Phyllo Cups With Chocolate Mousse And Fresh Fruit Recipes

Steps:

• For phyllo cups:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter every other cup in 12-cup muffin pan. Place 1 phyllo rectangle on work surface; cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap and damp cloth to prevent drying. Brush rectangle with melted butter; sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 tablespoon hazelnuts. Place second phyllo rectangle atop first; brush with butter and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 tablespoon hazelnuts. Repeat 3 more times; top with 1 more rectangle and brush with butter, making stack of 6 rectangles. Using small sharp knife and 6-inch-diameter plate as guide, cut out two 6-inch round stacks. Press each stack into 1 buttered muffin cup. Repeat procedure 2 more times, making 4 more phyllo cups (6 total).
• Bake phyllo cups until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Immediately lift phyllo cups from pan, twisting carefully to loosen; place on rack. Cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• For mousse:
• Whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, 1/4 cup water, and espresso powder in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water); whisk constantly until thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Turn off heat; leave bowl over water.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff and glossy. Remove chocolate from over water. Fold 1/3 of beaten whites into warm chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Cover and chill until set, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Fill phyllo cups with mousse (reserve remaining mousse for another use). Top with raspberries and diced pears and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Lightly coat one sheet of phyllo dough with cooking spray. Lay second sheet of phyllo dough on first; coat with cooking spray. Lay third sheet of phyllo dough on second; coat with cooking spray. Cut into 12 squares.
• Fit squares into each of 12 muffin tins. Repeat with 3 more sheets of phyllo dough, fitting squares over existing squares in muffin tin so cups are formed.
• Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool on rack.
• While cups are baking, combine cocoa, extract and syrup until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Divide among phyllo cups. Combine berries and top each cup with 1/4 cup of berries.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• On a work surface, stack phyllo sheets and cut out three 6-inch squares (6 total), discarding scraps. Stack phyllo squares between 2 sheets of wax paper and cover with a kitchen towel. Line each of two 1/2-cup muffin tins with 1 phyllo square, pressing gently into bottom, with edges overhanging top of tin. Repeat with remaining squares in same 2 tins, overlapping corners in different directions, but do not reposition phyllo once in tin (it may tear).
• Bake phyllo shells in middle of oven until edges are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer phyllo shells to a rack and cool completely. Phyllo shells may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Make sauce:
• In a saucepan, simmer raspberries and granulated sugar, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes and stir in eau-de-vie or liqueur. In a blender, purée mixture until smooth and strain through a sieve into a heatproof bowl. Chill sauce, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
• Make mousse:
• In a small saucepan whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch and add water and egg, whisking until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, whisking and simmer, whisking vigorously, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate and eau-de-vie or liqueur, stirring until chocolate is melted. Transfer mixture to a metal bowl set in a bowl of ice and cold water and beat until cold and lightened in color. In a bowl, beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold into chocolate mixture gently, but thoroughly. Chill mousse, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
• To make chocolate curls:
• In a small metal bowl, set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate and on a baking sheet (not non-stick) spread it with a metal spatula as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool chocolate until firm to the touch but not hard. (Alternatively, chill chocolate on sheet in refrigerator; if it becomes too hard let it soften slightly at room temperature.) with a pastry scraper or metal spatula held at an angle, scrape chocolate slowly from sheet, letting it curl. Transfer curls carefully as formed to another baking sheet lined with wax paper. Chocolate curls may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely. An ounce of chocolate yields enough chocolate curls to garnish 2 to 4 Servings.
• To serve:
• In a bowl, whisk cream until it just begins to thicken. Pour some raspberry sauce onto 2 dessert plates and dot with thickened cream. Pull point of a skewer or wooden pick through cream to form hearts. With a sieve, dust phyllo shells with confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Arrange phyllo shells on top of sauce and spoon about 1/3 cup mousse into each shell (do not overfill). Top mousse with chocolate curls.