Therapy, In the Form of Food

 

Yes, it's true.  Food can be a comfort in some trying times, and it's been well-documented that a good meal can lift one's spirits. Cookbook authors Lisa Lucas and Debrianna Mancini, who wrote That Time We Ate Our Feelings, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about their work and some delicious desserts that helped pull them through some less than ideal episodes. Among them, the Queen For a Day Three Layer Chocolate Mousse cake. It's a triple layer mousse based dessert that combines dark chocolate, along with semi-sweet chocolate chips and whipped cream. How sweet it is!

1st Layer

• ▢6 tablespoon butter cubed
• ▢7 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
• ▢¾ teaspoon espresso powder
• ▢1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢4 eggs
• ▢⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢⅓ cup packed brown sugar I used dark

2nd layer:

• ▢2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢5 tablespoon hot water
• ▢7 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
• ▢1.5 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• ▢1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢⅛ teaspoon salt

3rd Layer

• ¾ teaspoon powdered gelatin
• ▢1 tablespoon water
• ▢6 oz white chocolate chopped
• ▢1.5 cup cold heavy whipping cream

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter a 9" round springform pan. Set aside.
• Separate egg yolks and whites. Set aside.
• In a double boiler, melt chocolate, butter and espresso powder, whisking until smooth. Cool slightly for 5 minutes.
• Add egg yolks and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined.
• In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whip egg whites with salt for 30 seconds, or until frothy. Add half of the brown sugar, sprinkling it over the frothy whites. When the sugar is well mixed in, add the remaining half. Whip until soft peaks form. It can take from 1 to 3 minutes. Keep checking your peaks.
• Whisk in ⅓ of whipped whites to chocolate mixture. Do not whisk vigorously. Be gentle. Whisk just until the mixture lightens in color. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the rest of whites, until no streaks remain.
• Carefully pour the chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Smooth the top out.
• Bake the cake for 15 to 18 minutes (center should spring back when gently pressed ).
• Leave the cake in the springform and cool completely, at least 1 hour. It will collapse. You can cover cooled cake and refrigerate overnight.

Second layer:

• In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder and hot water. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a double boiler, melt chocolate. Cool 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whip cream, sugar and salt at medium speed. Whip for 30 seconds. It should slightly thicken. Increase the speed to high and whip the cream until soft peaks form. It should happen quite fast ( 20 to 30 seconds ) so do not walk away. Set aside.
• Whisk cocoa powder mixture with melted chocolate until smooth. At first it will look like your chocolate seized but keep whisking. It will come back together and be smooth.
• With whisk, fold in ⅓ of the whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream, until no streaks remain. It is important or the mousse won't set right.
• Spoon the mousse over cooled cake layer. Tap the form on your countertop 3 times to get rid of any air bubbles. Smooth the top with a spatula. Wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel from any mousse smudges. Refrigerate the cake for at least 15 minutes so the mousse can set.

Third Layer:

• Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl. Quickly stir with a small spoon. Set aside.
• Place white chocolate in a large mixing bowl.
• In a small saucepan, heat up only ½ cup of cream until boiling. Remove from heat. Add gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
• Pour the cream and gelatin mixture over white chocolate. Let sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Stir occasionally. It should slightly thicken.
• Whip the remaining cream at medium speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 15 to 20 seconds.
• With whisk, fold in ⅓ of the whipped cream to chocolate mixture. Do not whisk vigorously. Gently, until all smooth. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the rest of the whipped cream into your chocolate mixture, until no streaks remain.
• Spoon the white chocolate mousse over the semi-sweet chocolate mousse. Smooth the top out.
• Chill the cake for at least 2,5 hours.
• When ready to serve, run the knife around the cake in the pan. Remove sides of the springform.
• For clean cuts, use dental floss or warm but dry knife.
• Decorate slices with chocolate curls. Serve.

Food as Therapy

Yes, it's true.  Food can be a comfort in some trying times, and it's been well-documented that a good meal can lift one's spirits. Cookbook authors Lisa Lucas and Debrianna Mancini, who wrote That Time We Ate Our Feelings, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about their work and some delicious desserts that helped pull them through some less than ideal episodes. Among them, the Queen For a Day Three Layer Chocolate Mousse cake. It's a triple layer mousse based dessert that combines dark chocolate, along with semi-sweet chocolate chips and whipped cream. How sweet it is!

1st Layer

• ▢6 tablespoon butter cubed
• ▢7 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
• ▢¾ teaspoon espresso powder
• ▢1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢4 eggs
• ▢⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢⅓ cup packed brown sugar I used dark

2nd layer:

• ▢2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢5 tablespoon hot water
• ▢7 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
• ▢1.5 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• ▢1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢⅛ teaspoon salt

3rd Layer

• ¾ teaspoon powdered gelatin
• ▢1 tablespoon water
• ▢6 oz white chocolate chopped
• ▢1.5 cup cold heavy whipping cream

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter a 9" round springform pan. Set aside.
• Separate egg yolks and whites. Set aside.
• In a double boiler, melt chocolate, butter and espresso powder, whisking until smooth. Cool slightly for 5 minutes.
• Add egg yolks and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined.
• In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whip egg whites with salt for 30 seconds, or until frothy. Add half of the brown sugar, sprinkling it over the frothy whites. When the sugar is well mixed in, add the remaining half. Whip until soft peaks form. It can take from 1 to 3 minutes. Keep checking your peaks.
• Whisk in ⅓ of whipped whites to chocolate mixture. Do not whisk vigorously. Be gentle. Whisk just until the mixture lightens in color. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the rest of whites, until no streaks remain.
• Carefully pour the chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Smooth the top out.
• Bake the cake for 15 to 18 minutes (center should spring back when gently pressed ).
• Leave the cake in the springform and cool completely, at least 1 hour. It will collapse. You can cover cooled cake and refrigerate overnight.

Second layer:

• In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder and hot water. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a double boiler, melt chocolate. Cool 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whip cream, sugar and salt at medium speed. Whip for 30 seconds. It should slightly thicken. Increase the speed to high and whip the cream until soft peaks form. It should happen quite fast ( 20 to 30 seconds ) so do not walk away. Set aside.
• Whisk cocoa powder mixture with melted chocolate until smooth. At first it will look like your chocolate seized but keep whisking. It will come back together and be smooth.
• With whisk, fold in ⅓ of the whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream, until no streaks remain. It is important or the mousse won't set right.
• Spoon the mousse over cooled cake layer. Tap the form on your countertop 3 times to get rid of any air bubbles. Smooth the top with a spatula. Wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel from any mousse smudges. Refrigerate the cake for at least 15 minutes so the mousse can set.

Third Layer:

• Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl. Quickly stir with a small spoon. Set aside.
• Place white chocolate in a large mixing bowl.
• In a small saucepan, heat up only ½ cup of cream until boiling. Remove from heat. Add gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
• Pour the cream and gelatin mixture over white chocolate. Let sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Stir occasionally. It should slightly thicken.
• Whip the remaining cream at medium speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 15 to 20 seconds.
• With whisk, fold in ⅓ of the whipped cream to chocolate mixture. Do not whisk vigorously. Gently, until all smooth. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the rest of the whipped cream into your chocolate mixture, until no streaks remain.
• Spoon the white chocolate mousse over the semi-sweet chocolate mousse. Smooth the top out.
• Chill the cake for at least 2,5 hours.
• When ready to serve, run the knife around the cake in the pan. Remove sides of the springform.
• For clean cuts, use dental floss or warm but dry knife.
• Decorate slices with chocolate curls. Serve.

This Recipe's a Real Lemon!

 

And we don't mean that in a bad way! This one's a light, creamy dessert that doesn't require an oven. Abbie Dodge, who wrote the cookbook The Everyday Baker, came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her no-bake Lemon-Ginger Mousse Souffle. It uses a gelatin base, and ricotta cheese, both of which help keep it deliciously light! Try it out and have fun.

For the mousse:

• 3⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin
• 1 1⁄4 cups ricotta (part skim is fine)
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
• Pinch of table salt 4 whites from large eggs at room temperature
• 1⁄2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 12 gingersnap cookies + more for the crushed cookie topping (I use Nabisco or homemade molasses cookies)

MAKE AHEAD

The soufflés can be prepared, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving. Have ready six 6-oz. ramekins arranged on a flat plate or quarter sheet pan. Cut parchment into six strips 2.5 inches wide and 12 inches long. Wrap one strip around each ramekin so that the paper covers the ramekin and stands 1 inch above the rim; secure with tape. Lightly grease the inside of the paper rim (I use a paper towel dipped in a bit of neutral oil).

Instructions

Make the mousse

1. Pour the lemon juice into a small heatproof ramekin (or keep it in the measuring cup) and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Set aside to soften. Once the gelatin has absorbed the liquid and is plump (about 3 minutes), microwave briefly until it is completely melted and crystal clear, 1 to 2 minutes. This can also be done in a small saucepan (instead of the ramekin) over low heat.
2. Put the ricotta, granulated sugar, lemon zest, ginger, and salt in a blender. Scrape the lemon gelatin mixture into the blender, cover, and process until the ricotta is smooth and the mixture is well blended, about 1.5 minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice. Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate, stirring frequently, until the mixture is cooled and thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. It should be as thick as unbeaten egg whites. For faster cooling, set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice, stirring and scraping the sides frequently until cooled.
3. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a medium bowl and using an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters) and beat on medium speed until the whites are frothy, 30 to 45 seconds. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the whites form soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Continue beating while gradually adding the confectioners’ sugar, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat until the whites form firm and glossy peaks when the beater is lifted.
4. Scoop about one-quarter of the whites into the thickened lemon mixture and, using a silicone spatula, gently stir until blended. Add the remaining whites and gently fold in until just blended.

Assemble the mousses

1. Arrange one cookie in the bottom of each ramekin.
2. Using a large spoon, fill the ramekins halfway with the mousse.
3. Arrange a cookie on top of the mousse and evenly portion the remaining mousse on top of the cookies. Using a small offset spatula, smooth the tops.
4. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 1 day.

To serve

Using a sharp paring knife, carefully peel away the parchment from the ramekins (up to 3 hours ahead). Just before serving, place each ramekin on a small plate and top with some of the crushed ginger cookie or a little of the blackberry compote, passing the remainder at the table.

Blackberry Compote

Ingredients

• 2 cups blackberries, rinsed and well dried
• 2 to 3 Tbs. limoncello liqueur
• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

Instructions

1. Put the blackberries, limoncello, sugar, and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
2. Toss with a silicone spatula, lightly crushing the berries to release some of their juices.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 6 hours.