Milk Chocolate Dome With Caramel Cream Fleur De Sel And Pistachio Crunch Ice Cream Recipes

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Prep the pan.
• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil.
• Boil the sugar.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
• Heat the cream.
• In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Finish the caramel.
• When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
• Fill the pan.
• Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
• Cut the caramel.
• When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half.
• Roll it up.
• Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch-long log.
• Cut into pieces.
• Sprinkle the log with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces. (Start by cutting the log in half, then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 8 equal pieces.) It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil.
• Wrap the candies.
• Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL DOMES

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, egg and 1 teaspoon hot water until smooth and combined.
• Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then flip out onto a cutting board to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 6 circles from the cake (save the scraps for another use); set aside.
• For the chocolate domes and mousse: Meanwhile, add the coconut oil and 3 ounces of the chocolate to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cavities of a silicone half-sphere mold with six 3-ounce-capacity cavities and tilt the mold to swirl the chocolate around until each half-sphere is coated entirely (you can also use your finger to swirl the chocolate around). Some chocolate may spill over on top of the mold, which is fine; it will break off when you unmold the domes. Tap out any excess chocolate and freeze until the chocolate is hardened, about 5 minutes.
• Put 1/4 cup of the cream in a small bowl and stir in the gelatin. Put the butter and remaining 6 ounces chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir the gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture until the gelatin is dissolved. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until well combined. Add the remaining chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until no streaks remain.
• For the filling and topping: Scoop 1/3 cup of the mousse into each chocolate cavity in the half-sphere mold. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a divot in the middle of each portion of chocolate mousse about halfway down. Pour a heaping teaspoon of caramel sauce into each divot. Top each half-sphere with a cake round, pressing down gently into the mousse (use a paper towel to wipe away any mousse that may seep out of the mold). Freeze until the mousse is set, about 1 hour.
• Gently peel the mold away from each of the half-spheres and place them cake-side down on a serving platter.
• Use a vegetable peeler to shave 1 tablespoon of chocolate curls from the chocolate. Put the remaining chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted, about 1 minute. Drizzle the melted chocolate over each dome and sprinkle with the chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

FLEUR DE SEL CHOCOLATE CHIP BLONDIES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch jelly roll pan with softened butter or cooking spray.
• Beat your butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until it is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown and granulated sugars a little bit at a time, pouring them in on the side of the bowl. While you're adding your sugars, stop the mixer occasionally and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that everything is fully mixed. Cream the butter and sugar mixture until it is light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. (Creaming creates air pockets in the dough, and therefore these blondies have a light and delicate texture.)
• Whisk your flour, baking soda and sea salt, if using, in a bowl. (Add the salt only if desired because there is plenty on top of the finished brownies.) Add your eggs 1 at a time, adding the second only after the first is fully incorporated. Once the second egg is fully incorporated, add your vanilla. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add the flour mixture. Once the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the wet ingredients, add in all those chocolate chips. Your machine will seem to be struggling to mix in the chocolate chips because there are so many of them, but don't turn it up, leave it on low and allow it to fully mix the chips in. Spread your cookie dough into the prepared jelly roll. Evenly sprinkle the top of the dough with the fleur de sel.
• Pop the blondies in the oven until they are golden brown on top and not wobbly in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the blondies to cool in the pan on a wire rack or on a dishtowel on your counter.
• Cut the blondies, still in the pan, with a sharp knife into bars, about 48 pieces. Remove with a spatula and serve. (Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week, but they will not last that long!)

CARAMEL-DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Place 8 ounces chocolate in metal bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is smooth. Remove chocolate from over water.
• Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, occasionally brushing sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides and swirling pan occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Stir over very low heat until caramel is smooth. Mix caramel and 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel into melted chocolate. Chill until truffle filling is firm, at least 3 hours.
• Place cocoa in bowl. Using 1 tablespoon truffle filling for each truffle, roll into balls, then roll in cocoa. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover; chill overnight.
• Line 13x9x2-inch baking sheet with foil. Place remaining 12 ounces chocolate in medium metal bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 115°F. Remove bowl from over water. Working quickly, submerge 1 truffle in melted chocolate. Using fork, lift out truffle and tap fork against side of bowl to allow excess coating to drip off. Transfer truffle to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining truffles. Sprinkle truffles lightly with additional fleur de sel. Let stand until coating sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)