Women Cookie Recipes

For the chocolate ganache:

13/4 ounces heavy cream
4 ounces roughly chopped dark chocolate

For the souffle molds:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ounce finely grated dark chocolate

For the creme patissiere:
13/4 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
1/4 cup pistachio paste
1/4 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the meringue:
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup superfine sugar
Creme anglaise, warmed, for serving (recipe follows)

To prepare the ganache, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil.

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted. Transfer to freezer until frozen, about 11/2 hours. Using an ice cream scoop, evenly divide the chocolate into 6 portions, placing each portions on a plate or small baking sheet, and returning to the freezer.

To prepare the molds, butter six 1-cup aluminum dariole molds (small cups, similar to ramekins). Dust the molds with grated chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare creme patissiere, in a medium saucepan combine the milk, vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Whisk in pistachio paste and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, flour and cornstarch. Whisking constantly, slowly add a quarter of the milk mixture. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan.

Place the saucepan over medium heat, and cook, whisking until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Place 1/4 cup of the creme patissiere in a medium bowl, whisk until completely cooled, and set aside. Reserve the remaining creme patissiere for another use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the meringue, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Continue beating while slowly adding the sugar. Beat until shiny stiff peaks form.

Fold one quarter of the meringue into the 1/4 cup of crme patissiere. Continue folding in meringue in 3 batches. Spoon the mixture into prepared molds, filling about three-quarters full.

Place one cube of frozen ganache in the center of each cup and continue filling molds with batter until completely full. Bake until souffles rise, 6 to 8 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, froth the creme anglaise (recipe follows). Divide the creme anglaise evenly between six warm serving bowls. Invert each souffl into the center of the bowl; serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Start to finish: 2 hours, 45 minutes active), recipe from Shannon Bennett on “The Martha Stewart Show”