Willy Wonka Pumpkin Pie

Why Willy Wonka pumpkin pie? Well, because while Mile High Pumpkin Pie is probably a snappier-sounding choice, it's also something that a marketer would come up with. (And my tolerance for marketing copy is quite low at the moment.)
Plus, when I was whipping up the meringue for this pie, all I could picture is the scene from Willy Wonka (the original one) in which Mike TV's mom scoops white cream out of a ginormous red mushroom.


This pie came about thanks to the following:
1. Horrifying, canyon-like cracks in a pumpkin pie that really needed to look as good as it tasted (it was for a party).
2. A browse through the November issue of Martha Stewart Living.

As soon as I'd finished baking the pumpkin pie, I realized it was doomed to be the dessert equivalent of a kid that gets picked last for dodge ball. I had to find a way to cover up the cracks that stretched from end to end. (I had made the pie from a special recipe, so there was no way that I was going to be ok with it getting shelved until party goers were only coming back for seconds.) Maybe craft a grapevine out of pie dough and drape it sinuously over the cracks? No, too obvious. Plus, my pie dough sculpting skills leave a lot to be desired.

Unlike with cakes, there isn't much you can do when a pumpkin pie cracks, particularly if the cracks seem to have a goal of spanning the full diameter of the once-smooth top. Then I remembered: Didn't the November issue of Living feature some crazy meringue pumpkin pie? Something that looked like it would grace the table at Willy Wonka's Thanksgiving celebration? (Ok, so he was British in the original movie and likely didn't celebrate Thanksgiving, but let's just assume for the sake of this story that he's more of an international figure.)

Long story longer: The meringue topping turned my ugly duckling pie into something that ended up being at least a conversation piece at the party. The kids were freaking out, and the adults were like, "Geez, how many egg whites were harmed in the making of that pie?"

One more thing: While the visual focus obviously is the meringue, this is one incredibly good pumpkin pie, cracked top aside. It doesn't usually crack, too - this was the first time - so I highly recommend this pie for your upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations, with or without the meringue topping.

Pie Dough(Note: Makes enough for 2 pumpkin pies)

2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, chilled
3 T. margarine or chilled vegetable shortening
1/4 c. ice water

In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt. Cut the chilled butter and margarine/shortening into 1 T. bits and add to the flour. With a pastry cutter, work flour and shortening together until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water little by little, pressing the pastry together into a ball. Flatten into a 4-inch disk and wrap in plastic wrap.
Chill for at least 1 hour (Seriously. Do it. The secret to light, flaky pastry is to keep the mixture cool, add as little water as possible, and mix only as much as necessary.)
Remove from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly, about 10 minutes, or until dough is pliable. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to a 12-inch disk about 1/8-inch thick. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of pie pan. Unfold dough.
Press dough into pan, trim edge, and flute or otherwise decorate edges. Refrigerate pie shell for 40 minutes and then freeze for 20 minutes (sometimes I skip the freezing step and it still turns out fine).

Pumpkin Pie (makes enough for one pie)
2 c. (16 oz.) plain canned pumpkin puree
1 c. packed dark brown sugar
2 t. ground ginger
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. milk
4 large eggs

Adjust oven rack to lower and middle positions and heat oven to 375. Press doubled 12-inch square of aluminum foil inside dough shell; evenly distribute 1 c. ceramic or metal pie weights over foil. Partially bake pie shell on a middle rack until dough dries out, about 17 minutes.
Carefully remove foil and weights.
Meanwhile, process pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt in a food processor fitted with steel blade for 1 minute. Transfer pumpkin mixture to a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring it to a sputtering simmer over medium-high heat. Cook pumpkin, stirring constantly, until thick and shiny, about 5 minutes.
As soon as pie shell comes out of oven, increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Whisk heavy cream and milk into pumpkin and bring to a bare simmer. Process eggs in food processor until whites and yolks are mixed, about 5 seconds. With motor running, slowly pour about half of hot pumpkin mixture through feed tube. Stop machine and scrape in remaining pumpkin. Process 30 seconds longer.
Immediately pour warm filling into hot pie shell. (Ladle any excess filling into pie after it has baked for 5 minutes or so--by this time filling will have settled.) Bake pie on lower rack until filling is puffed, dry-looking, and lightly cracked (but not sooo cracked, ugh!) edges, and center wiggles like Jello when pie is gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 1 hour.

Meringue Topping
2 c. granulated sugar
8 large egg whites, room temperature

Just before serving the pie, make the meringue. Combine sugar and egg whites in the heatproof bowl of a mixer set over a pan of simmering water (alternatively: use a double boiler and then transfer the egg/sugar mixture to the mixer bowl later). Whisk until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
Transfer bowl to mixer, and whisk on medium speed for 3 minutes. Raise speed to high, and whisk until stiff glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes more.
Dollop meringue onto pie and spread using a swirling motion, creating peaks and valleys in the meringue.
Hold a small handheld kitchen torch at a 90-degree angle 3 to 4 inches from the surface of meringue.
Move flame back and forth until meringue starts to brown.
If you don't have a kitchen torch, just heat your oven's broiler and bake pie on top rack until meringue starts to brown - 2 to 4 minutes (watch it carefully).

