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Glossy Chocolate
Topping
Tips: For not much effort, you’ll
have a gorgeously rich, thick, glossy mixture with which to top
berries or cake, instantly transforming either into a glamorous
dessert. I’ve used this on raspberries as well as sliced strawberries
(it’s delicious on both!), and I’m sure you could substitute
blackberries or blueberries if you wished.
Do use the best chocolate you can find for this, and remember that
if it isn’t smooth in bar form it won’t be smooth in
the end product, either. That isn’t a tragedy, but if you’re
going to consume a luxury food such as this, shouldn’t it
be of the best quality? You can store this topping in the fridge
for no more than three to four days, although it will start to thin
out a bit during that time. I haven’t tried making this with
a reduced fat sour cream, so I don’t know if that would work.
You’ll need a small whisk or slotted spoon for this recipe.
Yield: About 1-3/4 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dairy sour cream
- 3 ounces best-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 3 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- Few grains of salt
- 2 Tbsp. cold water
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Method:
Measure the sour cream. Ideally, it shouldn’t be refrigerator-cold
when you use it in this recipe. You can either scrape it into
a small bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it stand at
room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally,
or you can microwave it for very short intervals (about 10 seconds)
at medium (50%) power, stirring well between intervals, until
it is just barely warm.
In medium microwaveable bowl, combine finely chopped chocolates
and salt. Microwave at medium (50%) power for one minute. Stir
thoroughly. Continue to microwave at medium (50%) power for shorter
intervals until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until completely
melted and smooth.
All at once, add sour cream to chocolate mixture. With small whisk
or slotted spoon, stir briskly to mix thoroughly. Scrape bottom
and sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Mixture should be completely
smooth, but if sour cream was too cold when it was added, mixture
will lump. If this occurs, microwave for very short intervals
(about 10 seconds) at medium (50%) power, stirring well after
each, just until lumps melt and mixture is completely smooth.
Stir or whisk in water, one tablespoon at a time, then stir in
vanilla.
Chill topping for at least 90 minutes before using. To store,
cover bowl with a centered circle of paper toweling about 1 inch
larger in diameter than top of bowl, then cover tightly with plastic
wrap (the paper towel will collect any condensation that forms,
preventing it from dripping back into the topping). Stir before
using; use within three or four days of making.
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