Maple Nut Tart With A Chocolate Whiskey Mousse Food

MAPLE-NUT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured piece of waxed or parchment paper, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully fit into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan, gently lowering dough into bottom and sides of pan without stretching. Roll rolling pin over edge of tart pan to cut off excess dough (discard excess); set tart shell aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and salt; whisk in maple syrup. Add nuts, and mix filling to combine. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and pour in filling. Bake tart until filling is set and crust is slightly golden, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Remove tart from pan before serving.

CHESTNUT AND WHISKEY MOUSSE WITH CHOCOLATE AND WALNUT BISCUIT AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring the whiskey and the 3/4 cup cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add the gelatin leaves.
• Pour into a mixing bowl with the chestnut puree. Mix with a "La Feuille" (a paddle mixer). Mix until the mixture cools down. Fold the whipped cream into the chestnut whiskey mixture with a spatula, forming a mousse. Reserve in a plastic pastry bag.
• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• In a bowl mix the yolks and 12.5 oz. sugar to a ribbon. With a spatula fold in cocoa and chopped walnuts. Mix well. In a separate bowl whip egg whites with the 8 ounces of sugar, firm but not stiff. Fold egg whites into the yolk/sugar mixture. Bake on a sheet pan on parchment or silpad for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Bring water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat. Add whiskey (no heat).
• Bring the water and the sugar to a boil in a large, stainless steel pot. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Add the chopped chocolate, honey, bourbon, pepper, and espelette.
• Turn in sorbet or ice cream machine.
• Soak gelatin sheets in ice water. Bring water and sugar to a boil. Slowly wisk in cocoa powder, then the cream. Bring to a boil. Strain mixture of any lumps and cool down to 144 degrees F.
• Remove gelatin sheets from water, squeeze dry, and then mix into chocolate. Cool down completely.
• Assembly of Dessert:
• Cut 12, 1 1/2 and 3 inch discs out of the chocolate and walnut biscuit.
• Using 12 silicone dome molds, take the mousse and fill each mold a quarter of the way up.
• Take the 1 1/2 inch disc and put it into the mold, pressing it into the mousse until level with it.
• Take the mousse and fill the molds, filling till 1/2 inch from the top of the mold.
• Brush the discs heavily with the whiskey syrup. Set aside.
• Fully melt chocolate glaze inside of a pourable container. Cool down till chocolate is at room temperature or cool to the touch. Place completely frozen chocolate mousses on a wire rack.
• Slowly pour chocolate over each bomb till thoroughly coated. Put onto a sheet tray and refrigerate for an hour.
• Plating of Dessert:
• Brush some melted chocolate glaze onto a circular plate going from ten o clock to two o clock.
• Take the 3 inch disc and press it into the mold. Should be level with the mold.
• Freeze for 4 to 5 hours or until completely frozen.
• Place the chocolate mousse at ten o clock on the plate and the wedge opposite it at two o clock.
• Take one finished chocolate mousse and cut a wedge out of it.
• Take a quenelle of chocolate sorbet and place it at four o clock on the plate.

PASSION FRUIT MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat the passion fruit puree, orange juice, and sugar until dissolved.
• Add the gelatin to the hot juice and stir to melt and combine. Strain the liquid into a bowl and place it over an ice bath. Stir it constantly with a rubber spatula and when it just starts to set, fold in the whipped cream. Pour this into soup plates or dessert bowls and chill. If storing them overnight, cover them with plastic wrap.
• To serve the mousse, remove the bowls from the refrigerator. Peel and slice the bananas in half longways and dip their faces in coarse sugar and caramelize them under a broiler or with a blowtorch. Place them on the mousse fanning them then tuck in a few half slices of kiwi.

MAPLE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Whip the cream with the scrapings from the vanilla bean until stiff and chill. In a small saucepan, boil the maple syrup to soft ball stage or 238 degrees on a candy thermometer. (Because there is such a small amount of maple syrup, measuring the temperature with a thermometer may be difficult. In this case, a good way to tell if the syrup is ready is to dip a spoon into the boiling maple syrup then put a drop into a cup of ice water. If the syrup dissolves it?s not ready. If it holds its shape and is slightly pliable between your thumb and finger, it's ready.)
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it sponge. Place the whites in a clean dry bowl and, using a whip attachment, whip until almost stiff. Hold them with the whip turning on low until the maple syrup is up to temperature. When the syrup is ready, take it off the stove and, with the mixer on high, drizzle it down the wall of the mixing bowl into the whites. Warm the sponged gelatin in the microwave and drizzle it into the whites as well. Continue whipping until the meringue is cooled. Fold in the whipped cream and pipe or spoon the mousse into dessert glasses and chill for 1 hour or until set.

CHOCOLATE AND LEMONGRASS MOUSSE

Steps:

• Finely chop the lemongrass into small pieces or finely grind in a food processor or mortar and pestle.
• Pour the milk into a large, heavy-based saucepan, add the lemongrass, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 1 hour.
• Break the chocolate into cubes and melt in a bainmarie or microwave. Soften the gelatin in a small bowl filled with cold water and stir it into the chocolate until dissolved.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Semiwhip the heavy cream in a separate bowl. Whisk the egg-sugar mixture into the milk. Return to low heat, stirring continuously to slowly cook the egg until the mixture has slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the melted chocolate. Leave to cool slightly.
• Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the lemongrass. Allow to cool completely.
• Slowly fold in the heavy cream (do not overwhip the cream or it will separate). Pour the mousse into molds (see Note) and leave to set in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.
• Just prior to serving, make the sauce, juicing the lemons into a small heavy-based saucepan. Reduce by two-thirds over a low heat. Add a little sugar to taste. Thicken with cornstarch as desired.
• To serve, turn each mousse out onto a plate. Garnish with caramelized lemon rind and drizzle with sauce.

MAPLE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Beat the yolks together with the brown sugar in a glass or metal bowl. Add the maple syrup, set over a water bath, and cook, whisking, until the mixture reaches custard consistency and coats a spoon, about 15 minutes. It should be quite thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin. Set aside to cool completely. This is important: if the mixture is warm it will deflate the egg whites.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to peaks. In another bowl, do the same with the heavy cream. Fold them alternately into the custard mixture. Turn the mixture into a serving bowl. Cover, and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Or, alternatively, you could pipe the mousse into parfait glasses and chill.

MAPLE MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 3/4 cup syrup just until it simmers. Reduce heat to low. Whisk a small amount of hot syrup into egg yolks; return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Transfer to a large bowl; set bowl in ice water and stir for 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature. , In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the syrup mixture. Spoon into dessert dishes. Chill for at least 2 hours. If desired, top with additional whipped cream. Just before serving, drizzle with remaining syrup and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

CANADIAN MAPLE BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Roll out pastry and cut into 12 circles.
• Fit pastrys into muffin or tart cups.
• Sprinkle raisins and or walnuts in the bottom of each tart.
• Beat together eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter and salt.
• Pour into tart shells, about 2/3 full.
• Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes, until set.
• Cool 5 minutes and remove from pan.
• In some places you can find pre made tart shells in the freezer section along side pie shells.