Baking secrets: Simple dessert, beautiful plating will wow your valentine
The secret behind a great Valentine's Day dessert doesn't call for pastry chef level-skills, complicated preparation or exotic ingredients. Rather, it's about partnering powerful recipes to create a spectacular presentation that dazzles the senses. This dessert extravaganza begins with, of course, chocolate.
While studying at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, I was struck by the European chefs who crafted plated desserts. Each component of the dessert easily stood on its own merit, but together they achieved lofty heights.
A great plated dessert focuses on one flavor theme and adds layers that complement, not clutter. The key to success lies in selecting accompaniments that don't compete and distract the taste buds or our eyes. Usually this means no more than three components to the presentation.
With chocolate as the theme I looked for a recipe that offered hefty cocoa presence, but didn't overwhelm the plate. Cake felt too lofty and pie didn't own a reputation worthy of a Valentine's Day dessert.
I turned to brownies; I liked the concept of a brownie's chewy texture as individual tarts. The clean edges of tarts keep the presentation neat and solid. In a plated dessert, you hook diners with the visual and close the deal on their taste buds.
Brownies run the gamut from fudgy to cake-style and I wanted the texture to be right at the midpoint. The outside offers firm and chewy texture, while the inside structure boasts moist crumbs of chocolate goodness. Accomplishing this required a specific mixing procedure and baking style.
Unsweetened chocolate squares allow the baker to control the amount and the type of sugar in the brownie batter. By melting the chocolate with the butter — in lieu of creaming the fat with sugar — you boost the chewiness. Choosing solid chocolate over powdered brings more cocoa butter into the recipe, complementing the dairy fat.
Some pastry chefs also use coffee to enhance chocolate's nuanced flavors. Adding liquid to the batter would result in a cakelike treat, but instant coffee crystals beaten with the egg and sugar brings background notes without compromising the texture. This mixing step smooths sugar's sharp edges and aerates the eggs, resulting in a firm, moist texture.
To get the portions I wanted, I tested individual metal tart pans, paper baking shells and Wilton's six count mini-pie pans. All worked well with the Wilton mini-pie pan winning favor for great chewy texture and ease of release.
For the brownie tart's partner, I chose raspberry coulis that offers a festive valentine color and distinctive flavor to complement the deep chocolate. This European fruit sauce brings vibrant tastes to the plate and can be made with frozen berries. A small amount of fresh-squeezed orange juice smooths the coulis and infuses a zesty note to keep the sweetness in check. Garnish with fresh fruit, whipped cream and mint leaves and your valentine will love every bite.
• Annie Overboe, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, lives in Oakbrook Terrace. Write to her at food@dailyherald.com.