Mexican Chocolate And Dulce De Leche Crepes Torte 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.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE AND DULCE DE LECHE CREPES TORTE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the granulated sugar and salt.
• Whisk in the milk, vanilla, 6 whole eggs and the 4 tablespoons of melted butter and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet and lightly brush with melted butter.
• Pour 1/3 cup of the crêpe batter into the skillet and immediately swirl until it reaches halfway up the side.
• Pour any excess batter back into the bowl.
• Cook the crêpe over moderate heat until golden at the edge and set in the center, about 1 minute.
• Flip the crêpe and cook for about 15 seconds longer, or just until the bottom is browned in spots.
• Transfer the crêpe to a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the skillet with butter only as needed.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of the cream to a boil.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate and cinnamon.
• Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
• Whisk in 2 of the egg yolks.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the dulce de leche with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 2 egg yolks.
• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper.
• Fit a crêpe in the bottom of the pan, pressing to flatten it.
• Halve 2 crêpes and line the sides of the pan with them, placing the cut sides down and slightly overlapping the bottom crêpe; the rounded part of the halved crêpes will hang over the edge of the pan a bit.
• Spoon a slightly heaping 1/2 cup of the chocolate filling into the pan and spread to the edge of the crêpe.
• Top with another crêpe, pressing to flatten it.
• Spoon a slightly heaping 1/2 cup of the dulce de leche filling on top, spread it to the edge and top with a crêpe.
• Repeat this layering with the remainder of the fillings and 4 more crêpes, ending with a crêpe.
• Any leftover crêpes can be frozen between sheets of wax paper for later use.
• Fold the overhanging crêpes over the top.
• Press a round of buttered parchment paper directly onto the torte and cover the pan with foil.
• Bake the torte for 1 hour, or until puffed.
• Remove the foil and let cool for 1 hour.
• Remove the parchment and run a knife around the edge of the pan.
• Invert a plate over the pan and then invert the torte onto the plate.
• Remove the pan and parchment paper and let cool completely.
• Sift confectioners' sugar over the torte just before serving.
• MAKE AHEAD The baked torte can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
• Reheat slightly in a 350° oven.

DULCE DE LECHE

Steps:

• Place the milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Bring to a boil and allow skin to form on top.
• Do not stir.
• The skin will thicken and puff up.
• Reduce heat to medium and remove the skin.
• Increase heat to medium-high and repeat the process 3 times.
• Add the sugar and vanilla bean, and stir until the sugar has melted, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in the baking soda.
• Simmer milk, stirring often, but taking care not to break the film of cooked milk forming, on the inside of the pan.
• Simmer, skimming the foam (not skin) until reduced by half, about 1 hour.
• Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for another 3 and 1/2 hours, stirring and skimming foam occasionally.
• The mixture will brown as it cooks.
• Strain the completely cooked mixture through a sieve into a bowl, cover and refrigerate.