Boston Cream Pie: Ode to a Fair City

Yes, it's been forever since the last post. (Deepest apologies to my 3 followers.) And this post is a bit of a rebellious one, as I've dared to deviate from the recipes of Death by Chocolate in order to pay homage to my recent trip to Boston. That fair city is now officially on my list of Top 5 Cities of All Time. If Boston were a man, I'd be head over heels (a girl's dream: sophisticated, well-educated, gorgeous).
But back to baking. While in Boston, I spent 45 minutes dragging my poor friend around the North End in a focused hunt for a slice of Boston Cream Pie. (Learning in the process that Boston Cream Pie is actually cake, not pie. I believe it was called pie because when it was first concocted in the 19th century, it was baked in a pie pan.)
I finally settled for a slice from Bova's Bakery (which, it should be noted, is famous for Italian bread. Not Boston Cream Pie.). Their version looked like something you'd find in Barbie's kitchen. And its taste reflected its appearance: plastic. As I've never had Boston Cream Pie, I wasn't sure whether Bova's version was just bad, or whether it was truly what Boston Cream Pie is meant to taste like. Bova's was a white, flavorless sponge cake sandwiching a cream filling - of cheap donut ilk - and topped with a glassy layer of what appeared to be chocolate glaze. In a word: gross.
Not ready to give up on Boston Cream Pie just yet, I decided to make my own using a recipe from my beloved The Best Recipe cookbook, which has only failed me once (don't try the brownies). So I spent the better part of this afternoon whipping up my first-ever Boston Cream Pie.
I'm happy to report that the homemade version is much better than the plastic pretender at Bova's.
I must admit, though: I could never give Boston Cream Pie 5 stars. When it comes to desserts, I'm a bit high-maintenance. I need flavor - deep valleys of flavor (intense chocolate that's worth its weight in Tums). And texture - steep pinnacles of texture (fluffy meringue counterbalancing a crispy crust).
Boston Cream Pie is a nice cake. The sponge cake is good, but it's sponge cake, you know? The cream filling is creamy, but it doesn't really have a lot of flavor (I'm tempted to advise that you double the rum). And the chocolate glaze, when done well, is good. But overall, the cake is just a nice cake, with all the flavors and textures blending together into a mellow dessert. I probably wouldn't make it again unless someone asked me to.
However, for those of you who also have been dying to try a true Boston Cream Pie, with this recipe you can skip visit to Bova's on your trip to Bean Town, and enjoy a decent version from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Start with Foolproof Sponge Cake:

• 1/2 c. plain cake flour


• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour


• 1 t. baking powder


• 1/4 t. salt


• 3 T. milk


• 2 T. unsalted butter


• 1/2 t. vanilla


• 5 large eggs, room temperature


• 3/4 c. sugar
  
  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans and cover the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Remove from heat and add vanilla; cover and keep warm.
  Separate three of the eggs, placing whites in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer) and reserving three yolks plus remaining two whole eggs in another mixing bowl. Beat the three whites on low speed until whites are foamy. Increase mixer speed to medium and gradually add 6 T of the sugar; continue to beat whites to soft, moist peaks. (Do not overbeat.) If using standing mixer, transfer egg whites to a large bowl and add yolk/whole-egg mixture to mixing bowl.
  Beat yolk/whole-egg mixture with remaining 6 T sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until eggs are very thick and a pale yellow color, about 5 minutes. Add beaten eggs to whites.
  Sprinkle flour mixture over beaten eggs and whites; fold very gently 12 times with a large rubber spatula. Make a well in one side of batter and pour milk mixture into bowl. Continue folding until batter shows no trace of flour and whites and whole eggs are evenly mixed, about 8 additional strokes.
  Immediately pour batter into prepared baking pans; bake until cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched (about 16 minutes for 9-inch pans; 20 minutes for 8-inch pans).
  Immediately run a knife around pan perimeter to loosen cake. Invert cakes onto cooling racks and cool to room temperature.

Pastry Cream

• 2 c. milk
  
• 6 large egg yolks
  
• 1/2 c. sugar
  
• 1/4 t. salt
  
• 1/4 c. cornstarch, sifted
  
• 1 t. vanilla
  
• 1 T. rum
  
• 2 T. unsalted butter (optional according to The Best Recipe, though I definitely don't consider it as such)
  
  Heat milk in a small saucepan until hot but not simmering. Whisk yolks, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan until mixture is thick and lemon-colored, about 3-4 minutes. Add cornstarch; whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in hot milk. Cook milk mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and scraping pan bottom and sides as you stir, until mixture thickens to a thick pudding consistency and loses all traces of raw starch flavor (blech) - about 10 minutes.
  Off heat, stir in vanilla, rum, and butter (if using) and transfer to another container to cool to room temp, placing a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of mix to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate pastry cream until firm. (Can be refrigerated overnight.)
  To ensure that pastry cream does not thin out, do not whisk once it has set.

