Chocolate Amaretti Custard With Fresh Fruit Recipes

Steps:

• Adjust oven racks in the upper-third and lower-third positions. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Break the almond paste into small pieces and add it to the bowl of a food processer along with the sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Process until the almond paste is very finely chopped and well incorporated with the salt and sugar. Add the egg whites and vanilla, and process until a smooth dough forms, about 30 seconds. With a small scoop or spoon, dollop the batter onto the baking sheets, 1 tablespoon at a time, spaced 2 inches apart. Top each cookie with a few almond slivers and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• Bake until the cookies have risen and cracked slightly but are still soft in the center, 13 to 14 minutes; rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in egg and egg yolk until dough comes together.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dry to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream. Bring milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and flour together in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in hot milk, a little at a time, until custard is smooth. Pour custard back into the saucepan; add lemon zest. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens and comes to a boil, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, discard lemon zest, and let cool.
• Remove tart crust from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Unmold crust and fill with cooled pastry cream. Pile cherries in the center. Arrange peach slices in a ring around the cherries. Arrange kiwi slices in a ring around the peaches.

Steps:

• Crumble almond paste into a food processor; add sugar and pulse until evenly combined. Add egg whites and process until incorporated. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa; gradually add to almond mixture and mix well., Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° until tops are cracked, 17-20 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Melt 1 1/2 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate in the microwave; let cool. Mix with 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese and 1/3 cup sugar. Layer in glasses with raspberries and crumbled amaretti cookies.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour caramel into 5-cup ring mold. Using pastry brush, quickly brush caramel up sides of mold. Cool.
• Whisk 1 cup milk and cocoa in large bowl until cocoa dissolves. Whisk in remaining 2 cups milk, 2/3 cup sugar, rum, egg yolks and eggs. Stir in amaretti cookies. Pour custard into caramel-lined mold.
• Place mold in large roasting pan. Add enough warm water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of mold. Cover pan and ring mold with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crust forms on top of custard and center 1 inch still moves when mold is gently shaken, about 35 minutes (do not overbake or custard will curdle). Transfer mold to rack and cool completely. Cover and chill overnight.
• Using small sharp knife, cut oranges between membranes to release segments. Run knife around sides of mold. Place plate atop mold. Invert custard onto plate, shaking gently to loosen and letting caramel run over custard. Remove mold. Arrange fruit in center of custard.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the apricots into a roasting tin, toss with the orange zest, juice and sugar and roast for 15-20 mins until soft. Remove the skins if you like. Tip into a bowl to cool.
• Whisk the mascarpone and custard together until completely blended.
• Tip the biscuits into a large glass bowl, then top with the apricots and custard. Scatter generously with the grated chocolate, then cover and chill until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Warm Half& Half.
• Place sugar, egg yolks, salt, Amaretto, vanilla flavor, almond flavor, and almond paste in another bowl, mix well.
• Mix the Half& Half with egg yolk mixture.
• Pour mixture through a sieve.
• Pour mixture into well-buttered and sugared ceramic molds.
• Bake at 350 degrees in water bath for about 45 minutes or until set.
• Cool, unmold, and serve with fresh sliced fruit, fruit sauce, caramel sauce, or whipped cream.
• Yield: four servings.

Steps:

• For pastry cream:
• Combine cream and milk in medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Whisk sugar, egg yolks, flour, amaretto, vanilla, and salt in large bowl until smooth (mixture will be thick and pasty). Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until pastry cream boils, thickens and is smooth, about 6 minutes. Transfer pastry cream to bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream; refrigerate overnight.
• For pears:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Toss pear halves, 1/3 cup sugar, and lemon juice in large bowl. Place pears, cut side down, on heavy large rimmed baking sheet; pour sugar mixture from bowl over pears. Roast pears until tender and golden brown in spots, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes. Cool. Cut pears into 1/2-inch pieces; place in bowl along with any juices from baking sheet. (Pears can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Arrange 13 to 14 ladyfingers in bottom of 8-inch-diameter, 3-quart trifle bowl, trimming to fit tightly. Sprinkle 1/2 cup crushed amaretti cookies over. Dot with 1/4 cup fruit spread. Top with 1 cup roasted pears. Drizzle 1 tablespoon brandy and 1 tablespoon amaretto over. Spread 1 cup pastry cream over. Repeat layering 2 more times with ladyfingers, amaretti cookies, fruit spread, pears, brandy, amaretto, and pastry cream. Top with 13 to 14 ladyfingers; sprinkle with remaining brandy and amaretto. Spread remaining pastry cream over top. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours.
• Beat cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until peaks form. Spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over top of trifle. Spoon remaining whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe whipped-cream rosettes around top of trifle. Garnish with sliced almonds and mint sprigs, if desired. Refrigerate up to 6 hours.
• Amaretti cookies are available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.