Saturday, February 28, 2009

Daring Bakers: Chocolate Valentino Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream

Lots of new recipes have been tried at my house during the month of February. My husband is begging I cease and desist as he’s being “loved” to death. Part of my kitchen activities are a result of having joined the Daring Bakers.

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm, and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge. The Daring Bakers had to keep the project secret until today although I made and served this delightful dessert on Valentine’s Day.



I followed Dharm’s recipe for the ice cream, opting to use a vanilla bean as opposed to extract. This part of the project was made two days before Valentine’s Day using my Cuisinart ice cream maker. Vanilla ice cream is a great complement to the richness of the cake.

Making a flourless cake was new to me but surprisingly easy. The choice of what chocolate to use was left up to each baker; I chose Ghirardelli semi-sweet. Instead of baking one big cake, I put the batter in individual-sized, heart-shaped ceramic molds.


© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

  • 16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
  • 5 large eggs separated
  1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

  2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling, butter your pan and line with a parchment circle, then butter the parchment.

  3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

  4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

  5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.

  6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

  7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.

  8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C.

  9. Bake for 25 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note: If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.

  10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes, then unmold.

Dharm's Ice Cream Recipe: Classic Vanilla Ice Cream
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Recipe comes from the Ice Cream Book by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis (tested modifications and notes in parentheses by Dharm)

  • 1 Vanilla Pod (or substitute with vanilla extract)
  • 300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Semi Skimmed Milk – in the U.S. this is 2% fat (or use fresh full fat milk that is pasteurized and homogenized {as opposed to canned or powdered}). Dharm used whole milk.
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 75g / 3oz / 6 tbsp caster sugar {superfine sugar can be achieved in a food processor or use regular granulated sugar}
  • 5ml / 1 tsp corn flour {cornstarch}
  • 300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Double Cream (48% butter fat) {in the U.S. heavy cream is 37% fat). You can easily increase your cream's fat content by heating 1/4 cup of heavy cream with 3 Tbs of butter until melted, cool to room temperature and add to the heavy cream as soon as whisk marks appear in the cream, in a slow steady stream, with the mixer on low speed. Raise speed and continue whipping the cream or use heavy cream the difference will be in the creaminess of the ice cream.
  1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.

  2. Lift the vanilla pod up. Holding it over the pan, scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife so that they fall back into the milk. SET the vanilla pod aside and bring the milk back to the boil.

  3. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn-flour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy.
    Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time.

  4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.

  5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process, to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse). Using Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker)

29 comments:

Lisa said...

Lovely job - very elegant presentation!

Helene said...

Welcome to the Daring Bakers! You did a fantastic job with the challenge!

Dharm said...

Great job on this challenge! Thanks for joining us and i"m so glad you had fun!!

Lauren said...

Mmm, your cake looks great, and I love your presentation =D!!

Laurel said...

Elegant cake! Nice job on your first challenge! :-)

Anonymous said...

Nice job! and congrats on your first challenge!!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your first DB's Challenge. I love the heart shaped cakes!
Stacie

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Wonderful June! Your first Daring Baker looks magnificent!

We did similar presentations --we must be twins separated at birth!
:-)

Bumblebutton said...

Welcome to the Daring Bakers--your husband won't have a chance to come up for meat and potatos now!

Your little hears were just so sweet--there is something so very charming about little desserts--especially when accompanied by a cool creamy bite. Congratulations on a dessert well done!

glamah16 said...

Very nice and welcome!

Marija said...

You did great!

Welcome to the DBs!

Anonymous said...

I love the addition of the rose...nice touch!

Baker at Law said...

Your photo is lovely and I love the combination of the rose with dessert on the plate. Great challenge and great job!

Anonymous said...

I like your photo. good job!

Amy said...

Wonderful job! Congratulations!

minisuperbias said...

beautiful! great job on your first DB challenge! and I love your blog banner

Anonymous said...

Cute stuff! I'll definitely make this chocolate cake again but in a smaller size like yours.

Kitchen M said...

can't go wrong with vanilla bean ice cream - looks super delicious!!!

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

Yours are so pretty!! Congrats on your first chalenge. And I think it's so funny that Pat was your inspiration to join, too. :-) How do you like your Cuisinart ice cream maker? I've been thinking of getting one.

chef_d said...

i love your presentation..so elegant :)

Unknown said...

Looks simple, elegant, and delicious.

Andreas said...

Welcome to the Daring Bakers and congratulations on your first Challenge.

ice tea: sugar high said...

Elegantly presented with the rose. Congrats on your first challenge =). This is my second one, and don't you just love being a daring baker? heheheh

Ago said...

Welcome to the DBBBBB!!!! :-D
I'm very glad to meet you...your presentation is very elegant...VERRRRYYY GOOODD!!!! :-)

Kisses
Ago :-D

Eat4Fun said...

Congratulations on completing your first DB Challenge! Very nice looking results and pictures. :)

natalie said...

Welcome to the Daring Bakers! Your cake looks yum! This was my second attempt at flourless cake, which was much more successful than my first...

Hope all is well in your world!

silverrock said...

Way to go on your first DB challenge. Your cake looks so cute, and dainty! Lovely work, keep up the great bakes!

Jyotsna said...

Congrats on your DB Challenge! Very cute cakes and elegant presentation!!

Kat said...

Congratulations on your first challenge. Your presentation looks wonderful. This was also my first challenge and I really enjoyed it!