Rich Chocolate Glaze

• 1 c. heavy cream
  
• 1/4 c. light corn syrup
  
• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  
• 1/2 t. vanilla
  
  Bring cream and corn syrup to a full simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Off heat, add chocolate; cover and let stand for 8 minutes. (If chocolate has not completely melted, return saucepan to low heat; stir constantly until melted.) Add vanilla; stir very gently until mixture is smooth. Cool until tepid so that a spoonful drizzled back into pan mounds slightly. (Glaze can be refrigerated to spped up cooling process, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooling.)
  While glaze is cooling, place one cake layer on a cardboard round on cooling rack set over waxed paper. Carefully spoon pastry cream over cake and spread evenly up to cake edge. Place the second layer on top, making sure layers line up properly.
  Pour glaze over middle of top layer and let flow down cake sides. Use a metal spatula, if necessary, to completely coat cake. Use a small needle to puncture air bubbles. Let sit until glaze fully sets, about 1 hour. Cut and serve.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

White Chocolate Cheesecake

If you're a cheesecake aficionado, this is one to try, especially if you like white chocolate (the redheaded stepchild of the chocolate family, if we’re to be honest). Personally, I haven't seen white chocolate cheesecake on many restaurant dessert menus, other than The Cheesecake Factory's , which is kind of a given. Thus, I deem this recipe worthy of the time and ingredient investment, as your chances of finding a good white chocolate cheesecake while dining out are probably fewer than for other cheesecake flavors.

Rating: 4

Highs

1. This is white chocolate taken to the next level. In my opinion, white chocolate is unmatched in its distinctive tangy flavor mellowed by the creamy smoothness of all that cocoa butter and cream. (Yes, there’s the old, tired argument that white chocolate isn’t really chocolate. True. How else would you categorize it, though? I find myself wondering how long the people who categorize foods pondered that one.) Combine white chocolate with cream cheese and heavy cream and you’ve got creamy perfection (and, yes, a lot of saturated fat to boot).

2. If you really like cheesecake, but sometimes the plain New York variety just doesn't do it for you, then this is your cheesecake. It doesn’t have give-your-taste-buds-a-lashing flavor, but it does pack enough that it can hold its own on the cheesecake flavor wheel (should one exist).

3. Grammar rules say that if you write a numerical list, you should have a least three items. I don’t actually have three Highs for this section, but I'm kind of a rules girl, so now at least we have a tidy list of 3 items.

Lows

1.Twelve hours. Twelve. That’s how long you’re supposed to leave the cake in the fridge to chill. That’s not counting the amount of time to takes to prepare and bake the cake.

You know the process is going to be a bit of a slog when the chef’s note for this recipe says, “…it is advisable to organize the production of the White Chocolate Cheesecake over 2 or 3 days." The reference to making a cheesecake as a “production,” should be the first clue!

2. It’s a bit much. A chocolate crust and chocolate ganache topping? It just seemed like overkill to me, which is why I ended up skipping the ganache topping (yet again breaking my rule of following the recipe to the letter). I just drizzled some chocolate sauce over the top and called it good.

3. The high-maintenance baking process produces disappointing results. The very center of the cake wasn’t quite baked through, which was frustrating given how much nudging of the temperature dial and arranging of the water level was going on during the prep and baking process.

Special equipment:

• 9 x 3-inch springform pan


• Food processor


• Instant-read test thermometer

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cookie Crust

• 3 T. unsalted butter (2 T. melted)


• 10 Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookes

(Theoretically, you could substitute the fudge cookies with store-bought chocolate wafer cookies to save time. I recommend doing this, although I didn't take my own good advice.)

White Chocolate Cheesecake

• 18 oz. white chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces


• ½ c. heavy cream


• 1 ¾ pounds cream cheese, softened


• 1 c. sugar


• 1 t. salt


• 6 eggs


• 1 t. vanilla

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/3 c. heavy cream


• 1 T. unsalted butter


• 1 T. sugar


• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces

White Chocolate Curls

• 1 large white chocolate bar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.

Coat the inside of a 9x13-inch springform pan with 1 T. butter. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, chop the cookies in 2 batches. Pulse each batch until all the cookies are in crumbs (this should yield 2 ½ c. crumbs), 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer the crumbs to a stainless steel bowl. Combine the cookie crumbs with 2 T. melted butter. Mix by hand until the crumbs bind together. Press the crumbs around the buttered sides of the pan, then onto the buttered bottom of the pan. Place pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium-high heat. Place the white chocolate and ½ c. heavy cream in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Allow to heat for 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside until needed.

