dark chocolate covered puffs with orange scented cream

by PJ Mullen on February 1, 2010

in dessert

The other day over on my fatherhood blog I was talking about my obsession with making different things using Pate a Choux after learning about it over on Michael Ruhlman’s blog. I figured that it would be a go opportunity to fire up the video camera and make some cream puffs filled with an orange scented whipped cream and a dark chocolate orange ganache.

Dark chocolate covered puffs with orange scented cream from PJ Mullen on Vimeo.

the recipes:

pastry puffs

  1. 1 cup water
  2. 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  3. 1 cup flour
  4. 1 cup eggs (about 5 large)
  • bring the water to a fast simmer, then melt the butter in the water
  • when the butter is completely melted quickly stir in the flour and cook off any remaining water
  • remove from the heat and mix in one egg at a time, the mixture will be very glossy, but will quickly return to a matte finish as the eggs get incorporated
  • set aside to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a pastry bag, or plastic bag with one corner cut off
  • on a parchment covered cookie sheet pipe out the pate a choux dough in small piles
  • take some cold water on your finger and push down any high points remaining from where you piped it out
  • baked in 425 degree over for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven

orange scented whipped cream

  1. 2 cups heavy cream
  2. 2 teaspoons orange extract
  3. zest of 1 orange
  4. 1/4 cup sugar (or 3 tablespoons agave nectar)
  • add all ingredients and whip to combine using a whisk or mixer

dark chocolate orange ganache

  1. 1 cup heavy cream
  2. 9 oz. bitter or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  3. 1 teaspoon orange extract
  4. 1 pinch salt
  5. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • scald the cream in a saucepan, then add the salt, sugar and orange extract and stir to combine
  • pour the scalded cream mixture over the chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl, then stir or whisk until the chocolate is completely melted

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roasted garlic duxelle

by PJ Mullen on December 21, 2009

in entree

pork wellingtonA little more than a week ago I talked about the pork wellington that I would be making for my family’s Christmas dinner. This past Saturday we had our Christmas dinner early thanks to my wife’s holiday work schedule and the roasted garlic duxelle I had devised for the pork wellington came out amazingly good.

Seriously, this stuff is so good it would taste good on a car bumper, as a certain celebrity chef might say.

I have no idea if calling this a duxelle is accurate, as most everything I’ve read about a duxelle involves mushrooms. Maybe it is better characterized as a roasted garlic jam. Still, since they are both essentially pastes designed to be fillings for Wellington type dishes, I’m sticking with it.

It definitely takes a bit of work to prepare, but it was totally worth it. Now that I know how good it is I am intrigued about its other potential applications.

hardware

  • food processor
  • skillet or frying pan
  • knife and cutting board
  • measuring cups and spoons

software

3 heads of garlic
olive oil
1/4 # Pancetta, frozen and finely diced
1 tablespoons butter
1 large red onions, finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup parmesan reggiano
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper to taste

assemblage

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • cut the heads of garlic in half, place in a roasting pan, then drizzle with olive oil and roast until golden brown (35 to 45 minutes)
  • while the garlic is roasting, saute the pancetta until crispy
  • add the butter, red onion and shallot to the pancetta and continue to saute for ive to seven minutes
  • stir in the balsamic vinegar, then add the parsley, thyme and rosemary
  • after two or three minutes add the heavy cream to finish, then remove from heat and allow to cool
  • when both the garlic heads are able to be handled and the onion mixture has cooled, add to a food processor
  • add the parmesan and pine nuts, then pulse six to eight times to combine
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