CHOCOLATE BOURBON ICE CREAM

Chocolate Bourbon Ice Cream
Yield - 1 quart

3 cups whole milk
8 egg yolks
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup bourbon

Make sure the bowl of your ice cream maker is in the freezer the night before.
Add the milk to a medium saucepan and heat until warm.
While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks and powdered sugar together.

 
Add the hot milk into the eggs by laddlefills, whisking the egg yolks the entire time. Once most of the milk is incorporated into the eggs and they are warm, add the mixture into the pot on the stove.  Add the cocoa powder and whisk to combine. Heat and stir the ice cream base until it thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in the bourbon and the vanilla.

Pour the mixture through a fine sieve and refrigerate until cold, I refrigerated overnight.

 
Churn the ice cream base according to the manufacturer's directions.
Spoon into a container and freeze until firm.

BLACK BOTTOM PIE

Black Bottom Pie

Unsalted butter, for pie plate
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Pate Brisee
1 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cold water
1 envelope gelatin
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chocolate shavings, for decorating


To make the crust: Lightly butter a 10-inch pie plate. On a lightly floured board, roll out the half of the pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness (unused dough can be wrapped and plastic and stored in the refrigerator or freezer). Place the dough in the pie plate, and press it into the bottom edges and along the sides. Trim the dough using scissors or a sharp paring knife. Crimp or decorate the edges of the crust if desired. Chill crust for 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Carefully line the pie plate with parchment paper, gently pressing the parchment into the edges of the crust; weigh down parchment with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until edges of pastry begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove pie weights and parchment paper. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool completely.


To make the filling: Prepare an ice-water bath. In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt chocolate; set aside. Place 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl, and sprinkle gelatin over it; set aside to soften.


In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and the cornstarch; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring just to a boil. Add about one-quarter of the hot-milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until combined. Return egg-milk mixture to saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat when mixture has boiled and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.


Measure out 1 cup of custard, and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla to it, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Transfer the bowl to the ice-water bath to cool completely. When cool, spread evenly in the bottom of the pie crust. Transfer pie crust to refrigerator until set, about 5 minutes. Add softened gelatin to remaining custard. Transfer pan to the ice-water bath to cool until just beginning to set.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped egg whites into custard to lighten. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites and rum. Spread over chocolate layer. Refrigerate pie for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.


Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over custard or pipe on top with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top. Chill until ready to serve.

BAKED FUDGE

Baked Fudge

     Another dish from the Victorian Sampler. 

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c cocoa
1 c. chopped nuts, walnuts or pecans
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream eggs and sugar.  Add melted butter.  Sift flour and cocoa together after combining and add to mixture.  Add nuts and vanilla.  Pour into 9 x 12-inch greased pan.  Set in a pan of hot water and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until crusty on top and soft inside.  Serve warm with scoop of ice cream and garnish with a maraschino cherry.  
Serves 8 to 12

Note:  Of course it doesn't stay hot forever.  We microwaved each serving for precisely 20 seconds before serving.  It must be served hot and the maraschino is indispensable.

BOURBON BALLS

Bourbon Balls

Southern truffles—boozy and bad to the bone.

28 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (to yield 1 cup)

1 cup shelled pecans, finely chopped

3 tbsp. quality unsweetened cocoa powder

3–5 tbsp. bourbon, preferably small-batch

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup small chocolate sprinkles

1. Mix crushed wafers, pecans, and cocoa together in a medium bowl. Combine bourbon and corn syrup in a small bowl, add to wafer mixture, and stir until thoroughly combined. Pinch off pieces of chocolate mixture just a bit smaller than the size of a walnut, roll into 1" balls, and transfer to a wax paper–lined sheet pan as done.

2. Put chocolate sprinkles into a small bowl. Dredge balls in sprinkles, turning to coat completely. If sprinkles are not sticking easily, moisten fingertips with a drop of water, lightly dab surface of ball, then dredge again.

