Daring Bakers May 2011 Challenge: Chocolate Marquis on Meringue

Yesterday was a somber day. The writings about my box of beautiful truffles, caramels, and other chocolate treats from the Beverly Hills Teuscher boutique came to a close. What on earth could I possibly write about today? Today, May 27^th?

Oh yeah. Daring Bakers. I did that &$&# this month. What, exactly, did I do?

The May 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt. Purple They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.

One thing I liked about this challenge was that it helped me make a dent in this situation.

Yeah. And that’s just the Scharffen Berger. Some 8 pounds of it. Now, after making this, I’m down to about 7.5 pounds. How’d I get rid of it? By making this marquis.

Chocolate Marquise Ingredients

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Scharffen Berger 70%)

1/8 teaspoon salt

pinch cayenne pepper powder

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

½ tablespoon butter, softened

3 large egg yolks at room temperature

1 large whole eggs

3 tablespoons sugar

2 ½ tablespoons water, divided

Chocolate Base, barely warm (recipe follows)

½+1/3 cups heavy cream, divided

Cocoa powder for rolling

Did you notice that this recipe calls for chocolate and pepper and salt? Nice. Very nice.

Now to make it even tastier. By adding fat and corn syrup.

Warm 1/3 cup of cream until hot, pour over chocolate and stir. Add salt, cayenne, corn syrup, vanilla, cocoa powder, butter, and one tablespoon of water. Stir, set aside and cool to room temperature.

Resist the urge to eat it all. Try to only eat, say, a quarter of it.

As the chocolate mixture that you don’t eat cools, whip eggs and egg yolks on high speed until thick and pale. Make a sugar syrup with the sugar and remaining water; when it reaches 235° F, carefully pour it into the egg mixture and whip on high speed until the bowl is cool to the touch. Set aside, whip remaining heavy cream to soft peaks. Briefly whip together chocolate mixture and egg mixture, then fold cream and egg-chocolate mixtures together before pouring into a 4”x8” loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

Freeze for two hours, then cut into 8 pieces and roll in cocoa powder (Scharffen Berger, of course).

Now, this is pretty elaborate, right? Surely I’m done.

No. Emma and Jenny wanted to break us. We had to make some spiced almonds.

Spiced Almonds

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

½ large egg white

¼ cup blanched almonds (I used slivers)

Combine sugar, cinnamon, cayenne and salt, set aside. Whisk into egg white, then add nuts and toss. Spread on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 30 minutes at 350° F.

Pretty and tasty. Now are we done?

Again, no. No rest for your kitchen weary feat. Onto the meringue.

Meringue

2 egg whites

½ cup sugar

Gently warm egg whites over boiling water, then whisk until foamy, slowly add sugar and beat until glossy and stiff.

OK. That last part. Wasn’t so hard. Done?

NO. YOU WILL NEVER BE DONE. NEXT YOU MUST MAKE CARAMEL SAUCE OR THE DARING BAKERS POLICE WILL APREHEND YOU.

Caramel Sauce

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine sugar and water, heat until a light amber color is achieved, remove from heat and carefully stir in cream and sugar – it will bubble.

Good grief. Did we have enough components to make this month? I think so. Now to plate it.

Pretty, isn’t it? After hours in the kitchen, it better have been. At least in my tired mind.

Have you ever made a recipe with an insane number of steps? What was it?