Place the softened cream cheese, 1 c. sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on low for 1 minute, on medium for 1 minute, and on high for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on high for 1 more minute. Scrap down the bowl again. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating on medium for 15 seconds after adding, and scrape down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate mixture, then beat on medium for 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until it’s smooth and thoroughly combined. Pour the cheesecake mix into the prepared springform pan, spreading evenly.

Place a baking sheet with sides partially filled with 4 c. hot water on the bottom rack of the oven (the bottom rack should be at least 3 inches below the center rack). Place the springform pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 250 degrees F and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the temp to 225 F and bake for 15 minutes. Then lower the temp to 200 degrees F and bake the cheesecake until the internal temp of the cheesecake filling reaches 170 degrees F, about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven undisturbed for an additional 2 hours. Remove from the oven and cool at room temp for 1 hour. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 12 hours (do not remove cake from pan).

After the cheesecake has been refrigerated for 12 hours, prepare the chocolate ganache. Heat 1/3 c. heavy cream, 1 T. butter, and 1 T. sugar in a 1 ½-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.

Place the semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Use a rubber spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the top of the cake, being careful not to spread it over the edge and down the sides of the cheesecake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

The cheesecake can now be released from the springform pan. To do this, wrap a damp, hot cotton towel around the sides of the pan (the towel should be large enough to wrap completely around and cover the sides of the pan – do test this before you select a towel!). Hold it around the pan for about 1 minute.

Carefully release and remove the springform pan. Use a serrated knife to trim the crust so that it is level with the ganache (trim the crust away from the cake so that it does not fall into the ganache).

Decorate the top of the cake with white chocolate curls. To do so, slightly soften a bar of white chocolate and slowly run a vegetable peeler over it to produce chocolate curls.

Heat the blade of the slicer under hot running water before slicing into the cheesecake. Cut the cheesecake with the serrated slicer, reheating the slicer after each slice. Place a piece of cheesecake in the center of each plate and serve.

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake

I hesitate to even call this a cake because I think it deserves its own dessert category. Perhaps even its own food category. It's a lifelong love-at-first-bite dessert. It's the kind of cake that pops into your head when you're asked what you'd have for dessert for your last meal on earth. It's simply incredible. Note also that it's the cake chosen for the cover photo of this cookbook. (Which says a lot about the presentation power of this cake. It also casts some doubt on the much-touted Death by Chocolate Cake for which this cookbook is named.)

Rating: 5

Highs
I have several solid reasons for this rating:

1. The lengthy ingredients list and recipe belies the simplicity of this cake. While seemingly intimidating, this masterpiece is actually foolproof. While I managed to foul up not only the cake (underbaked it), the mousse filling (used the wrong type of cream), and the construction (not enough strawberries), it still turned out delicious and beautiful.

2. Even the rather stoic Germans who were in my life when I baked this, and who don't usually like sweet cakes, raved about it and speak of it to this day ("Are you going to make that strawberry one again?"). It is a sure crowd pleaser, even among those who may not normally be cake fans.

3. It hits that sweet spot between decadent and light, with flavors rich and varied. It's one thing to have dessert; it's another to take a stroll through Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Each bite of this cake is like that stroll, thanks to the many textures and flavors involved (dense chocolate-y cake with slightly crackly edges; sweet, creamy, fluffy mousse that takes the edge off the rich chocolate; bursts of fresh strawberry offering a bit of tang and refreshment).


Lows

If you've been following this blog, you're probably seeing a pattern emerge. Recipes in Death by Chocolate are either expensive or time-consuming, and often both. For chocolate lovers and bakers, cutting too deeply into the grocery budget to fund a baking session dedicated to a new chocolate creation is but a small sacrifice. However, for the rest of humanity, many of these recipes are probably best suited for times when you want to pull out all the stops for a labor of love. Like for Valentine's Day! If you take the time to bake this, though, you won't regret it.


Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake

Equipment

• Food processor fitted with metal blade


• Three 9x1/2-inch cake pans


• 9x3-inch springform pan


• Two 9-inch cake circles


• Parchment paper

Ingredients


Chocolate cake

• 1/2 lb. butter (2 T. melted)


• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces


• 8 egg yolks


• 3/4 c. sugar


• 4 egg whites

Chocolate strawberry mousse

• 2 pints strawberries, stems removed


• 16 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces


• 6 egg whites


• 2 T. sugar


• 1 c. heavy cream

Semisweet chocolate ganache

• 1 c. heavy cream


• 2 T. butter


• 2 T. sugar


• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces

Instructions

Lightly coat the insides of three 9x1/2-inch cake pans with melted butter. Line each pan with parchment paper, then lightly coat the parchment with more melted butter. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat 1 inch water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place remaining butter and 8 oz. semisweet chocolate in the top half. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Allow to heat for 10-12 more minutes. Remove from heat, stir until smooth, and hold at room temperature.

Place the egg yolks and 3/4 c. sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on high until slightly thickened and lemon-colored, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for another 2 minutes.

