Jacques Torress Chocolate Bowls Food

JACQUES TORRES'S CHOCOLATE BOWLS

Steps:

• Blow up a small clear balloon and tie to seal. Dip a side of the balloon into a large bowl of tempered chocolate, covering about halfway up the side of the balloon. Rotate balloon and repeat dip two more times, to create a petal like pattern. Shake off excess chocolate from the bottom. Place upright or at an angle (the direction will determine the shape of the finished bowl) on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat process for additional bowls. Refrigerate until set, 3 to 6 minutes.
• To test whether the chocolate has set, squeeze the balloon. If the chocolate pulls away from the balloon, then it is set. To remove the bowl, pop the balloon with a quick poke of a knife. Discard balloon scraps. Fill bowl as desired. Bowls may be filled with chocolate mousse, ice cream, or whipped cream, and garnished with berries.

CHEF JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE MOUSSE IN DARK CHOCOLATE FLOWER BOWLS

Steps:

• Place a 1-quart saucepan half-filled with water over high heat and bring it to a simmer
• Make a double boiler by setting a large mixing bowl over the simmering water
• Place the chopped chocolate in the bowl and heat until completely melted, stirring occasionally
• It is important to melt the chocolate fully to avoid lumps in the finished mousse
• Be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate
• The chocolate will be a little bit warmer than your hands when fully melted
• Remove the mixing bowl from the heat and set aside
• Place the heavy cream in a medium-size mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks with an electric mixer on medium-high speed
• Fold about one third of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate, just to bring the temperature of the chocolate closer to the temperature of the whipped cream
• This will keep the chocolate from hardening when it comes in contact with the cooler whipped cream
• Now fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream
• Add to finished mousse to piping bags and pipe into Dark Chocolate Flower Bowls
• For the Dark Chocolate Flower Bowls: Using tempered chocolate and inflated balloons, dip balloons in chocolate 3 times, rotating the balloon to make 3 petals: dip, rotate, dip, rotate, dip
• Shake off excess chocolate
• Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put in the fridge to set, between 3 to 6 minutes
• To test if they are ready - squeeze the balloon and see if the chocolate pulls away
• If the chocolate pulls away its ready
• Take a knife and pop balloons
• Fill "flower" with chocolate mousse and garnish with berries

JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Heat heavy cream and honey in a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbled begin to form.
• Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
• Add half the hot cream to chocolate, let mixture stand for about 30 seconds undisturbed, then stir lightly to combine. Repeat with remaining cream, then stir the resulting ganache gently until all chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Add butter, and whisk until well blended.
• Fill shell with ganache, transfer to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until filling is set (about 1 1/2 hours). When ready, remove tart from refrigerator, and serve.

JACQUES TORRES' CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. When the milk boils, remove it from the heat and make a ganache by adding the chopped chocolate. Whisk well, stirring into the edge of the saucepan to combine. The ganache should be homogenous and smooth. Set the ganache aside.
• In a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the heavy cream, butter, and sugar. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. The butter should be completely melted and the sugar completely dissolved. Once the mixture has come to a boil, pour the cream into the warm ganache.
• Place the sauce over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. As the chocolate sauce cooks, it will begin to thicken slightly. When it reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and pour it into a clean, dry bowl. Cover by placing plastic wrap directly on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Let the chocolate sauce cool to room temperature before storing at room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. When cold, the chocolate sauce will become thick enough to be scooped with a spoon.
• One of the wonderful qualities of this sauce is that it can be reheated whenever needed. If using a microwave, simply place the chocolate sauce in a microwavable bowl and heat it at medium-high power in 30-second intervals until it becomes liquid. On the stovetop, place it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until it becomes liquid. If you store it in a squeeze bottle, you can easily drizzle it over a dessert or decorate a plate. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. It can also be frozen for up to two months if stored in an airtight container, to be kept on hand for a last-minute dinner party. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat as described above until liquid.

JACQUES TORRES'S CHOCOLATE LEATHER

Steps:

• Freeze a large marble slab overnight.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.
• Ladle a small amount of melted chocolate onto the frozen marble. Working quickly, use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate across the marble into one thin layer. Once smooth, use a knife to cut the chocolate to the desired width. Using the offset spatula, peel the chocolate strip from the marble. The chocolate may then be wrapped around the perimeter of a cake as a decorative element.