The Unnameable Dessert (Chocolate-filled Beignets)
Frozen balls of rich chocolate ganache are tucked into beignets which are fried and placed into tuiles. With a touch of a fork, the melted ganache pours out. The dessert is served with creme anglaise and ice cream. Begin a day ahead, as the ganache balls must freeze solid.
Ingredients
- Ganache Balls
- Dark Chocolate - 10 ounces , roughly chopped
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1 cup
- Batter
- Egg Whites - 4
- Sugar - 2 tablespoons
- All-Purpose Flour - 1-1/4 cups
- Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Cold Beer - 2/3 cup
- Egg - 1 larg
- Tuile Dough
- Egg Whites - 3
- Sugar - 1/2 cup
- Flour - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon
- Butter - 1/4 cup, melted
- Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon
- Vegetable Oil - 1 quart, for deep frying
- All-Purpose Flour - 1 cup
- Creme Anglaise - 1 cup
- Vanilla Ice Cream - 4 scoops
- Cocoa Powder - for dusting
- Mint - 4 sprigs
Instructions
To make the ganache: In a small mixing bowl set over a sauce pan of hot water, melt the chocolate and stir in the cream. Pour into a heatproof shallow pan and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Using a small melon baller, make small chocolate balls and place them on the prepared sheet. Freeze for 6 hours.
To make the beignet batter: Beat together the egg whites until foamy. Add the sugar and beat until the sugar is dissolved and firm peaks form. Combine the flour, salt, and egg in a separate bowl, blending until smooth. Slowly add the cold beer. Fold in the egg white mixture to form a soft batter. Set mixture aside for at least 1 hour.
To make the tuiles: In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites, sugar, and flour together. Stir the until the mixture is smooth. Melt the butter over low heat. Very slowly, pour the melted butter into the batter, beating slowly to incorporate it completely. Stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside for at least 2 hours. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 F. Use your hands to smear very thin 5-inch circles of dough on a teflon baking sheet; do not let the circles touch. Dip your fingers in cold water between smears. Bake 5 minutes. Quickly lift one hot circle and place it in a ramekin; place a slightly smaller ramekin inside, shaping the dough into a cup. Leave 10 seconds and unmold. Repeat with remaining circles. If the tuiles begin to stiffen, warm by placing them back in the warm oven for a few moments until they become pliable. Set the molded tuile cups aside. The cooled tuile cups may be sealed tightly in plastic and stored overnight.
To make the beignets: Heat the oil in the deep fryer to 350 F. Take the frozen chocolate balls from the freezer. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Roll the chocolate balls in the flour, then spear them with a fork and dip in the batter, coating completely. Drop them into the hot fat and fry for 30 seconds, then roll them on the other side and fry 30 seconds more. They should be golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
To serve: Fill the bottom of large soup plates with creme anglaise. Center a tuile cup on each plate. Put 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream in each cup. Arrange 5 to 6 chocolate beignets on top of the ice cream in each cup and garnish the tops with mint sprigs. Sprinkle the rims of the plates with cocoa powder.