While egg yolks are beating, whisk 4 egg whites in a large stainless steel bowl until stiff but not dry, about 3-4 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mix into the beaten egg yolk mixture. Add a quarter of the beaten egg whites and stir to incorporate, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, spreading to even, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes. (During baking, the surface of the cakes will form a crust; this crust will normally collapse when the cakes are removed from the oven.)

Invert one of the cakes onto the bottom of a springform pan. Invert the other two cakes onto cake circles. Remove the parchment paper and refrigerate cakes for 30 minutes.

To prepare the chocolate strawberry mousse, reserve 12 of the best-looking strawberries to decorate the top of the cake. In a food processor, puree 4 oz. of strawberries (12 medium-sized berries should yield 1/2 c. of puree). Set aside until needed. Refrigerate the remaining berries until needed (that includes 12 for decor).

Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 16 oz. semisweet chocolate, the white chocolate, and the strawberry puree in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover with film wrap. Allow to heat for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Transfer to a stainless steel bowl, using a rubber spatula to remove all of the melted chocolate mix. Keep at room temp until needed.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip, whisk the 6 egg whites on high until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Continue to whisk on high while gradually adding 2 T. sugar. Whisk unil stiff but not dry, about 30 seconds. Set aside at room temperature until needed.

With a handheld mixer, whip the cream in a well-chilled stainless steel bowl until stiff. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in the whipped cream. Now fold in the remaining egg whites. Set aside at room temperature.

Assemble the springform pan. Spread 1/2 c. of chocolate strawberry mousse onto the cake layer in the assembled springform pan. Arrange 1/2 c. the amount of reserved strawberries (not including the 12 for decoration), stem side down, into the mousse. The strawberries should be arranged in two rings: the first ring being 3/4 inch from the outside edge of the cake and the second, inside ring, being 3/4 inch away from the first.

Distribute 3 c. mousse over the berries, being careful to keep the berries in position. Holding the pan by the top rim, gently but firmly tap the bottom of the pan 2-3 times on the work surface (this will eliminate air pockets). Position a cake layer on top of the mousse and then repeat the process used on the first cake layer (1/2 c. mousse, remaining strawberries, and 3 more c. mousse). Top the mousse with the remaining cake layer and gently press into position. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours (do not freeze).

To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream, butter, and sugar in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temp.

Refrigerate 1 c. of the semisweet chocolate ganache for at least 1 hour. Keep the remaining ganache at room temperature until needed.

Remove the sides of the springform pan (do not remove the bottom of the pan from the cake; this will make it easier to handle the cake later). Use a cake spatula to smooth and fill in the sides of the cake with 2-3 T. of room temp ganache. Evenly spread the remaining amount of this ganache over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour.

Transfer the chilled cup of ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Pipe a circle of 12 evenly spaced stars along the outside edge of the top of the cake. Place a strawberry, stem side down, into each ganache star. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.

Cut the cake with a serrated slicer. You may need to allow the slices to come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Eat two pieces: after all that, you've definitely earned it!

Chocolate Cashew Brownie Cake

Assuming you like cashews, it’s really difficult to go wrong with anything that pairs chocolate with that mealy, buttery nut. But while anyone can add cashews to, say, a brownie mix and throw some chocolate frosting on top, this cake offers a more intense experience. Even though I didn’t eat the finished product (gasp), I was compelled, in the name of thorough recipe testing, of course, to sample the chocolate-cashew ganache. My reaction: I wanted to immediately sit down, pour about a cup of it over a bowl of vanilla ice cream, and forget about making the rest of the cake. I can say without hesitation that freshly toasted cashews embedded in rich, creamy ganache makes for a sensational combination.
Although I failed to sample the finished product, I’m still giving this one a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It’s a hearty, decadent, ridiculously calorie-laden (and you wonder why I didn't have a slice) cake that could hold its head high in a lineup of serious contenders for a special-occasion cake.

Rating: 4

Highs:
Really, it’s all about the cashews. I’m finding that a lot of the chocolate cake recipes in this book are very similar in terms of make up, so the cashews help this one stand out. Use freshly roasted cashews to get the best flavor.

Lows:
This thing takes forever to make! Seriously, from start to finish, it’s a good 4 hours. It has to rest or be chilled or otherwise sit alone in a little palace or something for at least 3 hours at various intervals during the assembly process.
Also, between the 3 cups of cashews and the staggering 19 oz. of chocolate, it takes a load off your wallet. In short: only cashew lovers and those ready for a labor of love need apply.

