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Pan con Chocolate Supremo

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Bread with chocolate is a sweet and simple dish often offered as a dessert tapa. Traditional recipes call for melting squares of chocolate atop slices of toast in an oven still hot from toasting the bread. My version melts the chocolate with olive oil separately for a silkier texture. I’ve also ramped up the flavors by adding oranges—chocolate, orange, and olive oil make a terrific trio. I love the elegance of orange supremes, but you can also opt for thin horizontal slices of a peeled orange with as much pith removed as possible.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Four 1/2-inch slices of crusty bread, toasted
  • 1 orange, peeled and cut into supremes (see Note) or thin slices
  • Coarse sea salt or Maldon sea salt flakes

Directions

Step 1

Melt the chocolate and the tablespoon of olive oil in the microwave in 30-second increments at power 4 until just about melted. Stir until smooth. Spread equal amounts on the toasts and top with orange slices, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt.

Note: To make orange supremes, peel the orange and cut off about 1/4 inch from the top and bottom—this makes it easier to see the membranes separating each orange section. Then use a paring knife to cut both sides of each section away from the membranes; place the supremes in a bowl until ready to use.

Serves 4

Basque Cheesecake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Basque cheesecake is the ultimate in creaminess. Unlike traditional cheesecake that has a crust and is baked at a low temperature, this style is crustless (perfect if you’re gluten-free) and cooks hot and somewhat faster. The parchment paper used to line the springform pan creates the cheesecake’s signature look when peeled away.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds best-quality cream cheese
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Bring the cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream to room temperature—take the cheese out of the fridge at least two hours before starting; the eggs and cream, about an hour.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9×3 springform pan with a large piece of parchment, pleating it as needed to flatten it against the sides—don’t worry about making the pleats uniform.

Step 3

In a very large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes; stop every minute or so to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the cornstarch, heavy cream, and olive oil. Make sure to scrape up the bottom of the work bowl with a flexible spatula to incorporate any lumps.

Step 4

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about an hour, until the top turns dark brown (the center will still jiggle a bit). Place on a wire rack to cool completely before transferring to the fridge to chill from 4 hours to overnight.

Step 5

When ready to serve, release the sides of the pan and gently peel the parchment away from the sides. You can serve it right on the parchment or use a cake lifter to transfer it to a platter.

Serves 10

Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Cream

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Pistachio and white chocolate are two luscious ingredients whose unique tastes enhance each other. This cake is not only delicious but can also be up made up to two days in advance. For the white chocolate, choose a brand that’s 35% cacao and in bar or disc form, not chips, which won’t melt smoothly.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 4 large eggs 
  • 1 cup cake flour 
  • 1/2 cup ground unsalted pistachios (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight and Quick Kitchen Nugget in weekly newsletter)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1 cup sugar, divided use 
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup room-temperature water 
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 

For the filling and garnish:

  • 4-1/2 ounces white chocolate
  • 1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided use
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 pints raspberries
  • 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
  • Optional: edible dried rose petals 

Directions

Step 1

Make the cake: Separate the yolks from the whites when the eggs are cold and allow them to come to room temperature. 

Step 2

Place one of your oven racks in the center of the oven; preheat to 325°F. Line a 17-by-13-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper (do not grease it). 

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, ground pistachios, and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and a 1/2 cup of the sugar at medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Mix in the olive oil, vanilla, and water. On low speed, fold in the flour mixture. If you have only one stand mixer bowl, transfer the batter to another bowl and wash the stand mixer bowl and whisk thoroughly—any fat will prevent the egg whites from whipping.

Step 4

In a separate large bowl or the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the salt, cream of tartar, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Slowly increase the speed to high and beat until you achieve a glossy meringue that holds firm peaks, 5 to 8 minutes depending on your mixer.

Step 5

Add a 1/4 of the meringue to the batter and mix thoroughly to incorporate (this will lighten it). Add the remaining meringue in 3 batches, gently folding after each addition until only a few streaks of meringue remain (err on the side of undermixing to keep the batter billowy).

Step 6

Transfer the batter to the sheet pan and smooth out with a large offset spatula; be sure to get into the corners of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheet pan in the oven for more even baking. Continue baking until the top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, 10 to 15 minutes more. 

Step 7

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and slide the cake and parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes, invert the cake onto another rack and gently peel off the parchment paper. Let the cake cool completely. 

Step 8

Make the filling: Melt the white chocolate and a 1/3 cup heavy cream in the microwave in 1-minute increments at power 4 until just about melted. Use a small spatula to stir until completely smooth; let cool to room temperature.

Step 9

Place the rest of the cream in a large bowl or the clean bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until thick, then with the mixer running on low speed, add the cooled melted white chocolate. Increase the speed and whip until peaks form. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes for easier spreading.

Step 10

While the cream is chilling, trim the edges of the cake. Sprinkle on the confectioners’ sugar and use your hands or a pastry brush to spread it out. Cut the cake into 3 sections, each about 12 inches long and just over 5 inches wide. Rinse the raspberries and pat them dry. Reserve 20 berries and lightly mash the rest in a bowl. 

Step 11

To assemble the cake, place one layer on a rectangular serving plate and spread on 1/3 of the filling, then press in half the mashed berries. Repeat with another layer of cake, another 1/3 of the cream, and the rest of the mashed berries. Top with the final cake layer and spread the rest of the cream on top. Garnish with the whole berries, chopped pistachios, and, if desired, rose petals.

Yields 8 servings

Millefoglie Two Ways

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Millefoglie, the Italian version of the French millefeuille, is extremely popular throughout the country. For chocolate lovers, I’m including a variation made with thin layers of chocolate in place of the puff pastry. Both get filled with a rich and creamy sweet cheese filling. The filling ingredients yield enough for either 8 pastry or 8 chocolate millefoglie; if you’re making both, double the quantities of the filling ingredients.

Ingredients

For the puff pastry layers:

  • All-purpose flour
  • 1 package frozen puff pastry, about 14 ounces, thawed as directed on the label

For the chocolate layers:

  • 12 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the cream filling:

  • 12 ounces mascarpone, room temperature
  • 8 ounces whole milk ricotta
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Optional garnish: fresh berries

Directions

Step 1

For the puff pastry layers: Heat the oven to 425°F. Lightly flour a 18×15 piece of parchment paper and a rolling pin. Unfold the thawed dough on the parchment. Roll out the dough to a 16×12 rectangle. Cut the dough into 24 equal rectangles, about 2×4 each. Slip a cookie sheet under the parchment. Add a little space between the rectangles and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove from the fridge and bake until the pastries puff and turn golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before assembling.

Step 2

For the chocolate layers: Draw a 16×12 rectangle on a long piece of parchment, flip it over, and place on a cookie sheet; set aside. Place the chocolate pieces and olive oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 40 percent power for 3 minutes; repeat if not fully melted, checking every minute. Stir until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate on the parchment and, using a long offset spatula, spread it out to the edges of the drawn border. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to slightly firm it, then use a very sharp chef’s knife to cut it into 24 equal rectangles, about 2×4 each.

Step 3

For the cream filling: Whip all the ingredients in a mixer or food processor until smooth and thick. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch round tip, or simply fill a quart-size freezer bag and snip off one of the corners to pipe.

Step 4

To assemble, pipe two rows of dots of cream on each of 8 pieces of chocolate or puff pastry, top each with another piece of chocolate or puff pastry, pipe again, then top with a third piece of chocolate or puff pastry. Use a small strainer to dust the tops with confectioner’s sugar. Garnish with berries
if desired.

Serves 8