|
|
|
|
|
#230 - Cooking with Cointreau Kristine Ackerman, Food Stylist and Cointreau Spokesperson, prepares a delectable chocolate cake dessert that is simply irresistible! It's a four-part recipe---each one of the recipes is good enough to stand alone---but in combination, give you a spectacular dessert for a special occasion. The chocolate and Cointreau marry deliciously and complement the oranges and cream. The cake may be made a day ahead, or several days ahead and refrigerated. Kristine also offers other quick summer drink and dessert ideas using Cointreau orange liqueur. If you would like more information about Cointreau, please visit their website at: www.cointreau.com. Chocolate Cointreau Cake with Glazed Oranges Serves 12 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup Cointreau Orange Liqueur 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into pieces 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into pieces 8 eggs Butter for the pan Cocoa powder for dusting the pan Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 9 x 2-inch cake pan. Place a round of parchment paper in the buttered pan and butter the parchment paper. Dust the interior of the pan with cocoa powder. Set the pan aside. Place the butter, sugar, and Cointreau in a saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and melt the butter, stirring as necessary to blend the mixture. Do not boil the mixture. When it is smooth add the chocolate pieces. Remove the pan from the heat and stir to melt the chocolate. Place it back over the heat if necessary to completely melt the chocolate. Depending on the size of the chocolate, this may not be necessary. When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat, and add the eggs one at a time. Stir each egg into the chocolate before adding the next. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is fairly firm in the middle. The cake will rise up and crack slightly on the top, but the center should be just set. Let the cake cool on a rack for 1 hour. Turn cake out onto a flat serving plate, remove the pan and the parchment paper. Let cake cool completely. Pour the Chocolate Cointreau Glaze (see below) over the top of the cake and spread to the sides of the cake. When the glaze is set, decorate the top with Glazed Oranges (see below). Drizzle any remaining Chocolate Cointreau Glaze over the oranges. Decorate with edible flowers and mint. Serve each slice of cake on a plate with Chocolate Whipped Cream (see below), and an additional Glazed Orange twisted into a figure eight, drizzled with orange syrup. Garnish each plate with a flower and mint leaves. Glazed Oranges Makes enough for 1 cake; 12 servings 2 large oranges (or 3 small oranges) 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups water 1/4 cup Cointreau Orange Liqueur 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 2 tablespoons Cointreau Orange Liqueur Slice the oranges as thinly as possible into round slices. Place the sugar, water, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup Cointreau in a large skillet. Set the skillet over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Gently slip the orange slices into the hot liquid and continue to cook over high heat. Baste the top orange slices with the hot syrup if they tend to float, or push down with the back of a spoon. Cook the oranges about 20 to 25 minutes or until the syrup has reduced and become thicker. The oranges will become translucent and tender. There should be about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the syrup in the pan. Using a flat, slotted spatula, remove the oranges from the heat and transfer to parchment or wax paper to cool. Try to keep the oranges flat and in one piece while cooling. Pour the remaining syrup into a bowl and add the additional 2 tablespoons of Cointreau. Set aside to cool. Use the oranges to decorate the top of the cake and to serve on the side next to the slice of cake. Chocolate Cointreau Glaze Makes enough for 1 cake; 12 servings 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons Cointreau 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into pieces 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped into pieces Place the butter, sugar, and Cointreau in a saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and melt the butter, stirring as necessary to blend the mixture. Do not boil the mixture. When it is smooth add the chocolate pieces. Remove the pan from the heat and stir to melt the chocolate. Place it back over the heat if necessary to completely melt the chocolate. Depending on the size of the chocolate, this may not be necessary. When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and set aside to cool, stirring as needed. When the chocolate has cooled enough to be a spreadable consistency, pour most of it on top of the cake. There should be a little more than a third of a cup remaining. Spread the glaze to the edges of the cake. Set aside to allow the glaze to become firm. Use the remaining glaze to flavor the whipped cream and to drizzle over the orange slices. If glaze becomes too firm at any point reheat briefly over low heat or in the microwave. Chocolate Whipped Cream Makes enough for 1 cake; 12 servings 1 cup heavy cream, whipped 1/3 cup cooled (but not cold) Chocolate Cointreau Glaze (see above) Whip the cream in a bowl with a whisk or electric beaters to soft peaks. Drizzle about 1/3 cup of the Chocolate Cointreau Glaze into the cream while still beating. Transfer whipped cream to a bowl and chill until serving time. Cointreau Ice Cream Pie Makes 6 servings 1 (8-inch) cookie crumb piecrust 1 quart vanilla ice cream 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest 1/4 cup Cointreau Orange Liqueur Fresh strawberries (garnish) Grated chocolate (garnish) Use the pie shell as it is or pre-bake it in the oven at 350° F for 7 minutes. Let the pie shell cool. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it soften at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer the ice cream to a large bowl and add the zest and Cointreau. Fold the mixture together until well combined. Pour the ice cream into the pie crust and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. When the pie is frozen, remove from the freezer, garnish with strawberries and chocolate. Picnic on the Beach Makes 4 servings 1 quart water 4 Constant Comment tea bags 1/2 cup Cointreau Orange Liqueur 1/3 cup lemonade concentrate, thawed 1/3 cup orange juice 1 teaspoon grenadine 1 bunch seedless red grapes, rinsed and frozen Slices of lime and/or lemon for garnish Fresh mint for garnish Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea bags. Let the bags steep for 10 minutes. Remove the bags and discard. Let the tea cool to room temperature. Add the Cointreau, lemonade, orange juice, and grenadine. Place in the refrigerator and chill. At serving time fill a tall glass half full of frozen grapes. Add the tea. Garnish each glass with lemon, lime, and mint. The frozen grapes act as ice, plus they are great to eat. Additional ice may be added. Cosmopolitan Makes 2 drinks 3 ounces Absolut Citron Vodka 1 1/2 ounces Cointreau Orange Liqueur Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lime Splash of cranberry juice Fresh raspberries for garnish Lemon or orange curls for garnish Chill 2 martini glasses by filling with ice. Pour the vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker. Add 5 ice cubes and shake the drink to blend and chill. Empty the ice out of the martini glasses and strain the Cosmopolitan into the 2 glasses. Garnish the drink be dropping a raspberry into the glass and placing a lemon curl on the rim. Serve immediately. Cointreau Orange Liqueur Fun Facts > Cointreau is a delicious natural orange liqueur made from a unique blend of fine ingredients - bitter and sweet orange peels, natural alcohol, white sugar, and the purest water. > Cointreau is crystal clear until blended with ice. > Cointreau is made from a 100-year old family recipe. > The family owned business has been in continuous operation since 1849 in France. > Cointreau's intense orange flavor lends itself to a variety of cuisines and dishes from beverages to appetizers to desserts. > Cointreau was used in the first margarita invented by its namesake Mrs. Margarita Sames in 1948. > Cointreau is also used in the very popular drink, Cointreau Cosmopolitan. |
|
© 2000 |