Double Chocolate Ice Cream: Dark Side Lover!

I really love dark chocolate, 60%-85% of cocoa mass is my favorite. So I tested this recipe with the 70% chocolate, and the result is DELICIOUS! If you remember the basic recipe is coming from September 2008, Chicken Farm Bakers’ Project #2: White Chocolate Ice Cream with White Chocolate and Nougat Chunks. After making that ice cream, I think of the dark chocolate, actually I love dark chocolate than the white one (but my customer(or my sister, haha), she really love white chocolate).
The taste of the ice cream is up to the taste of the chocolate, so beware if you using the deep dark one, it can be too bitter for some people (but I don't have that problem, ^ ^, and I think if you like very dark chocolate, 60%-85% of cocoa mass up, you won't have that problem too).
So, use the chocolate that you like, especially the one that you love to eat on its own, and this ice cream will be your favorite too.

Double Chocolate Ice Cream: Dark Side Lover!

80 g	Dark chocolate, Chopped
3	Egg Yolks
50 g	Sugar
¼ teaspoon	Sea salt
1 cup/250 ml	Milk
1 cup/ 250 ml	heavy (whipping) cream
50 g	Dark chocolate, chopped

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and the salt. Cook the milk, cream, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost simmering. Slowly pour the milk and cream into the egg-and-sugar mixture, whisking as you pour.

Whisk in the chocolate until it is completely melted.

Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant plastic or wooden spatula, until the custard reaches 175°F and lightly coats the spatula.

Strain the custard into a clean bowl and cool over an ice bath until room temperature. Refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Note: You can speed up the churning process by put the custard into the freezer for 1 hour before churning.

Churn the ice cream in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fold the dark chocolate chunks into the ice cream and freeze until scoop able.

Double Chocolate Ice Cream: Dark Side Lover!

Financier: A bar of gold that you can eat!

Ok, it's not a real gold, but the shape and the golden color of this sweet resemble the gold, ^ ^. So this time let enjoy the taste of gold. The main flavor of the financier comes from the “Beurre noisette”, or the hazelnut butter (the smell of the burn butter really resemble the nut fragrance).

The base of the cake is almond powder and the egg white, so it is good way to use the leftover egg white too. I want to make this cake a long time ago, but I just can't find the financier mold. Until my friend brought them for me from Japan (well, I think you can find everything there, haha).
So, I made it as soon as I got the molds, the recipe came from the book name ..........  But I had some problem with the look, so I had to make them many time before it comes out like this. So, I suggest pouring the batter about 3/4 of the mold.

Financier
Makes about 18 pieces

130g	Egg white
130g	Caster sugar
50g	Cake flour
5g	Corn flour
50g	Almond powder
3g	Baking powder
130g	Salted butter

Melt the butter in the pan over low heat, until the milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and begin to brown. Remove the pan from the heat and let the butter cool completely.(it’s called “Beurre noisette”)

Preheat the oven to 200°C
Sift the flour, almond powder, corn flour and baking powder together, set aside.

Mix the egg white and the sugar, just to combine.
Pour the flour mixture into the egg white, beat to combine, then pour the butter into the batter.
Mix until combine.

Generously butter 18 financier molds. Dust the molds with flour and tap out the excess.


Pass the batter through the sieve.
Pour the batter into the prepared molds, (about 25g/mold).
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Financier: A bar of gold that you can eat!

Mini Chocolate Madeleine: Lovely mini size!

Another Madeleine recipe, haha, but please don't blame me, I do love the Madelene!
Actually the look is the first thing, then the taste, I really love the cute shell shape so, I just don't have enough of it.

This time the Madeleine comes in small size, the mini one. I just got this pan and I just couldn't wait to use it. The recipe came from the Japanese book:
Even the book show me how to melt the chocolate in the microwave, I still use the double boiler method. With the small amount of the chocolate it easy to ruin it in the microwave!
The cookie come out lovely and tasty too, not too sweet but not bitterly. You don't have to brush the pan with the butter if you use the good quality silicone Madeleine mold. But if using the traditional metal pan, I suggest you to brush the pan heavily because the Madeleine will stick to the pan like crazy.
Anyway, the Valentine's day is coming closer, and closer. This chocolate Madeleine can be your perfect gift to the one you love too.

Mini Chocolate Madeleine
Makes about 45 pieces

15g	Bittersweet Chocolate (melted)
2	Eggs
70g	Cake flour
15g	Cocoa powder
½ tsp	Baking powder
70g	Unsalted butter (melted and cool)
80g	Caster sugar
	Butter for brushing the pan

Preheat the oven to 170°C

Sift the flour baking powder and the cocoa powder together. Put the sugar into the flour mixture and whisk to combine.
Lightly beat the eggs, then pour into the flour mixture, whisk to combine.
Pour the melted chocolate into the flour and eggs mixture, then follow with the melted butter.
Mix until just combine.


Pour the batter into the piping bag fitted with 1 cm plain nozzle.
Squeeze the batter into the mold.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the Madeleine is puffing up and firm to touch.

Mini Chocolate Madeleine: Lovely Mini Size!