Chocolate Coconut Charlotte 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-COCONUT CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• Make the coconut custard: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread coconut on a baking sheet, and bake until light gold, about 3 minutes.
• Whisk together yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in a bowl. Bring milk, coconut milk, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 1/3 of the milk mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add remaining milk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Return to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and vanilla. Fold in coconut, then transfer to a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of custard, and refrigerate until chilled and firm, about 1 hour (or overnight).
• Make the chocolate custard: Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons milk in a small bowl, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk together yolks and sugar in a medium bowl.
• Bring 1/4 cup cream and remaining 1/4 cup milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 of the cream mixture to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add remaining cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan. Place over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly, until custard coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in softened gelatin.
• Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Strain cream mixture over chocolate, and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth, and let cool. Whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the cream into chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest.
• Make the rum syrup: Bring sugar and rum to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let cool.
• To assemble the charlotte: Place a 6-by-3-inch cake ring, on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Coat ring with cooking spray. Arrange ladyfingers upright inside ring, curved side touching ring. (Use just enough to fit snugly.) Fit 1 cake round in bottom of cake ring. Brush ladyfingers and cake with syrup. Spread 3/4 cup chocolate custard in ring, then top with 1 cup coconut custard. Repeat with cake, syrup, and custards, leaving 3/4 inch from top of ladyfingers.
• Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight). Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, then gently remove cake ring. Top charlotte with whipped cream, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Tie with bow, if desired, before presenting at the table. Slice, and serve immediately.

COCONUT CHOCOLATE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the almond flour, coconut oil and honey on low speed until you reach a semi-clumpy consistency, it should feel damp and moldable, similar to modeling clay.
• Separate and spread the mixture evenly into 20 6-inch tart pans. Place the tart pans on sheet trays and bake until they rise a bit, look toasty and the excess coconut oil bakes off, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan set over medium heat, bring the coconut milk to a simmer. Whisk in the ancho powder, cayenne pepper, pasilla powder and salt.
• Place the chocolate in a large bowl. Pour the simmering coconut milk over the chocolate and whisk until melted. Reserve for the tart shells.
• Fill each shell evenly with the chocolate coconut ganache. Allow the ganache to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 hours.
• Serve the tarts cold.

COCONUT CHOCOLATE BARS

Steps:

• In a medium size bowl, beat eggs and add sugar. Blend in melted butter and vanilla.
• Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Blend into mixture.
• Pour one-half of batter into another bowl. In one batter add cocoa and the one tablespoon of melted butter. In the second batter add coconut.
• Pour the chocolate batter into a greased 8 x 8 baking pan. Spread the coconut batter on top.
• Bake in a 325 degree oven for 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool.
• Topping: Melt chocolate chips in microwave for 1 minute. Add melted butter and mix. Spread onto cooled bars. Let cool completely and cut into bars. Cut small--they are rich. (I have placed pan in fridg for 30 minutes to cool quickly.).
• Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine gelatin and 1/4 cup cold water.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved; set aside.
• In a heavy, small saucepan, cook and stir chocolate and the 3 tablespoons water over low heat until chocolate is melted.
• Stir in the 1/3 cup whipping cream until smooth.
• Stir in gelatin mixture and remove from heat.
• Cool to room temp, stirring occasionally.
• Line a souffle dish (1 1/2 qt) with plastic wrap.
• Carefully arrange lady finger halves, upright, around the side of the dish; set aside.
• In a chilled large bowl, combine the 1 1/2 whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Beat with chilled beaters on electric mixer on medium speed until peaks form and tips curl.
• Gently fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream mixture.
• Spoon into ladyfinger lined dish; spread top evenly.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set.
• To serve, invert dish onto serving platter and unmold charlotte.
• Carefully remove plastic wrap.
• Garnish with additional whipped cream and shaved chocolate.