Bon Appetit Desserts (140 page)

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1¼ cups chilled heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
: Combine cream, sugar, cocoa, and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until butter melts and sugar and cocoa dissolve. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and coffee powder. Cool sauce.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

MOUSSE
: Line 9×5×3-inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper. Combine Milky Way pieces, semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in large metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water. Stir constantly until melted (mixture will look grainy). Remove bowl from over water and cool mixture slightly.

Combine sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil syrup until candy thermometer inserted into mixture registers 230°F, tilting pan to submerge thermometer bulb.

Meanwhile, beat egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks in medium bowl. Gradually pour boiling syrup into egg whites, beating until stiff peaks form and whites are cool, about 5 minutes. Using rubber spatula, fold whites into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Beat cream and vanilla in medium bowl to soft peaks. Using rubber spatula, fold cream into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Spoon mousse into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.

Heat sauce to lukewarm over low heat. Remove plastic wrap from top of mousse. Invert mousse onto platter. Remove pan and peel off parchment. Slice mousse crosswise into 12 slices. Cut each slice diagonally into 2 triangles. Arrange 2 mousse triangles on each plate; spoon warm chocolate sauce over and around mousse and serve.

Pera Bella Helena

This is an Italian take on the French dish
poire Belle-Hélène,
poached pears with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Here, the poached pears are served with a hazelnut-orange
semifreddo
and a chocolate sauce spiked with Frangelico, the Italian hazelnut liqueur.
4 servings

¾ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 pint vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

½ cup chopped husked toasted hazelnuts

3 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) or other nut liqueur

1 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely grated

½ teaspoon finely grated orange peel

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup Frangelico or other nut liqueur

Pinch of salt

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

¼ cup light corn syrup

6 cups water

1½ cups sugar

8 3×1-inch orange peel strips

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 small firm but ripe Anjou, Bartlett, or Comice pears, peeled

¼ cup chopped husked toasted hazelnuts

4 orange slices

SEMIFREDDO
: Line 8×8×2-inch metal baking pan with plastic wrap. Whip cream to soft peaks in medium bowl. Mix ice cream, hazelnuts, liqueur, chocolate, and orange peel in large bowl just until blended. Gently fold in whipped cream. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep frozen.

SAUCE
: Bring cream, liqueur, and salt to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand 3 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and sauce is smooth. Whisk in corn syrup.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

PEARS
: Stir 6 cups water, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; add pears and simmer until pears are just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pears from poaching liquid. Cool pears and poaching liquid separately. Return pears to poaching liquid and refrigerate until cold.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Stir chocolate sauce over low heat until warm. Cut semifreddo into 4 squares. Place 1 square in each of 4 bowls. Using slotted spoon, remove pears from poaching liquid. Place pears atop semifreddo. Spoon chocolate sauce over pears to coat, allowing extra sauce to drizzle onto semifreddo and plate. Sprinkle with nuts. Garnish with orange slices and serve.

Coffee-Caramel Parfaits

You won’t need an ice-cream machine for this rich and decadent frozen custard. It’s layered with homemade caramel sauce and crunchy toasted walnuts, then topped with whipped cream. These are pretty generous portions; if you like, divide the parfait mixture among six small glasses instead of four large ones.
Makes 4

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup water

¼ cup light corn syrup

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

⅓ cup sour cream

4 teaspoons chopped toasted walnuts

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream, divided

⅓ cup sugar

6 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

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

2 tablespoons Kahlúa or other coffee liqueur

½ cup sour cream

½ cup chopped toasted walnuts

Whipped cream

4 walnut halves or chocolate-covered coffee beans

SAUCE
: Stir sugar, ¼ cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep golden brown, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Add cream and butter (mixture will bubble vigorously); whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream.

Spoon scant 1 tablespoon sauce into each of 4 Margarita glasses or wine glasses. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon nuts. Place glasses in freezer.

PARFAITS
: Whisk ¼ cup cream, sugar, egg yolks, and espresso powder in small metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Whisk mixture constantly until thermometer inserted into center registers 160°F, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add white chocolate and Kahlúa and whisk until smooth. Using electric mixer, beat custard until cool and thick, about 5 minutes.

Combine remaining ¾ cup cream and sour cream in large bowl; whisk until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold yolk mixture into cream.

Pour ⅓ cup parfait mixture into each glass. Chill remaining parfait mixture. Freeze parfaits in glasses 1 hour.

If necessary, stir remaining sauce over low heat just until pourable. Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce over each parfait, tilting glasses slightly to cover parfait. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts. Place in freezer until sauce sets, about 20 minutes. Divide remaining parfait mixture among glasses. Freeze 1 hour. Drizzle 1 tablespoon sauce over each parfait in zigzag lines. Cover and freeze overnight.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.

Let parfaits stand 10 minutes at room temperature. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe 1 rosette of whipped cream atop each parfait. Garnish each parfait with walnut half and serve.

Limoncello Parfaits

A simple but sophisticated treat, these parfaits feature purchased vanilla ice cream and lemon sorbet, topped with sweet, fresh raspberries, then drizzled with limoncello, the Italian lemon liqueur. Storing limoncello in the freezer will make it icy cold; because of the high alcohol content, it won’t freeze solid. Look for it at liquor stores and some supermarkets.
Makes 8

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1 pint lemon sorbet

4 cups raspberries

16 tablespoons frozen limoncello or other lemon liqueur

Scoop ice cream into 8 parfait glasses, dividing equally. Scoop lemon sorbet atop ice cream, dividing equally. Sprinkle ½ cup raspberries into each glass. Drizzle 2 tablespoons limoncello over each and serve immediately.

Italian Semifreddo

This shortcut
semifreddo
(made without whipped cream) starts with purchased vanilla ice cream, which gets triple-almond flavor from toasted sliced almonds, amaretti cookies, and amaretto. It is then served with an intense amaretto-chocolate syrup.
6 servings

1 pint vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

2 tablespoons amaretto

2 ounces (about 9) amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons), coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted

¼ cup water

3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon amaretto

Additional sliced almonds, toasted

SEMIFREDDO
: Line 8×4½×2½-inch loaf pan with waxed paper. Mix ice cream and amaretto in medium bowl. Stir in cookies and almonds. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.