Chocolate Pâte Recipes

Steps:

• 1. In top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate with cream and butter. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth and glossy.
• 2. Remove from heat and add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each.
• 3. Add powered sugar, whisking constantly until smooth. Mix in Rum.
• 4. Butter a small 4-cup loaf pan. Put waxed paper or plastic wrapt in pan, leaving overhang, and butter sides and bottom of the lining. Pour chocolate mixture into pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
• 5. To remove pate, gently loosen lining from pan. It is sticks, set in hot water for a few seconds. Turn pate onto a serving plate and remover plastic lining. Using a hot knife, slice pate into 1/2 inch slice and serve over a pool of raspberry sauce, with a large dollop of fresh whipped cream. Store pate in freezer and slice when needed.
• 6. For Raspberry Sauce: Drain 1 package raspberries and discard juice. Retain juice from other package. Puree fruit, juice, sugar and liquer in food processor or blender. Strain puree to remove seeds . Chill until ready to use.

Steps:

• Prepare the pate: Line a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or foil; set aside. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Add the wine and whisk to blend. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts. Cool to room temperature.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.
• Pour into lined loaf pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours. (The pate can be made up to 5 days in advance.)
• Prepare the sauce: Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the plums and saute until the plums begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar and cook until the sugar begins to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the nutmeg. (The sauce can be prepared and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance. Serve at room temperature.)
• Prepare the topping: Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the sugar and vanilla and whip just to blend.
• To serve: Use a warm knife to slice the pate into 1/2-inch slices. Top each serving with plum sauce and whipped cream.

Steps:

• Lightly oil an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2-inch loaf pan and line it as neatly as possible with plastic wrap, allowing the ends to drape over the sides. (I lay two pieces of plastic wrap crosswise in the pan, overlapping in the center.) Place the pan in the freezer.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Place the butter in the bowl, then the chocolate and coffee powder and heat until just melted, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. As soon as the chocolate and butter are melted, take the bowl off the heat and whisk in, one at a time, and in order, first the confectioners' sugar, then the cocoa powder, egg yolks, Cognac and salt. Set the bowl aside for 15 minutes to cool.
• Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the whites form firm but not dry peaks. Fold the whites into the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula.
• Without cleaning the bowl or whisk attachment, pour the cream and vanilla into the bowl and beat on high speed until it forms firm peaks. Fold the cream carefully but thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, fold the plastic wrap over the top and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, turn the terrine out of the mold and unwrap it. Spoon a puddle of Orange Sauce in the middle of each dessert plate and place a slice of the terrine in the middle. Sprinkle each serving lightly with orange zest and fleur de sel.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until very thick. Reduce to low speed and mix in the cornstarch.
• With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture (I use a liquid measuring cup for pouring). Pour the mixture into a clean, small, deep saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it reaches 180 degrees F on a candy thermometer and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. The mixture will coat the spoon. Don't cook it above 180 degrees F or the eggs will scramble! Immediately (it will keep cooking in the saucepan), pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in the vanilla, Cognac, Grand Marnier and orange zest. Cover and chill.

Steps:

• Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and process just until mixture begins to hold together, no more than 30 seconds.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and form into a disk. Cover in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until ready to use.

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolks and vanilla, and process until mixture just begins to hold together (no longer than 30 seconds).
• Shape dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F, 180C, Gas Mark 4.
• Coat a 9" or 10" bread loaf pan with cooking spray or lightly butter and set aside.
• Boil water in a kettle.
• Place butter, sugar and coffee in a double boiler (or place large mixing bowl on top of medium saucepan filled with boiling water) and heat until all butter is melted.
• Stir in broken chocolate and mix until smooth.
• Remove from heat (or remove mixing bowl from saucepan) and cool for 10 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time either mixing by hand or using a hand mixer at a slow speed (only blend, do not beat).
• Pour into greased bread pan.
• Place bread pan in a roasting pan filled with 1 to 1 1/2 inches of warm water.
• Place in oven for 60-75 minutes.
• Remove just before it starts to brown on the edges.
• Let stand until it cool to touch (will reduce in size).
• Place tightly covered in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight to set.
• To remove from pan, fill sink with 2-3 inches hot water and place pan in sink (careful not to let water spill in chocolate).
• Let sit 10-15 minutes (depending on water temp) and run a small sharp knife around to aid removal.
• Place serving plate on top and flip over.
• Cut into thin pieces.
• Serve with clotted cream, cream, whipped cream topped with fresh raspberries.
• Serves 12-15 slices.
• *N.B.Chocolate should be less than 60% cocoa content.A higher cocoa content will make the paté grainier.
• N.B.You can double the recipe and fill within ¼ inch of top of bread pan.Prepare ramekin dishes for left over liquid.