3. Serve at room temperature. Store bourbon balls in individual paper candy cups, if you like, in an airtight container in a cool spot or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE

CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE 

 Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

1¼ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon espresso powder (optional) Medaglia d, Oro

pinch of salt

4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled

5 ounces evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Whisk sugar, cocoa, and espresso powder (if using) and salt together. Pour butter and evaporated milk into sugar and cocoa mixture and beat on high speed. Add vanilla and eggs. With mixer speed on high speed, mix for approximately 2-3 minutes to lighten.

Pour mixture into 9 inch unbaked pie shell and bake for 35-40 minutes. The center of the pie will be a bit soft. Allow to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. The pie will continue to set as it cools.

MARQUISE au CHOCOLAT

Marquise au Chocolat

Makes 8 to 10 servings

The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were good times for French pastry chefs. Kings still reigned, aristocrats were scattered around the country, and everyone with a title who could afford sugar and a chef wanted special sweets. It's likely that the Marquise au Chocolat comes from this period. A frozen chocolate mousse, it starts off as a simple sweet, but in the hands of someone's chef, it could become baroque. Even at home, the possibilities for getting fancy with this sweet are just about limitless.

Traditionally, the marquise is packed into a loaf pan, frozen, and then sliced just before serving. This is exceedingly practical, since you can make the dessert weeks ahead; use what you need and keep the rest in the freezer for the next dinner party. The mousse also lends itself to being made in mini loaf pans or even small ramekins — when unmolded, these look very professional.

Similarly, the marquise can be plain or surprising. Often you'll find pieces of Petit Beurre or Biscoff (speculoos) cookies inside it, or the mousse might rest on a cookie or crumb base. Truly, anything that goes with chocolate (and that can stand up to freezing) is fair game for an addition.

A word on the eggs: The yolks in this recipe are not cooked, so it's important to use very fresh eggs, preferably organic and/or from a trusted local source.

1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces

13 ounces (369 grams) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 very fresh large-egg yolks, preferably organic, at room temperature

1/3 cup (67 grams) sugar, plus

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon fleur de sel or a pinch of fine sea salt

1½ cups (355 ml) very cold heavy cream

Line an 8½-×-4½-inch or 9-×-5-inch loaf pan with plastic film, leaving some overhang to make unmolding easier.

Put a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Drop in the pieces of butter, cover with the chocolate, and heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have melted; don't let the chocolate get too hot. When the chocolate and butter have melted, you should have a thick, velvety mixture. Transfer the bowl to the counter and let cool for 15 minutes.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the yolks, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the salt at medium speed until the mixture pales and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Turn the yolk mixture out onto the chocolate and butter and, with a flexible spatula or a whisk, gently fold together. Don't worry about being thorough now; you're going to fold again soon.

Wipe out the mixer (or mixing) bowl and pour in the heavy cream. Whip the cream until it shows the first sign of thickening, then slowly and steadily add the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until the cream holds firm peaks. Spoon it onto the chocolate and very gently fold it in.

Spoon the mousse into the prepared pan, pushing it into the corners and smoothing the top. Fold the edges of the plastic film over the mousse and then wrap the pan in more plastic film. Freeze the marquise for at least 6 hours. (The marquise can be frozen for up to 1 month.)

To unmold, unwrap the pan, pull the edges of the plastic film away from the marquise and tug on the plastic to release the marquise. If the marquise is recalcitrant, dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for about 15 seconds, then try again. Turn the marquise over onto a platter or cutting board and serve immediately. (If it's more convenient for you, you can unmold the marquise and return it to the freezer for a few hours before serving.)