Chocolate Cashew Brownie Cake
Cake

• 4 ½ oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces




• 6 T plus 1 t. unsalted butter




• 2 ½ oz. unsweetened chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces




• ¾ c. plus 1 t. flour




• 5 eggs




• 1 c. granulated sugar




• 1 t. pure vanilla extract




• ¾ t. salt




• ¾ t. baking powder




• 3 T. sour cream

Chocolate Ganache

• 3 c. cashews




• 1 ½ c. heavy cream




• 3 T. unsalted butter




• 3 T. granulated sugar




• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces

Equipment

• One 9 x ½-inch cake pan




• One 9 x 3-inch springform pan




• Food processor with metal blade

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 4 ½ oz semisweet chocolate, 6 T. butter, and the unsweetened chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and allow to heat for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.
Coat a 9 x ½-inch pan with 1 t. butter. Flour the pan with 1 t. flour, shaking out the excess.
Combine the eggs, 1 c. sugar, and the vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Whip on high until slightly thickened and doubled in volume, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and whip on medium for 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in ¾ c. flour, the salt, and the baking powder, using a rubber spatula to combine thoroughly. In a stainless steel bowl, vigorously whisk the sour cream. Add the sour cream to the brownie cake mixture and thoroughly combine.
Pour the brownie cake batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and cook in the pan for 20 minutes at room temperature. Turn out onto a cake circle and refrigerated, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees Farenheit.
Toast the cashews on a baking sheet in the 300-degree Farenheit oven until golden, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Reserve 36 cashews to decorate the cake. Chop ½ c. toasted cashews into pieces no larger than 1/8 inch in a food processor fitted with a metal blade (these will be used to decorate the sides of the cake). Chop the remaining cashews in the food processor into ¼-inch pieces (to combine into the ganache).
To prepare the chocolate ganache, heat the heavy cream, 3 T. butter, and 3 T. sugar in a 2 ½-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place 12 oz. of semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and pour the boiling cream over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
Remove 1 c. of ganache and keep at room temperature. Combine the remaining ganache and the 1/4-inch pieces of cashews. Keep at room temperature until needed.
Remove the brownie cake from the refrigerator. Turn the cake top side up and place on a clean, dry surface. Slice the brownie cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Place the top layer of the brownie cake, cut side down, onto the bottom of a closed springform pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread 1 ½ c. of the ganache and cashew mixture over the brownie cake layer in the springform pan, spreading the ganache evenly to the edges. Place the center layer of the brownie cake on top of the ganache in the springform pan and gently press into place.
Spread the remaining ganache and cashew mixture over the center brownie cake layer, again spreading evenly to the edges. Place the bottom layer of the brownie cake, cut side down, on top of the last ganache layer, pressing gently but firmly into place. Refrigerate the cake at least 1 hour before final assembly.
To remove the brownie cake from the pan, cut around the inside edge of the pan with a serrated knife. Pour the reserved cup of ganache over the top of the brownie cake, spreading the ganache with a cake spatula to create an even coating on both the top and the sides. Press the 1/8-inch chopped cashews into the ganache on the sides of the brownie cake, coating the cake evenly all around.
Evenly space the reserved whole cashews around the top of the brownie cake, ½-inch inside the outer edge of the top. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour before serving.
To serve, cut the cake with a serrated slicer that has been heated. Allow the slices to come to room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Sushi Tart

“Is that SUSHI?!” was the horrified response of most people when they first saw this bittersweet chocolate tart topped with what does appear to be raw fish of some kind.
This photo definitely requires that you, Gentle Reader (my apologies to Judith Martin), do not judge a book by the cover that this inexperienced-marinator-of-pears produced. This tart is a dense chocolate dream topped with pears that were supposed to be thoroughly marinated in Zinfandel. It’s just that the “thoroughly” part didn’t really pan out when I was at the helm during the marinating stage.

Fortunately, even those taste testers who were wary of its presentation could not deny the rich chocolate flavor that unfolded after the first bite. 

Rating: 5 (assuming you don’t mess up the pears)

Here’s why: The texture and flavor of this tart is like the inside of a dark chocolate Godiva truffle. Only it’s better because you get a lot more chocolate in one slice of this than you would in one of those little boxes of truffles that doesn’t have enough to hit the chocolate-craving spot. (Why is it that gourmet chocolates only come in boxes of not-enough or way-too-many?)

One of my primary questions when tackling this tart was whether it would be better than a flourless chocolate cake. I wasn’t sure if it was worth adding a chocolate tart recipe to a repertoire of perfectly good flourless chocolate cakes (which fit the really-dense-and-tons-of-chocolate-per-slice category). It is. The tart is denser, creamier, and has a hearty crust to soften the impact of all that dark chocolate - unlike a flourless chocolate cake. This is one of those recipes that I would encourage pretty much anyone who loves chocolate to try. If you do, you will find that even if the pears aren’t perfectly marinated, the tart will be no less the edible for it.

Highs (or, more reasons you should make this):
Honestly, it’s really the perfect decadent chocolate dessert, in my opinion. This is my favorite recipe to date because after just one bite I had the “wow” reaction that comes only with a truly rich, dark-chocolate dessert. It has a very strong flavor, but the creamy texture and the crunchy crust provide and also combine for a great texture experience on the tongue.
Tarts are also harder to mess up, presentation-wise than other desserts but are more impressive than brownies and easier than cakes. Also, because this is simply a rich chocolate tart with very little competing flavor, you could swap out the pears for any fruit that can reasonably be paired with chocolate, or add a dollop of whipped cream for a simple, elegant touch.

