Bon Appetit Desserts (147 page)
Read Bon Appetit Desserts Online
Authors: Barbara Fairchild
Peppermint Ice Cream Candyland CakeThis whimsical cake is a fun holiday dessert that kids and adults will love. While it’s perfect for Christmas, the type of ice cream and candies used can be changed to suit any celebration. The candy brittle—delicious on its own—can also be used to decorate any other type of cake. (When not frozen, the brittle will look best if it’s used the same day it’s made.) The brittle hardens quickly, so make swift work of applying the candies and be careful not to burn yourself on the hot sugar syrup.
12 servings
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup water
½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
3½ quarts (about) peppermint stick ice cream, slightly softened
1½ cups sugar
½ cup water
1½ tablespoons light corn syrup
1 to 2 cups assorted candies (such as sliced gummy candies, spice drops, Swedish mints, butter mints, rock candy pieces, and candy cane pieces)
½ cup water
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
CAKE
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15×10×1-inch baking sheet; line with parchment. Butter parchment. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips; stir until melted. Whisk in ¾ cup water, cocoa, and vanilla until blended. Whisk in egg. Add to flour mixture; whisk to blend. Pour batter onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 22 minutes. Cool cake on baking sheet on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto sheet of foil; cool. Cut cake crosswise into 3 equal strips. Freeze cake strips 1 hour.
Place 1 cake strip on platter. Working quickly, spoon 3½ cups peppermint ice cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges. Top with second cake strip. Spoon 3½ cups ice cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges. Top with third cake strip; freeze 1 hour. Spread enough remaining ice cream over top and sides of cake to cover generously (about 6 cups). Freeze until firm, about 3 hours.
BRITTLE
: Place 20-inch-long sheet of foil on work surface. Mark off 16×12-inch rectangle. Stir sugar, ½ cup water, and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Increase heat and boil without stirring until candy thermometer registers 300°F, tilting saucepan slightly to submerge bulb, about 15 minutes.
Being very careful (syrup is extremely hot), pour boiling syrup in wide zigzag lines across foil. Using offset metal spatula and working quickly, spread syrup evenly to 16×12-inch rectangle. Immediately sprinkle generously with candies, pressing larger pieces into syrup to adhere (do not touch hot syrup). If syrup hardens before all candies have been applied, slide foil with brittle onto large rimless baking sheet and place baking sheet directly over burner set on high heat to soften syrup, about 10 seconds, rotating sheet. Remove from heat and immediately apply remaining candies. Cool completely.
Starting at one end of brittle, break off pieces in irregular shapes, peeling foil as you go. Press brittle upright, candy side out, onto top and sides of cake and freeze.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.
SAUCE
: Bring ½ cup water to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips; whisk until smooth.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Slice cake. Serve with sauce.
Technique Tip:
DIY Peppermint Ice Cream
Purchased peppermint ice cream will vary in color from pale pink to bright pink, so if you don’t find one you like, you can quickly create your own by mixing 3½ quarts of softened premium vanilla ice cream with 2 cups of coarsely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies and 2½ teaspoons of peppermint nonindent.
Meringue Hearts with Mint Ice Cream and Fudge SauceThis dessert is a study in contrasts: crispy, delicate meringue cookies, smooth and creamy purchased ice cream, and a puddle of rich fudge sauce.
Makes 6
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup dark corn syrup
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
½ cup finely crushed red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies
⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
Powdered sugar
Additional red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed
SAUCE
: Melt butter with corn syrup in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate, sugar, and cream. Whisk until chocolate melts and sugar dissolves.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill.
MERINGUES
: Preheat oven to 225°F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil; butter foil. Place 3¾-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter on foil-lined sheet. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add 1 cup sugar; continue beating until stiff and shiny. Spoon ¼ cup meringue inside cookie cutter on prepared sheet. Using back of spoon, spread meringue evenly. Lift up cookie cutter; place on another section of foil-lined sheet. Repeat with remaining meringue, forming 6 hearts on each sheet.
