Delightful Desserts
Hazelnut Caramel Dobos Torte
Recipe from the Canadian Food Network
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line four 11 1/2- x 16-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Trace eight 8-inch circles onto the sheets of parchment paper. (You will get 2 circles on an 11 1/2- x 16-inch sheet and 4 circles on a 16- x 24-inch sheet. Do not cut the circles out).
- Put the sheets of parchment back on the baking sheets with the ink sides facing down (so pencil or marker doesn’t bake onto cake).
- Whip 6 egg whites to soft peak stage and gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form.
- Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.
- In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 6 egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until pale yellow and the mixture holds a ribbon when the whisk is lifted.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Sift 1/4 cup of pastry flour, 3/4 cup of ground hazelnuts and 1/4 teaspoon of salt over egg yolk mixture and fold in gently by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Fold in the whites in thirds until just evenly blended.
- Spoon approximately 2/3 cup of the cake batter into centre of first drawn circle and spread evenly to edges of the circle.
- Repeat with second circle on same sheet and put the baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until cake springs back when gently pressed.
- Repeat process until all batter has been used.
- Allow cake discs to cool completely.
- Melt 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and set aside.
- Soften 3 cups of unsalted butter to room temperature and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the water and sugar to a boil and cook until the thermometer registers 239 degrees F.
- While the sugar is cooking, whip 6 egg whites with 1/2 teaspoons of cream of tartar until soft peak stage.
- While whipping constantly, gradually add 1 1/2 cups of sugar syrup.
- Continue whipping until mixture is cooled.
- On medium speed, add the butter, 1 cube at a time, until incorporated.
- Stir 2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder into 1 tablespoon of hot water to dissolve and add to the whipping mixture.
- Add the melted chocolate, 3/4 cup of sifted cocoa powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the whipping mixture.
- Keep mixing until smooth.
- Set aside at room temperature.
- Draw two 8-inch circles on a piece of parchment.
- Turn parchment sheet over and butter.
- Cook 2 cups sugar with the 1/2 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of corn syrup until a light caramel color, brushing down the sides of the pot with water often.
- Immerse pot in a bath of cold water to halt the cooking process.
- Pour a puddle of caramel into centre of each drawn disc (leave about 1 cup in the pot) and spread with an oiled spatula to fill the circles.
- Allow mixture to cool slightly.
- Before it has set up completely, cut each caramel circle into 16 wedges with an oiled knife and allow to cool completely.
- Butter another sheet of parchment.
- Stir 1 cup of hazelnuts into remaining hot sugar mixture to coat (the 1/2 cup of remaining hazelnuts will be used for garnishing on top of the cake).
- Re-heat caramel over low heat if it is too stiff.
- Spoon mixture onto another buttered parchment sheet and allow mixture to cool.
- Grind hazelnut praline in a food processor.
- To assemble torte, peel off first cake round and put it on a cake plate.
- Ice with a thin layer of icing and top with the next layer of cake.
- Repeat until all cake layers have been used. Ice top and sides of torte.
- Press hazelnut praline on sides of the cake to finish.
- Arrange caramel wedges around torte, leaning them on an angle so they sort of fan around the torte.
- Pipe a dot of icing on each caramel wedge and place a whole hazelnut on each.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Triple Chocolate Mousse
Recipe from the Canadian Food Network
- For bittersweet mousse, melt 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate in a bowl resting over a pot of gently simmering water, stirring constantly.
- Stir 1/2 teaspoon of gelatin powder into 1/2 cup of milk and let sit for a minute.
- Heat milk to just below a simmer and whisk into chocolate. Let cool to room temperature.
- Whip 1 1/4 cups of whipping cream to soft peak and fold into chocolate.
- Pour mousse into a plastic wrap-lined 9-inch square pan, spreading well into corners. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- For white chocolate mousse, follow the same method as the bittersweet mousse: melt 12 ounces of white chocolate, add 1/2 teaspoon of gelatin powder to milk, heat the milk and stir in, let cool, add 1 cup of whipping cream and fold into chocolate. Spoon or pour gently over bittersweet mousse layer and chill for at least 1 hour.
- For milk chocolate mousse, repeat the same process, and pour mousse gently over white chocolate layer. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
- To serve, invert pan onto a plate and peel off plastic. With a hot, dry knife slice squares of mousse and lift onto plates with a pie-lifter. Break Dacquoise Crunch (directions follow) into large pieces and place on mousse as garnish. Yield: 1 9-inch square pan. Makes 9 to 12 servings.
- Dacquoise Crunch Garnish: Preheat oven to 225° F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Whip 2 egg white with 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar until foamy and add 1/4 cup of sugar gradually. Whip to stiff, glossy peaks. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Toss 2 tablespoons of ground hazelnuts with 1/4 cup of cornstarch and fold into meringue. Spread gently on parchment paper. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until dry but not browned.
Creme Brulee Cheesecakes
Recipe from the Canadian Food Network
Cheesecakes
- Preheat oven to 325 °F. Grease 6 5-oz ramekins and place a disc of parchment in the bottom of each. Place ramekins in a dish with a 2-inch lip.
- Stir 1 tub of mascarpone cheese to soften.
- Add 1/2 cup of sugar and combine well.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, switching to a whisk to smooth out mixture.
- Whisk in 3 large eggs one at a time until blended.
- Ladle mixture into prepared ramekins and pour hot tap water around ramekins until water comes halfway up.
- Bake cheesecakes for 35 minutes (tops of cheesecake will brown to golden), then remove from water bath to cool. Chill for at least 6 hours before serving.
- To make Phyllo wafers, increase oven to 350 °F and line a baking tray with parchment. Lay out one sheet of phyllo and brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Cover with second sheet of phyllo, repeating with butter and sugar. Repeat with third sheet, then fold phyllo in half. Cut 6 circles out of pastry with a 3 ½ -inch cookie cutter and place onto baking tray. Bake for 7 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool.
- To serve, place a phyllo wafer on a dessert plate. Run a spatula around inside of ramekin to loosen, then turn out cheesecake onto wafer. Peel away parchment disc and sprinkle top of cheesecake with sugar. Using a kitchen butane torch, caramelize top of cheesecake.
