Frozen Champagne Cream In Chocolate Cups With Chocolate Sauce Recipe 465

Steps:

• CUPS: Partially melt chocolate in top of double boiler set over hot, not boiling, water. When chocolate is about half melted, remove from heat and let stand to melt completely (temperature of melted chocolate should not exceed 95°F). Dip small brush into chocolate and paint inside of cupcake liners, building up sides thickly or cups will break when paper is removed. Invert onto baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until hardened. Carefully peel off paper; set cups aside in cool area. CHAMPAGNE CREAM: Combine 1/2 cup Champagne with sugar in small saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat, washing down any sugar crystals clinging to sides of pan using pastry brush dipped in cold water. Continue boiling without stirring until syrup registers 236°F (soft ball stage) on candy thermometer. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks in large bowl on high speed of electric mixer until light and lemon colored. When syrup is correct temperature, add to yolks in thin steady stream, beating constantly until mixture is tick and creamy, about 10 minutes. Gradually blend in remaining 1/4 cup Champagne. Chill until mixture is thick but not stiff. Whip cream in chilled bowl until stiff. Fold into Champagne mixture. Cover and set in freezer overnight. SAUCE: Combine ingredients except butter in small saucepan and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved. Whisk in butter. Remove from heat and keep warm. To serve, spoon some Champagne cream into each chocolate cup. Spoon additional cream onto chilled dessert plate. Center with chocolate cups. Drizzle some chocolate sauce over cream on plate (no in cup) and serve immediately. (Sauce should not be made ahead)

Steps:

• Bring milk and 1/2 cup cream just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and keep warm, covered.
• Bring water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in another small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved and washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil syrup, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until mixture is a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat and carefully add warm cream mixture (mixture will steam vigorously and caramel will harden). Cook over low heat, whisking, until caramel is dissolved.
• Whisk together yolks, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl, then add hot caramel mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Transfer custard to saucepan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until thickened and registers 170°F on thermometer (do not let boil).
• Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl of standing mixer, then beat at high speed 10 minutes (mixture will be completely cool, thick, and pale). Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Whisk remaining cup cream in another bowl until it just holds stiff peaks, then whisk about one fourth of cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly and divide mixture among paper cups, smoothing tops. Cover each cup with foil and freeze parfaits at least 12 hours.
• To serve, carefully tear off each paper cup and invert parfaits onto plates.

Steps:

• Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil.
• In blender or food processor combine egg, sugar, a pinch of salt, semisweet chips, and liqueur. Run processor or turn on blender to low setting. Pour in boiling milk in a slow stream. The hot milk will cook egg and melt chocolate. Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth.
• Spoon chocolate into 4 demitasse cups and chill. After dinner, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat to combine. Top the chocolate cups with a dollop of cream and garnish each cup with mint sprigs.
• Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons. If you use teacups, this recipe will yield 2 cups, rather than 4.

Steps:

• Whisk yolks, sugar and 1/4 cup water in medium metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Whisk until mixture registers 170°F on candy thermometer, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until cool and thick, about 6 minutes.
• Using mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat cream, brandy, vanilla and nutmeg in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold cream mixture into yolk mixture.
• Spoon mousse into 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover mousse and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Bring half and half to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. (Mousse and sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Keep mousse frozen. Cover sauce and chill; rewarm over low heat.)
• Scoop mousse into parfait glasses. Spoon sauce over and serve.