Chocolate And Chestnut Pave Recipes

CHOCOLATE, ORANGE, AND CHESTNUT PAVé

Steps:

• In a large metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt butter and chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth and remove bowl from heat. Stir in zest and cool completely. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one fourth of cream into chocolate mixture to, lighten and fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.
• Line an oiled terrine or loaf pan, 10 by 4 1/2 by 3 inches (7-cup capacity), with plastic wrap. Pour in half of chocolate orange filling, smoothing top, and freeze 5 minutes.
• In a small metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt white chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth and remove bowl from heat. Stir in chestnuts and rum gently and cool completely. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until.it just holds stiff peaks. Fold cream into white chocolate mixture.
• Pour chestnut rum filling over chocolate orange layer, smoothing top, and freeze 5 minutes. Pour in remaining chocolate orange filling, smoothing top, and chill, covered with plastic wrap, overnight. Pavé may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Discard plastic wrap from top and invert pavé onto a plate. Discard remaining plastic wrap. Garnish pavé with chestnut slices, "paté" pears, and candied orange.
• Pour some ginger crème anglaise onto 8 dessert plates and top with a 1/2-inch-thick slice of pavé.

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT BUCHE DE NOEL

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a small bowl with 1/4 cup water. Set bowl in a pan of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. Combine 1/2 cup, or more to taste, of chestnut cream into 1 slightly rounded cup of buttercream. Set aside.
• Assemble the Buche: Peel parchment liner from cake. Lift foil under cake and invert it onto a second sheet of foil. Remove the original foil, peeling away the browned genoise "skin" stuck to it. Moisten the cake with the rum, using a pastry brush. Spread chestnut buttercream evenly over the cake. Roll the cake tightly, the long way, into a "log" using the foil to aid you if necessary. Wrap log tightly in foil. Freeze until hard, or at least firm. The firmer the cake, the easier it will be to decorate. Log may be completed to this point, and kept frozen, up to 6 weeks. Stir chocolate mixture into remaining buttercream and refrigerate or freeze until needed. Finish and Decorate the Buche: Soften reserved chocolate buttercream and beat just until smooth. Unwrap the frozen log. Trim a fraction of an inch from each end to even the edges. Spread the log with most of the reserved chocolate buttercream. Do not frost the ends. Use a fork to texture the buttercream so that it resembles the bark of a tree. Dip a sharp knife in hot water, then wipe dry. Cut the diagonal "stump" off each end of the log. Set stumps aside. Transfer log to a serving platter. Affix stumps to the log. Cover bare spots with buttercream. Use the fork to touch up the bark effect as necessary. Decorate with sprigs of pine and meringue mushrooms. Store in the refrigerator. For best flavor and texture, remove Buche from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving.