db Bistro Moderne

Culinary Recipes

Black Forest Sundae

The Vancouver Sun, August 2009

Serves 4 ( download recipe)

 

Ingredients:

Chocolate Sacher 1 ounce cocoa paste, chopped 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 3 egg whites 1/2 cup sugar (divided) 5 ounces almond paste 4 egg yolks 1 whole egg 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon cocoa powder   Chocolate Mousse 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (66% cocoa) 2/3 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup sugar 4 egg whites 5 egg yolks

Roasted Cherries 1/3 cup sugar 40 cherries, stemmed and pitted 2 tablespoons Kirsch liquor   Vanilla Whipped Cream 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped     Garnish and Plating 4 fresh cherries, pitted with stem on 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Methodology:

 

For the Chocolate Sacher:

Preheat oven to 350˚F and place a rack in the center. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Melt cocoa paste with the butter in a microwave; hold at room temperature. Using a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the egg whites with 1/4 cup of the sugar to reach stiff peaks; remove and hold in the refrigerator. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix the almond paste to soften (you may also warm the almond paste in a microwave to help soften). In a separate bowl, combine the remaining sugar, yolks, and eggs; then slowly stream into the almond paste while mixing. Continue to whip on high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Add 1/5 of the whipped whites to the almond paste mixture, then add the dry ingredients to combine. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining egg whites until combined and fluffy. Fold in the room temperature butter and cocoa paste. Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through. When cool enough to handle, remove the chocolate sacher from the pan and chill in the refrigerator. Cut the sacher into 1/4 inch dice and set aside.

 

For the Chocolate Mousse:

Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set on top of a pot of simmering water to melt (being sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Using a whisk, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and set aside. Using a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then stream in the sugar and continue to whip to stiff peaks. Remove the chocolate from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Let rest until lukewarm (but still liquid), then whisk in the egg yolks and meringue just to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream until combined. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

 

For the Roasted Cherries:

Heat the sugar until melted in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the cherries and cook, stirring for approximately 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the kirsch, and return to the heat to simmer for another 3 minutes, or until the cherries are tender but still hold their shape. Hold at room temperature.

 

For the Vanilla Whipped Cream:

Whisk together the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla beans to a stiff peak.

 

 

For the Garnish and Plating:

Transfer the chocolate mousse to a piping bag and pipe about 2 teaspoons into the bottom of four chilled sundae glasses. Mix the chocolate sacher dice with some juice from the roasted cherries to moisten, and spoon about 2 tablespoons on top of the mousse. Top the sacher with another layer of mousse, then a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Spoon 10 roasted cherries per glass around the ice cream, spoon some whipped cream on top of the ice cream and top off with a fresh cherry.