Chocolate

Chocolate Soufflé

Makes 6 servings.

I could not resist featuring this revised dessert on my website even though it is in my cookbook, Helen Nash’s New Kosher Cuisine.  This soufflé is a chocolate-lover’s (and a hostess’s) dream--delicious, light and easy to make ahead of time. You can use a large soufflé dish or individual ramekins. Note that the soufflé goes straight from the refrigerator to the oven.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1½ tablespoon unsalted margarine for greasing the soufflé dish or ramekins

  • 1/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting the soufflé dish or ramekins

  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature (See Note)

  • 2 ounces, high quality, imported semi-sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  2. Grease a 4-quart soufflé dish or 6 ½-cup ramekins with margarine and sprinkle with sugar. Invert and tap to remove excess sugar.

  3. Place the chocolate into the top of a double boiler. Cover and set over simmering water until the chocolate is melted. Remove the top of the double boiler, uncover and cool slightly.

  4. Place the egg yolks in a bowl of an electric mixer. Using the balloon-whisk atttachment, beat the egg yolks, at medium speed, gradually adding all but 1 tablespoon sugar, until the mixture is pale, about 5 minutes.

  5. Lower the speed and beat in the melted chocolate.

  6. In an electric mixer bowl beat the egg whites, at high speed, using the balloon whisk until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, the reserved 1 tablespoon sugar and beat the egg whites until they are stiff and glossy.

  7. With a rubber spatula, fold a heaping tablespoonful of egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then reverse the process, pouring the chocolate mixture over the egg whites.

  8. Fold the two mixtures together, making a motion like a figure 8 until the ingredients are well combined.

  9. Spoon the batter into the soufflé dish, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. If you are using ramekins, an ice cream scooper is a big help. Place them on a cookie sheet. Cover all with press and seal wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.

  10. When ready to bake, place the soufflé dish (or the cookie sheet with the ramekins) in the oven straight from the refrigerator and bake until the center is almost set, about 20 minutes (if you are using ramekins, bake them for 14-15 minutes).

  11. Serve right away.

NOTE:

It is easier to separate the eggs straight from the refrigerator, while they are cold, as the egg yolks tend to break as they warm.

 
 

Two Tone Mini Cookies

Makes about 10 dozen, 1 x ½ inch bite size cookies.                                                                 

These small tidbits are a lovely combination of a cookie bottom and a soft chocolaty top. They freeze very well and are convenient for large gatherings.

If you like, it is easy to make them in two stages. You can bake the bottom at any time and finish the top the following day.

The only time consuming part is cutting them. I make mine almost bite size. You can, of course, cut them to any size.   

 I must confess that they are more delicious made with butter.                    

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH

  • ½ cup blanched almonds
  • 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted margarine, at room temperature, cut into small pieces, plus ½ tablespoon for greasing the pan
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE TOPPING

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted margarine at room temperature, cut into small pieces
  • 7 ounces imported, high quality semi-sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • ½ generous cup sugar  
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (7ounces) walnuts, toasted, semi coarsely chopped 

PREPARATION:

TO MAKE THE DOUGH

  1. Grease a 13 X 9 inch baking pan with margarine.
  2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, chop the almonds finely. Add the flour and sugar and pulse to combine. Add the margarine, eggs and vanilla extract.
  3. Pulse until dough clings to the blade but before it forms into a ball.
  4. Turn out the dough unto a lightly floured work surface, knead it with your hands and shape into a smooth, flat rectangle.
  5. Roll out the dough between two sheets of wax paper to about 11 x 15 inches. The dough will spread more easily if you occasionally turn it over, lift the top wax paper and flour the dough lightly.
  6. Remove top sheet of wax paper. Roll dough loosely over rolling pin and unfold over the baking pan.
  7. Place the dough in the baking pan and press evenly with your hands to cover the bottom and extending to 1/8 inch of the sides (dough is malleable enough to fix the cracks). Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.  
  8. Preheat oven to 350F.
  9. Bake the dough in the center oven for about 25 minutes. The edges will be a little golden and pulling away from the sides. Place on a wire rack to cool. This can be done a day ahead.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Melt the margarine, chocolate and sugar in a double boiler until smooth. Remove the top and whisk in one egg at a time, vanilla extract and flour until well combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts.
  3. Spread chocolate evenly over cooled cookie crust, not touching the edges and bake, for about 15 minutes, or until top feels slightly set to the touch.  Cool on a wire rack.
  4. To cut the cookies to the size of your choice, flip the rectangle unto a large cookie sheet and than again unto a cutting board. The chocolate will be on top. 

NOTE:

I freeze the cookies in a tight fitting container with wax paper between the layers.