Bake meringues until crisp and dry, about 1 hour. Cool meringues on sheets 10 minutes. Peel meringues off foil.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
ICE CREAM
: Mix ice cream, finely crushed peppermint candies, and peppermint extract in medium bowl. Cover and freeze until semi-firm, about 2 hours.
Place meringues flat side up on baking sheet and freeze 15 minutes. Spoon ½ up ice cream atop 1 meringue. Top with another meringue, flat side up. Press gently to flatten, forming sandwich. Run spatula around sides of ice cream to even sides. Freeze. Repeat with remaining meringues and ice cream. Cover and freeze at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
Stir sauce over medium-low heat just until warm. Sift powdered sugar over tops of meringues, coating completely. Place on plates. Spoon sauce around. Sprinkle coarsely crushed peppermint candies over sauce.
Technique Tip:
Shape-Shifting
The heart-shaped meringues make for a romantic dessert, but feel free to use any large cookie cutter with a simple shape to form the cookies. Or, simply spoon the meringue batter onto the foil-lined sheet and spread evenly into a 3¾-inch round.
Frozen Raspberry Zabaglione on Meringues with Chocolate SauceZabaglione, an Italian custard, is blended with raspberries and frozen in a container (not processed in an ice-cream maker) for this recipe. Creating an indentation in each meringue before baking makes room for a scoop of the fruity zabaglione. For a party-perfect presentation, garnish the dessert with fresh raspberries, orange segments, and a sprinkling of toasted sliced almonds.
Makes 8
2 12-ounce bags frozen raspberries, thawed, with juices
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
8 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
6 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
5 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
3 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup sugar
1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted, divided
RASPBERRY PUREE
: Puree raspberries with juices in blender. Strain puree into bowl, pressing firmly on fruit to release all pulp and juices. Mix corn syrup into puree. Cover and chill while preparing zabaglione.
ZABAGLIONE
: Combine egg yolks, sugar, Grand Marnier, and orange juice concentrate in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 minute. Set bowl over large saucepan of simmering water and beat at high speed until very thick and thermometer registers 160°F, about 12 minutes.
Place bowl over larger bowl filled with ice water and cool zabaglione, whisking occasionally, about 15 minutes. Fold in ¾ cup raspberry puree. Transfer to covered container and freeze.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.
SAUCE
: Stir chocolate, corn syrup, 1 tablespoon water, and ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons raspberry puree in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and sauce is smooth. Cover and chill.
DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
MERINGUES
: Preheat oven to 200°F. Line large baking sheet with foil; grease foil lightly. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until meringue is stiff and shiny. Fold in half of almonds.
Drop meringue in 8 mounds onto prepared baking sheet. Using back of spoon, make indentation in each mound. Sprinkle meringues with remaining almonds. Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven; leave oven door closed and let meringues dry in oven overnight.
Place meringues on platter or baking sheet and fill each with large scoop of frozen zabaglione. Wrap meringues tightly and freeze at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
Rewarm chocolate sauce over low heat. Place each filled meringue on plate. Spoon warm chocolate sauce over and serve immediately.
Working with Meringue
Meringues are made by beating egg whites to soft peaks, then adding sugar and beating until firm, glossy peaks form. Soft meringue is used as a topping for pies (such as lemon meringue pie) and other desserts, like baked Alaskas, and to add airy lightness to mousses and soufflés. Hard meringues are baked for a long time at a low temperature so they become dry while remaining white. Here are tips to make perfect meringues every time.
1. Use egg whites that are at room temperature; they will reach a greater volume.
2. When separating the eggs, make sure none of the yolk gets into the whites.
3. Your bowl and whisk or beater must also be completely clean. Any trace of yolks or fat on your equipment will make it very difficult to stiffen the egg whites.
4. Add cream of tartar or lemon juice to the egg whites before they’re beaten to help stabilize the foam.
5. Use an electric mixer or a large balloon whisk and a metal or glass bowl.
6. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, and then gradually add the sugar. Adding the sugar too early will slow down the stiffening process; adding the sugar after the whites have reached stiff peaks could cause the meringue to become too dry.
Once the meringue is formed, use it immediately, since it will weep and lose volume quickly. Store hard meringues in an airtight container to maintain their dry, crisp texture.