Lows:
Obviously, the semi-marinated pears. What I didn’t know before going into this marinating situation was that even if the pears have turned a nice shade of reddish-pink on the outside, the inside has not necessarily been thoroughly marinated. I was in a bit of a rush during the process and didn’t have time to let them soak any longer than the time indicated in the recipe. Plus, as the pears started to soften, I worried that I’d end up with a Pear Mush Tart (so instead I got Sushi Tart – not sure which is worse).
It’s also not a recipe to attempt if you’re short on time or have to do it all in one day. Why? For starters, the tart shell dough has to relax in the fridge for at least 3 hours and then again after being rolled out, and finally once more after being prepped in the pan, I recommend starting this at least one day in advance of when you want to serve it. However, don’t skip this step because unless dough has had time to “relax” in the fridge after being mixed, rolled, and prepped in the pan, it will shrink during baking and ruin the tart.

Bittersweet Chocolate Custard Tart with Zinfandel Soaked Pears
(AKA Sushi Tart)

Chocolate Tart Shell Dough

• 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour



• ½ c. granulated sugar



• 6 T. unsalted butter, cut into 1-T. pieces



• 4 T. unsweetened cocoa



• Pinch of salt



• 3 T. brewed coffee, chilled



• 1 c. rice or pie weights (to prevent the crust from bubbling up while it’s baking)

Zinfandel Soaked Pears

• 1 ½ c. Zinfandel wine

½ c. water

½ c. granulated sugar

1 t. lemon juice

1 t. orange juice

4 ripe Bartlett pears

Chocolate Custard Filling

• 2 Zinfandel-soaked pear halves



• 1 c. heavy cream



• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-inch pieces



• 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-inch pieces



• 4 eggs



• ¼-c. granulated sugar



• 1 t. pure vanilla extract



• ¼ t. salt

Equipment:

• 9 ½-inch x ¾-inch false-bottom tart pan



• Food processor with metal blade



• Instant-read test thermometer/candy thermometer

Instructions:

Chocolate Tart ShellMix 1 c. flour, ½ c. sugar, butter, cocoa, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix on low for 5 minutes, until the butter is “cut into” the flour and the mixture develops a fine, mealy texture. Add coffee and continue to mix on low until the mixture comes together, about 1 minute. Remove the dough from the mixer and form it into a smooth, round ball. Wrap in film wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
After the tart shell dough has relaxed in the refrigerator for 3 hours, transfer it to a clean, dry, lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Roll the dough (using the extra ½ c. of flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking) into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch to ¼ inch thick. Refrigerate the rolled dough (leaving it on the parchment paper) for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the rolled dough into the tart pan. Carefully remove the parchment paper and gently press the dough around the bottom and sides of the pan. Cut away excess dough, leaving a ¾-inch border that should be crimped around the top edge of the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325. Line the dough with an 18 inch x 18 inch piece of aluminum foil (using 2 pieces of foil if necessary); weigh down the foil with the 1 cup of rice or pie weights (evenly spread over the foil). Bake the tart shell in the center of the preheated oven for 30 minutes, rotating it 180 degrees after 20 minutes. Remove the baked tart shell from the oven, discard the foil and rice/pie weights, and allow to cool at room temperature. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Zinfandel Soaked PearsPlace the Zinfandel, water, ½ c. sugar, lemon juice, and orange juice in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Whisk to dissolve sugar. Set aside.
Peel one pear. Cut the pear in half from stem end to bottom. Core each half (preferably with a melon ball/parisienne scoop) Place the 2 halves into the Zinfandel mixture. Repeat this procedure with the remaining pears, immediately placing the peeled and cored pear halves into the Zinfandel. Heat the pears over medium-low heat until they are cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes (turn the pears once or twice while they are cooking).
Note:Depending on the size of the pears, it may be necessary to add up to 1 cup of water to poach the pears. In any case, the poaching liquid should almost cover the pears. If pears discolor after being removed from the ice water, they probably were not cooked through; otherwise, they should not discolor for at least 24 hours.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pear halves to a bowl of ice water. Handle the soaked pears gently when cooling in ice water. If the pears are moved too vigorously into the ice water, the surface will become cut and bruised.
When cool, remove the pears from the water and drain them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Reserve 2 pear halves for the chocolate custard filling. Cover the remaining pears with film wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Chocolate Custard Filling
Place 2 pear halves in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Puree the pears by pulsing for 20 to 30 seconds. Hold at room temperature until needed.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the heavy cream, semisweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate in the top half of a double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Allow to heat for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside until needed.
Place the eggs, pureed pear, ¼ c. sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high for 1 minute. Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium for 20 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the salt, and use a rubber spatula to combine thoroughly. Pour the filling into the prebaked tart shell. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until the internal temperature of the tart filling reaches 170 degrees (use the thermometer to determine internal temperature). Remove the tart from the oven and cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate the tart for 1 hour (do not remove from the tart pan).


