The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

CHOCOLATE MARQUIS

THIS IS A CHOCOHOLICS DREAM WITH DARK CHOCOLATE, BUTTER, SUGAR AND COCOA POWDER. A slice goes a long way, especially when you gild it with a drizzle of caramel sauce. YIELDS 4 TO 6 SLICES

3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons brandy 1 ¼ cups heavy cream Caramel Sauce (see recipe below)

1 ¼ cups 60% dark chocolate ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup granulated sugar, divided 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 Melt the chocolate in a large bowl over hot water and set aside to cool. Cream together half of the sugar with all of the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy then add in the cocoa powder and mix together until combined and smooth. 2 In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar until pale in color then add the brandy and mix in.

3 In a third bowl, whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the chocolate to the butter/sugar mixture and fold in. Now fold in the egg yolk/sugar mixture followed by the whipped cream. 4 Spoon into a plastic wrap lined decorative mold or 1 pound loaf tin also lined with plastic wrap. Cover the top with plastic wrap as well. Freeze the mix at least three hours or overnight. Remove from the mold carefully and slice. Drizzle with caramel sauce or serve separately.

CARAMEL SAUCE

MAKES 4 PORTIONS

1 In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Cook until it turns a deep amber color, stopping before it begins to burn. Carefully and with your face at a distance from the pot, stir in half of the cream. It will bubble up furiously. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the remaining cream, butter and salt and keep whisking it to form a smooth sauce. Allow to cool.

½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup water ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, at room temperature ½ stick unsalted butter (2 ounces) at room temperature Pinch of salt

SUMMER · GRADUATION CELEBRATION 77