Bon Appetit Desserts (109 page)

White Chocolate Trifle with Spiced Pears

White chocolate teams with mascarpone to form a thick and creamy mousse, and pears spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger form an extra layer of luxury throughout. Using a trifle dish shows off all the layers. Soft, cake-like ladyfingers complement the fluffy mousse.
10 to 12 servings

1 750-ml bottle dry white wine

2 cups pear juice or pear nectar

1¼ cups sugar

12 whole green cardamom pods, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet

4 1-inch-diameter rounds peeled fresh ginger (each about ⅛ inch thick)

2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

5 large firm but ripe Anjou pears (3 to ¾ pounds), peeled

7 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

⅓ cup poire Williams (clear pear brandy)

¼ cup water

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 8- to 9-ounce container mascarpone cheese

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

3 3-ounce packages soft ladyfingers, separated

2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

¼ cup minced crystallized ginger

White chocolate curls

Powdered sugar

SPICED PEARS
: Combine white wine, pear juice, sugar, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until pears are just tender when pierced with knife, about 35 minutes. Transfer liquid with pears to large bowl and chill until cold, about 3 hours.

Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Transfer poaching liquid to heavy large saucepan; boil over medium-high heat until slightly thickened and reduced to generous 1½ cups, about 15 minutes. Strain into 2-cup measuring cup; discard spices in strainer. Cool. Cover and chill pears and pear syrup until cold.

MOUSSE
: Combine white chocolate, pear brandy, and ¼ cup water in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until smooth (mixture will be very liquidy). Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve bean for another use). Transfer white chocolate mixture to large bowl; gradually add mascarpone, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cool mascarpone mixture until barely lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture in 4 additions. Cover and chill white chocolate mousse until set, about 3 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Pears and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

TRIFLE ASSEMBLY
: Cut pears lengthwise in half and remove cores and stems. Cut halves lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices.

Arrange ladyfingers, rounded sides down, in single layer in bottom of 12-cup trifle dish (about 8 inches in diameter and 5 inches deep), covering bottom completely (using about 15 ladyfingers) [1]. Drizzle 5 tablespoons pear syrup evenly over ladyfingers. Using small offset spatula or spoon, spread ⅓ of white chocolate mousse over ladyfingers [2 and 3], making layer slightly thicker around outer edges of dish to allow mousse to be more visible (center of mousse layer will be thin). Starting at outer edges of dish, place pear slices in single layer with curved edges against sides of dish atop mousse, covering completely. Repeat layering of ladyfingers, syrup, mousse, and pears 2 more times. Cover with fourth layer of ladyfingers (some ladyfingers and pear slices may be left over). Drizzle ladyfingers evenly with 5 tablespoons syrup. Chill at least 6 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill trifle and remaining pear syrup separately.

Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add ¼ cup pear syrup and beat until stiff peaks form. Working in batches, transfer cream to large pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes all over top of trifle, mounding slightly in center. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Garnish with white chocolate curls.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Sift powdered sugar over trifle just before serving.

Chocolate-Cherry Trifle

This rich trifle is reminiscent of a classic Black Forest torte, with the flavors of chocolate, cherries, and kirsch. Chocolate pudding is layered with a sweet cherry filling, kirsch-scented whipped cream, and purchased pound cake. (Or use the Classic Pound Cake recipe on page 44.)
12 to 14 servings

⅔ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

6 large egg yolks

3 cups whole milk

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

2 16-ounce packages frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, thawed, juices reserved

¾ cup dried tart cherries

½ cup sugar

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

12 (about) ¾- to 1-inch-thick slices pound cake (cut from two 10.75-ounce pound cakes), each slice cut into 4 strips

Chocolate curls

PUDDING
: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa in heavy large saucepan to blend. Whisk in egg yolks until well blended; gradually whisk in milk. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer pudding to bowl. Chill until cool, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made up to 1 day ahead. When cool, press plastic wrap directly onto surface of pudding, then chill.

FILLING
: Combine sweet cherries with juices, dried cherries, sugar, and ½ cup kirsch in large saucepan; simmer over medium heat until dried cherries are slightly plumped, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir remaining 2 tablespoons kirsch and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Add cornstarch mixture to cherry mixture; bring to boil. Transfer to bowl and chill until cool, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. When cool, cover with plastic and chill.

WHIPPED CREAM
: Whip cream, sugar, and kirsch in large bowl until very soft peaks form.

TRIFLE ASSEMBLY
: Line bottom of 14-cup trifle bowl with single layer of cake strips. Spoon ⅓ cherry filling (about 1⅓ cups) over cake. Spoon ⅓ chocolate pudding (about 1⅓ cups) evenly over cherry filling. Carefully spread 1 cup whipped cream over pudding. Repeat layering two times, ending with all remaining whipped cream (there will be more than 1 cup). Chill until set, at least 3 hours or overnight. Garnish with chocolate curls and serve.

Chocolate Soufflés with White Chocolate Cream

There is amazing depth of flavor in these easy chocolate soufflés. The secret? A touch of brandy and a spoonful of espresso powder. A luscious white chocolate whipped cream goes on top.
Makes 4

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

1 tablespoon brandy

3 large egg yolks

4 large egg whites, room temperature