Marquis Au Chocolat Food

CHOCOLATE MARQUISE

Steps:

• Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Then assemble a bain-marie - do this by pouring a little water into a saucepan and placing the bowl over the water (making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl). Set the pan over a gentle heat and warm the water until the chocolate has melted. Take off the heat and leave to cool a little.
• Meanwhile, place the butter and half the sugar into another large bowl. Using a tabletop mixer or electric hand whisk, beat until the mixture is really light and creamy, then beat in the cocoa powder.
• Separate the eggs (the whites can be frozen for another time) and put the yolks in a third bowl. Tip in the remaining sugar, then beat together until pale and creamy. To check if it's ready, make a figure-of-eight shape in the mixture with the beater - it should hold its shape for a moment. In a fourth bowl, whip the cream until thickened with soft peaks.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the butter mixture, and carefully stir through until it is well combined. Gently fold in the egg mixture. When this is amalgamated, stir in the whipped cream. Now line a 6.5 x 22cm tin with 3 layers of cling film, leaving a 10cm overhang.
• Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag with a large nozzle attached (see Gordon's steps, far right). Pipe a layer over the bottom of the tin, then cover this with a layer of After Eights (cut some in half to ensure they fit). Pipe over another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a layer of After Eights. Continue until you have 4 layers of chocolate mints and the tin is full, finishing with a chocolate cream layer. Fold over the cling film, then chill overnight or up to 2 days.
• Just before serving, place the marquise in the freezer for 10 mins to make it easier to slice. Place the tin, bottomside up, on a serving plate, slide off the tin, then peel away the cling film. If you have a blowtorch, quickly run the flame over the surface of the marquise to give it a glossy sheen. Alternatively, dip a palette knife in boiling water and smooth the surface that way. Use a serrated knife dipped in boiling water to cut the marquise into slices.

CHOCOLATE MARQUISE

Steps:

• In the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth.
• In a bowl, cream together butter and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks. Dissolve instant coffee in water and beat dissolved coffee, sugar and honey into egg yolks until smooth. Slowly beat in slightly cooled chocolate. Beat in cocoa mixture.
• Whip cream until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture. Chill until serving.

CHARLOTTE AU CHOCOLAT

Steps:

• In a saucepan or double boiler melt the chocolate with the coffee, 2 tsp.
• rum and oil.
• Stir until smooth; cool.
• One by one add the yolks to the cold melted chocolate, beating with a wire whisk.
• In a separate bowl, stiffly beat the whties.
• Fold the whites into the chocolate.
• Leave in a cool place to set.
• To assemble the cake: Pour the milk and remaining 2 tsp.
• rum into a bowl.
• One by one lightly dip the ladyfingers into the milk/rum and line the bottom and sides of a 8-cup (2 qt) springform pan.
• Fill with half the chocolate mousse.
• Cover with a layer of ladyfingers, then with the remaining mousse.
• Finish with another layer of ladyfingers.
• Refrigerate the charlotte for 8 hours or overnight covered in plastic wrap.
• After unmolding, decorate if desired with swirls of sweetened whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE MARQUISE

Steps:

• Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
• Then assemble a bain-marie - do this by pouring a little water into a saucepan and placing the bowl over the water (making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl).
• Set the pan over a gentle heat and warm the water until the chocolate has melted.
• Take off the heat and leave to cool a little.
• Meanwhile, place the butter and half the sugar into another large bowl.
• Using a tabletop mixer or electric hand whisk, beat until the mixture is really light and creamy, then beat in the cocoa powder.
• Separate the eggs (the whites can be frozen for another time) and put the yolks in a third bowl.
• Put in the remaining sugar, then beat together until pale and creamy.
• To check if it's ready, make a figure-of-eight shape in the mixture with the beater -it should hold its shape for a moment.
• In a fourth bowl, whip the cream until thickened with soft peaks.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the butter mixture, and carefully stir through until it is well combined.
• Gently fold in the egg mixture.
• When this is amalgamated, stir in the whipped cream.
• Now line a meatloaf type pan (6.5 x 22cm tin) with 3 layers of saran wrap, leaving a 3 7/8" overhang.
• Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag with a large nozzle attached. (Or use a plastic zip-lock bag and snip it in the corner.).
• Pipe a layer over the bottom of the tin, then cover this with a layer of After Eights (cut some in half to ensure they fit).
• Pipe over another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a layer of After Eights.
• Continue until you have 4 layers of chocolate mints and the tin is full, finishing with a chocolate cream layer.
• Fold over the cling film, then chill overnight or up to 2 days.
• Just before serving, place the marquise in the freezer for 10 minutes to make it easier to slice.
• Place the tin, bottom side up, on a serving plate, slide off the tin, then peel away the cling film.
• If you have a blowtorch, quickly run the flame over the surface of the marquise to give it a glossy sheen.
• Alternatively, dip a palette knife in boiling water and smooth the surface that way.
• Use a serrated knife dipped in boiling water to cut the marquise into slices.
• Enjoy it is worth every last bite!