Monday, February 8, 2010

Chocolate trifle with marscapone & hazelnut brittle

1 chocolate cake (I just make one from a mix), cooled
2 cups whipping cream
1 container of marscapone, room temperature
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups toasted hazelnuts
chocolate to shave/grate for garnish

- first you are going to make the hazelnut brittle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the hazelnuts out on it. In a small pan, mix together 1 1/3 cups water and 2/3 cup white sugar. Cook over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook the mixture until it is a light brown color, about 8 minutes. Pour over hazelnuts and then pop the cookie sheet into the fridge for about 30 minutes or until nice and hard. Top with another sheet of parchment paper and bash into small pieces.

- grab yourself a medium pot and a glass or metal bowl can sit on top. Fill the pot with water to just below where the bowl sits and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to med-low (enough to keep a rolling bowl) and add your egg yolks and 2 tbsp sugar to the bowl. Wisk constantly until the mixture thickens and forms ribbons when you lift the wisk (about 6 minutes). Remove bowl and allow mixture to cool - stirring often.

- Whip cream until stiff. In a large bowl, fold together cooled egg mixture and marscapone cheese. When that is properly incorporated, fold in whipped cream.

- Now all you have to do is assemble. If you so this in advance the brittle will get a little soft (but is still yummy) so if you want that crunch you should probably assemble right before serving. I start with a large trifle bowl and crumble in 1/3 of the chocolate cake,top that with 1/3 of the marscapone cream, and then 1/4 of the brittle. Repeat twice, using the last half of the brittle for the topping. Top with some grated chocolate and serve. Sooooo good.

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