Charlotte Au Chocolat Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Filling: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar.
• Bring 1/4 cup cream and remaining 1/4 cup milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add one-third of cream mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add remaining cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly; return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl with chocolate; let stand until softened, 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming; let cool completely.
• Whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream to soft peaks and gently fold into custard. Refrigerate until ready to assemble, up to 1 day.
• Ladyfingers and Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a pencil and ruler, make a template that will be the guide for piping ladyfingers and cake layers: On a piece of parchment, draw two sets of parallel lines spaced 3 1/2 inches apart. On a second piece of parchment, trace three 5-inch circles. Place each piece of parchment, pencil-side down, on an unrimmed baking sheet. Sift together flour and 1/4 cup cocoa into a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, salt, and vanilla on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. In a separate bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks with remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg-yolk mixture into egg-white mixture, then fold in flour mixture in three additions. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
• Pipe ladyfingers crosswise onto prepared templates, spacing 1/4 inch apart (you'll need about 16), then pipe cake rounds, starting in center of each circle and spiraling outward until you reach edge of template. Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa and confectioners' sugar; sift over cake rounds. Bake ladyfingers and cake rounds until firm and springy, about 14 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Assembly: Place a 6-by-3-inch cake ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet; line ring with a 20-by-3-inch parchment strip to form a collar. Bring rum and granulated sugar just to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Place ladyfingers standing upright inside of ring, with domed sides facing out (use just enough to fit snugly). Place one cake layer at bottom of ring. Brush ladyfingers and cake with rum syrup. Pour half of chocolate filling into cake ring and top with a second cake layer. Brush cake with syrup and top with remaining chocolate filling. Top with final cake layer and brush with syrup. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, whisk cream and confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Carefully remove charlotte from bottom piece of parchment and transfer, still in cake ring, to serving platter. Remove ring and gently peel off parchment strip. Dollop whipped cream on top of cake and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

CHOCOLATE AND MACAROON CHARLOTTE: ST. EMILION AU CHOCOLAT

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 1-quart charlotte mold.
• Place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, scald the milk and sugar. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir to blend. Let cool, then beat in the egg yolks until smooth and shiny. Add the orange peel and beat to incorporate. Let cool completely.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Fold 1/2 of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in the remainder.
• In a small bowl, combine the cognac and water. Dip the macaroons 1 at a time into the mixture, then layer across the mold, flat side down. Arrange additional macaroons up the sides of the mold, flat sides out. Spoon 1/2 of the chocolate mixture into the mold, and top with a layer of macaroons. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and top with the remaining macaroons.
• Cover with plastic wrap and place a plate on top. Place a weight (such as a large can or measuring cup filled with water) on the plate and refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• To serve, remove the weight and plate and unwrap. Place a platter on top of the charlotte and invert, shaking slightly to release and remove the mold. Thinly slice. Garnish with chocolate shavings and serve.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper. Set aside.
• In a bowl, mix together the almonds, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and wine.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Whisk into the almond mixture. Transfer to a saucepan and over the barest heat, whisk to dry slightly. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• When cool, spoon tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared sheet and flatten slightly. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar. Bake until crisp on the top rack of the oven, 15 to 20 minutes. Do not let brown.
• Remove from the oven and lift one end of the paper. Pour a small glass of water under the paper. (The resulting steam will loosen the macaroons.) Let sit for 2 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool.

CHARLOTTE AU CHOCOLAT

Steps:

• In a double boiler set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, Kahlua and 1/3 cup of the cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and, one at a time, beat in the egg yolks. Dissolve the gelatin in 1 tablespoon of warm water and stir it in. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the egg whites and salt and whip until very frothy. A little at a time, whip in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Continue to whip until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites. Refrigerate.
• Take 4 to 6 ladyfingers and trim them into "petals" with one rounded edge and one narrow, pointed end. Arrange them, domed side down, in the bottom of an 8-cup buttered charlotte mold, narrow ends pointing in and rounded ends pointed out. Trim the sides of another 12 to 15 ladyfingers and set them upright, domed sides out, packing them as close together as possible.
• Pour the chocolate mixture into the mold. Using a serrated knife, trim the tops of the ladyfingers level with the filling. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Invert onto a serving platter.
• Whip the remaining 2/3 cup of cream with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until it holds soft peaks. Gradually whip in the cocoa. Place the cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tube and pipe lines of cream between the ladyfingers and rosettes around the edge of the plate. Slice and serve.

CHARLOTTE AU CHOCOLAT

Steps:

• In a saucepan or double boiler melt the chocolate with the coffee, 2 tsp.
• rum and oil.
• Stir until smooth; cool.
• One by one add the yolks to the cold melted chocolate, beating with a wire whisk.
• In a separate bowl, stiffly beat the whties.
• Fold the whites into the chocolate.
• Leave in a cool place to set.
• To assemble the cake: Pour the milk and remaining 2 tsp.
• rum into a bowl.
• One by one lightly dip the ladyfingers into the milk/rum and line the bottom and sides of a 8-cup (2 qt) springform pan.
• Fill with half the chocolate mousse.
• Cover with a layer of ladyfingers, then with the remaining mousse.
• Finish with another layer of ladyfingers.
• Refrigerate the charlotte for 8 hours or overnight covered in plastic wrap.
• After unmolding, decorate if desired with swirls of sweetened whipped cream.