Chocolate and orange cups pt 1

1 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
-----Brazil Nut-Orange Cups-----
½cupBrazil Nuts; (about 2 l/2 oz.)
cupGranulated Sugar
3tablespoonsAll-Purpose Flour
7tablespoonsUnsalted Butter; melted
1teaspoonGrated Orange Rind
3largesEgg Whites ---Chocolate Pudding-----
3cupsHalf And Half
3tablespoonsCornstarch
3tablespoonsUnsweetened Cocoa Powder; (nonalkalized)
2largesEggs
2largesEgg Yolks
cupGranulated Sugar
1pinchSalt
1teaspoonGrated Orange Zest
5ouncesBittersweet Chocolate; finely chopped
teaspoonVanilla Extract
1cupHeavy Cream; * see note ---Orange Zests-----
2Oranges
2cupsWater; divided
½cupGranulated Sugar
1tablespoonGrenadine Syrup ---Orange Sauce-----
2cupsFreshly Squeezed Orange Juice
¼cupGranulated Sugar
4teaspoonsCornstarch
¼cupWater
2tablespoonsTriple Sec ---For Garnish-----
Orange Segments

Directions

* whipped to soft mound stage

Make the Brazil nut-orange cups: 1. Position a rack in the center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Spread the Brazil nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a large kitchen towel and rub briskly to remove most of the skins. Open the towel and spread out the nuts to cool, discarding the paper skins.

2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, combine the peeled nuts and the sugar. Process for 30 to 45 seconds until finely ground. Add the flour and process for 30 seconds to combine. Add the melted butter and orange rind, and process for 20 to 30 seconds. Add the egg whites and process for 20 to 30 seconds, until blended.

3. Because you must work quickly to prevent the cups from cooling and getting hard before you have molded them, bake only two cups at a time.

Have 2 or more 6-ounce custard cups ready to use as molds. Spoon two tablespoons of batter for each cup on each half of the baking sheet. Using the back of the spoon. spread the batter for each cup into a thin 6-inch circle. Be careful not to leave any bare spots or there will be holes in the cups.

4. Bake the cookies for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cookies are evenly golden and the edges are slightly browned. Remove the sheet from the oven.

Using a metal spatulas loosen the edges of one of the cookies and lift it off the baking sheet. Quickly press the cookie into one of the custard cups to form the cup shape. Immediately repeat the shaping process with the second cookie. Cool the cookies completely, and then gently lift them out of the molds.

5. Repeat the above process with the remaining batter, making two cups at a time. Store the cups in an airtight container at room temperature as soon as they are completely cool.

Make the chocolate orange pudding: 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the half-and-half, cornstarch, and cocoa powder until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and the yolks until blended.

2. In a heavy, medium, noncorrosive saucepan, combine the remaining half-and-half, sugar, salt and orange zest. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form around the side of the pan.

Gradually whisk one cup of the hot half-and-half mixture into the cornstarch/egg mixture until blended. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture starts to form bubbles. Continue stirring and allow the mixture to boil for 2 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the chopped chocolate until smooth. Strain the pudding through a sieve into a continued in part 2