooth. Add the desired flavoring and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the ganache onto a plastic wrap-covered baking sheet and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours at room temperature. I usually make the ganache at the end of the day and let it cool overnight. As it cools, it will thicken and set.
• When the ganache has cooled to the consistency of toothpaste, scrape it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Do not stir the ganache when you do this. Incorporating air by stirring will cause the ganache to harden. Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds spaced 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. To pipe the mounds, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle and allow the tip to touch the parchment as you begin to pipe. Once you have formed the mound, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up, leaving a small tail on the top of each mound. You can also use a spoon and drop small mounds of ganache onto the baking sheet. Let the truffles harden at room temperature for a couple of hours (or in the refrigerator for 15 minutes), until they are hard enough to roll with your hands.
• When I roll the truffles, I usually wear surgical gloves. The gloves are not mandatory but if you do not use them, be sure your hands are very clean. To roll the mound into a ball, place a truffle between both palms, squeeze slightly, and roll between your hands. The truffles will look nicer if they are as round as possible. When all the truffles are rolled into balls, they are ready to be coated. If they have become too soft, place them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours until they are firm enough to dip.
• You can use either a dipping fork or your hands to dip the truffles in chocolate. To use the fork, drop the truffle into the bowl of tempered chocolate and then retrieve it with the dipping fork. Hold the fork over the bowl for several seconds to allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Gently scrape the bottom of the fork against the side of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate and roll the dipped truffle in the desired garnish. Place on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. If you use your hands, dab some chocolate in the palm of one hand. Roll the truffle in that palm to completely coat it with chocolate. Place the enrobed truffle on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining truffles. This method is very quick but it can also be extremely messy.
• When all of the truffles have been coated once, repeat the enrobing procedure. This is necessary only when you enrobe the truffles by hand rather than with a fork. The truffles are usually more evenly coated when dipped with a fork. As soon as each truffle gets a second coating, immediately roll it in the desired garnish. You need to do this before the chocolate sets or the topping will not adhere. At this stage, it is good to have a friend help because it is hard to dip and roll at the same time. Place the truffles on a clean parchment paper-covered baking sheet and allow them to set, about 5 minutes.
• The truffles will keep for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, when stored in an airtight container.
• To toast coconut: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to keep the sugar in the coconut from burning. Return to the oven and toast until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
• To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C). Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Toast for about 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. You will be able to smell the nuts when they are ready. A good test is to break a nut in half and check to see if it is light brown on the inside. Toasting nuts brings out their natural flavor. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Thaw pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400.
• Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks. Cut each strip into 6 rectangles. Place 2" apart on baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
• Place cream and cinnamon in bowl. Beat with electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in melted chocolate pieces. Split pastries into 2 layers. Spread 18 bottom halves with chocolate cream. Top with remaining top halves. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
• TIP: *You can substitute 2 cups thawed frozen non-dairy or dairy whipped topping for heavy cream. Proceed as directed.