Deep Dark Chocolate (20 page)

Spread half the chocolate mixture into the prepared dish. Dip and coat 4 to 5 more ladyfingers in the syrup and cut to fit, creating a middle layer. Spread the remaining chocolate mixture over the ladyfingers. Dip and coat the final 4 to 5 ladyfingers to cover the top and gently press into place. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, invert the dish onto a serving plate. The cake will slip out of its lining. Carefully peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake. To garnish, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, cocoa, or a combination of both. For added panache, cap the top with a crown or garland of chocolate curls.

Mom’s Frozen Fudge Pops

makes
6 frozen pops

EVERY SUMMER MY MOM MADE THESE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD
fudgy frozen pops for my brother and me. The recipe is almost identical to that for Mom’s Real Chocolate Pudding, except here she uses cocoa powder instead of chocolate, and rich whole milk instead of the evaporated kind.

3 cups 3.5% milk or a combination of whole milk and half-and-half, divided

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons cornstarch

First, have patience, and don’t try to hurry the process. In the top of a double boiler, combine 2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and salt and place over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk is hot.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup milk, the cocoa, and cornstarch until thick and combined. Let rest until the milk is hot, then scrape the mixture into the double boiler and cook, stirring occasionally to begin with and more frequently toward the end, 12 to 17 minutes. The mixture will turn a thick, rich brown.

Remove from the heat and cool, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is lukewarm, cover the surface with plastic wrap so a skin does not form.

When the mixture is at room temperature, pour into six 4-ounce pop molds, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top (as the pops freeze, they will expand). Insert the handles and freeze for 4 hours or more. Remove each pop from its mold by gently squeezing the pop as you pull the handle. If it won’t slide out, run the mold under warm water a few seconds.

Artisan Chocolate Sorbet

makes
about 3 cups sorbet

TO MAKE THIS REFRESHING, BRIGHT-TASTING SORBET,
use a premium chocolate, one whose flavor and complexity you enjoy as an eating chocolate. (Once, a craving left me no choice but to use a supermarket staple. The unpleasant aftertaste was a lesson.) This sorbet is an excellent partner for many of the desserts in this book, including the One-Bite-to-Heaven Chocolate Yeast Cake and Wednesday Wild’s Wintertime Chocolate-Caramel Tart.

8 ounces premium dark chocolate (no higher than 62%), chopped

¼ cup granulated sugar

1
²
/
₃
cups just-off-the-boil water

¼ cup Lazzaroni Amaretto or other premium almond liqueur (optional)

Candied violets or rose petals for garnish (optional)

Place the chocolate and sugar in a medium bowl. Pour the water over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is blended (there may be pinhole-sized chocolate spots along the sides of the bowl). If desired, stir in the liqueur until blended. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.

Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, stirring from time to time. For a smooth finish, do not chill longer. Stir the mixture to blend, then pour it into an ice-cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the sorbet in a 1-quart container, cover, and freeze for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. To make serving easier, dip your scoop in warm water before using it. If desired, garnish servings with candied violets or rose petals.

Deep, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

makes
about 3 cups ice cream

THIS IS A SERIOUS CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM. IT HAS A
gloss and chill that yield to the warmth of your palate and a taste that is luscious and deep. From the first bite, you’ll detect the fine chocolate. The extra step of caramelizing the sugar is what sets this ice cream apart.

The key to making great ice cream is in the ingredients, not in the ice-cream maker. Work with superior chocolate and cocoa powder and you’ll reap the rewards. I use an automatic Cuisinart ICE-25 ice-cream maker ($40 to $60 online). As long as I put in delicious ingredients, it turns out delicious ice cream.

2 cups whole milk or half-and-half, divided

¾ cup granulated sugar, divided

3½ ounces premium dark chocolate (no higher than 62%), chopped

½ cup premium unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons premium unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

5 large egg yolks, at room temperature