Garnishing and Serving
First, cut the tart with a serrated slicer. Heat the blade of the slicer under hot running water before making each slice. Second, remove the pear halves from the refrigerator. Cut each half into a quarter by slicing the half from stem end to bottom. Make a fan out of each quarter by cutting 1/8-inch slices starting ¼ of an inch from the stem end. Gently press down on the slices to produce a fan effect. Decorate the top of each tart slice with a pear fan and serve.
The tart may be kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 days before serving. The pears should be cooked and used within 24 hours, though.

A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches

I almost skipped over the recipe for these little chocolate-peanut butter sandwich candies when making my recipes list. I don't really have an interest in making candies or smaller chocolate treats because I just don't think you get as much caloric "value" for effort. But I am a sucker for the chocolate-peanut butter combination, and what with variety being the spice of life and all, I decided to give them a try.
It was well worth it. Though small, these chocolate-peanut butter candies are the secret to indulging a down-home desire for a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup at even the most upscale event. (And I know we all encounter this dilemma regularly.)
I would love to say that they're also delightful to make, but the process is a bit of a pain in the rear. However, I think it's worth it if you love the chocolate-peanut butter combination and can invest in some good-quality chocolate.

Rating: 4

Here's why: Just as your teeth pierce the thin dark-chocolate top and bottom layers of the quarter-sized candies (and you think, "Oh geez, I'm going to end up spraying little chocolate shards all over the person next to me and there's no way this cocktail napkin is up for the job."), the smooth, creamy, peanut-y chocolate ganache filling gently becomes the dominant texture and flavor (and handily absorbs all the little chocolate shards, too, sparing your neighbor). Just as it softly melts and fades away, you think, "Wow, that little guy packs a punch." And you reach for another, because, after all, they're very small. Barely a nibble, really.
But, flavor experience-wise, like eating at least three Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. And so much more elegant, to boot.

Highs:
Great presentation - What's great about these is that they end up looking pretty, even if you kind of screw up the cutting and assembling process (as I did). And if you don't have a perfectly round cookie cutter, use a little flower shape or whatever you can find. Mine look like deformed four-leaf clovers because all I could come up with in that size was a butter-pat cutter. But because they're small and like little sandwiches, they still end up looking nice, even if you have two left hands during the assembly process.

Something different - When was the last time you either served, or were served, something like this at a wedding/baby shower/holiday party? It's different, it's chocolate and peanut butter-y: hard to go wrong with that.

Lows:
Pouring the melted chocolate into the pans is fun. Getting the cold chocolate out is not. Especially when you are trying not to: a) leave tons of fingerprints all over the cold chocolate, b) break the edges of the chocolate shapes as you cut through the chocolate, and c) bring up pieces of the lining paper as you lift up the cut chocolate pieces.
Because of the fingerprint problem, I definitely recommend using the roasted peanuts on top. I, unfortunately, burned the peanuts while trying to roast them, and was relieved that I didn't actually have to serve them to anyone other than myself, since it's unlikely that even the best of friends would find candies with my fingerprints all over them particularly appetizing.
A little dollop of ganache topped with a peanut covers up the print you'll leave behind while assembling the little sandwiches.

Otherwise, these are fun to make and serve - delicious and different.


Penny Sous (AKA A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches)

• 24 whole, unsalted, shelled Virginia peanuts


• 1/2 c. heavy cream


• 6 T. creamy peanut butter


• 14 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces

Equipment:

• 3 baking sheets with sides


• Instant-read thermometer


• 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter


• Parchment paper


• Pastry bag with medium straight tip

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325. Toast the peanuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the peanuts from the oven and set aside until needed.
Heat the heavy cream and the peanut butter in a 1/1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with a whisk to combine thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place 6 oz. of semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream and peanut butter mixture over the chocolate, and allow to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate the peanut butter ganache for 30 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a baking sheet with film wrap.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the remaining 8 oz. of semisweet chocolate in the top half. Heat the chocolate uncovered, while stirring constantly, until it has melted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl, and continue to stirl until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees, about 5 minutes.
Pour the chocolate evenly over the entire surface of the sheet (the chocolate should be about 1/8-inch in depth). Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and use a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut 48 circles. Remove the circles by placing your hand underneath the film wrap and pushing the circles out, one at a time. Place the cut circles onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper (24 circles per baking sheet), and then put them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Remove the circles from the freezer. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a medium-sized straight tip, with the peanut butter ganache, using your index finger to gently press the center of the top circle into place. Pipe the equivalent of 1/4 teaspoon of peanut butter ganache onto the finger imprint on the top chocolate circle. Set a single, whole roasted peanut into the ganache. Keep the Penny Sous refrigerated until needed.