Serving: The best way to slice the marquise is to use dental floss or a warm knife--run a long-bladed knife under hot water and wipe it dry. Cut the marquise into slices that are a scant 1 inch thick. If you can serve the slices on cold plates, so much the better. Traditionally the marquise is served with vanilla crème anglaise, a lovely match. If you're rushed for time, you can serve it with faux crème anglaise: melted premium-quality vanilla ice cream. It is also good with whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Storing: Wrapped airtight, the marquise will keep in the freezer for up to 1 

Month

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO PIE

Chocolate Espresso Pie

For Chocolate Pastry:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, cut up

5 tablespoons cold water

For Chocolate Filling:

2 cups whipping cream

6 ounces 60% to 70% dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup granulated sugar

6 egg yolks, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons brewed espresso or strong brewed coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sweetened whipped cream

Chocolate curls and/or shavings (optional)

1. For Chocolate Pastry: In a food processor, combine flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar and salt. Cover; process until just combined. Add butter. Cover; process with on/off turns until butter pieces are pea-size. With processor running, quickly add water through feed tube until dough just comes together.

Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl; gather flour mixture into a ball, kneading gently until it holds together. Gently pat dough into a disk.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough from center to edges into a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry circle around rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry even with edge of plate. Crimp edge as desired. Using a fork, prick the bottom and side of the pastry shell, being sure to prick where bottom and sides meet. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil.

Bake in a 450 degrees F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes more or until pastry is set and looks dry. Cool on a wire rack. Set baked pie pastry shell aside.

For filling: In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the whipping cream, chocolate and granulated sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or until mixture comes to boiling and thickens. (If chocolate flecks remain, use a wire whisk to beat mixture until blended.)

Gradually stir about half of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Return egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in espresso and vanilla. Cool slightly. Pour warm filling into the baked pie pastry shell. Cover and chill for 8 to 24 hours or until filling is set.

To serve, cut into wedges and top each serving with whipped cream. If you like, garnish whipped cream with chocolate curls and espresso beans.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Chocolate Pudding

A 3 cup bowl or four 6-ounce custard cups
½ cups sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/8 tsp. Salt
Gradually stir in, making a smooth, runny paste:
1/3 cup warm water
Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat, then remove from the heat. For an especially thick and chocolaty pudding, add and stir briskly until melted:
1 ounce semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (optional)
Stir in: 1 3/4 cups half and half
Place in a bowl:
3 Tbsp cornstarch
Very gradually add, making a smooth paste:
1/4 c. half and half
Thoroughly stir the cornstarch paste into the chocolate mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken. Reduce the heat to low; stirring briskly, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat, then stir in:
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla or any liqueur of choice, Grand Marnier, Bourbon.

Pour the pudding into the bowl or cups. If you do not want a skin to form, immediately press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Whipped cream and/or chocolate shavings is nice.

CHOCOLATE YUMMY

Chocolate Yummy

Pecan shortbread:
3 ounces pecans, toasted-just 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven will do it.
3 Tbsp. Granulated sugar
½ cup butter
½ tsp. Vanilla
1 cup flour
½ tsp. Salt

Chocolate Pudding:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
3 ½ ounces dark chocolate (semi-sweet will do) coarsely chopped
1 ounce milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
pinch of salt
(Note: I just use 4 ½ ounces of semi sweet and never had a complaint.)

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 lb. Cream cheese
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. Powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
chocolate shavings for garnish
Place the pecans and sugar in a food processor and pulse together for 30 seconds. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla and the pecan-sugar mixture, then stir in the flour and salt until just mixed. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Use your fingers to press the chilled dough into a 9-inch ssquare baking diwh. Prick the dough with a fork and bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool the cooked dough while preparing the remaining layers.

Heat the cream for the pudding in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat (Thick bottomed pans mean less liklihood of scorching). Stir together the sugar and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. When the cream is hot (but not boiling), temper the cream into the yolks by slowly adding half the cream while stirring vigorously, then stir the egg mixture back into the cream in the cream in the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Place the chocolate(s) in a mixing bowl with the butter, vanilla and salt. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate and butter are melted. Spread the pudding in a shallow dish to cool and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap placed directly on the surface so a skin does not form.

In a small mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and ½ cup powdered sugar together until smooth.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, whip the cream to soft peaks, then add the remaining 2 Tbsp. Sugar and whip a few minutes more, until soft peaks form.

Spread the cream cheese over the cooled shortbread crust, top with the pudding, and then add the whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Garnish with additional chocolate shavings if desired.