CHOCOLATE–GRAND MARNIER SAUCE WITH ANCHO CHILE
RASPBERRY–CABERNET SAUVIGNON SAUCE
ROASTED BANANA ICE CREAM WITH CARAMEL SAUCE8
CHOCOLATE CHIP–COCONUT COOKIES
MEXICAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH CAYENNE AND CINNAMON
CHOCOLATE FUDGE TART WITH HINTS OF CHILE
FALLEN KAHLÚA CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY COULIS
MAKES 2 CUPS
Valrhona cocoa powder is densely black and intensely flavored. A few tablespoons of Valrhona cocoa powder added to any chocolate dessert makes a dramatic flavor improvement. Look for its pitch black box at gourmet shops, fancy markets, or order it from www.valrhona.com. This is delicious served over ice cream.
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
¾ cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
¼ cup Valrhona cocoa powder
¼ cup Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional)
Chop the chocolate into very fine pieces. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl. Add the cream, butter pieces, cocoa powder, Grand Marnier, vanilla, and chile powder, if using. Bring 4 inches of water to a rapid boil in a saucepan slightly smaller than the heatproof bowl. Decrease the heat to the lowest setting. Place the bowl over the saucepan so it fits securely but doesn’t touch the water. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until all the chocolate melts and the sauce is evenly mixed. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month. To serve, warm the sauce in the microwave oven on high, stirring the sauce every 20 seconds, until melted.
There is a rich tradition of papier-mâché masks, dolls, and decorations for fiestas.
MAKES 3 CUPS
Coulis refers to a category of thick pureed sauces, sweet or savory. Even a puree of shellfish soup can be called a coulis. The strawberries must be ripe for this recipe, meaning bright red throughout the berry. Don’t use any strawberries having a white center. When fresh strawberries are not in season, substitute one 12-ounce bag frozen strawberries with no sugar added. Use the coulis as a sauce on ice cream, cakes, brownies, and to dip cookies into!
1 pint fresh strawberries or any other berry
½ cup dry red wine
¼ cup sugar
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and liquefy. Transfer to a small airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Pictured clockwise from top: Raspberry-Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce, Caramel Butter Sauce, and Chocolate Caramel Sauce.
MAKES 3 CUPS
This is an intensely flavored and brilliantly colored sauce. It calls for an entire bottle of red wine. We always buy one from the province of “cheap.” Be sure to use only a medium-mesh sieve, not a fine-mesh one, to strain the sauce so that everything except the raspberry seeds goes through the sieve. We’ve also made this using frozen mixed berries in place of the frozen raspberries. The sauce is great on pancakes or waffles, added to a vinaigrette dressing, or brushed on pork tenderloin or butterflied leg of lamb just before taking them off the grill. It also tastes great as a topping for virtually any dessert.
1 (750-milliliter) bottle inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel
12 ounces frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all of the ingredients in a nonreactive 12-inch sauté pan (it doesn’t matter if the raspberries are still frozen). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil for about 15 minutes until reduced to 3½ cups. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour into a blender and liquefy. Pour through a medium-mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Transfer the sauce to a small airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
MAKES 2½ CUPS
This combines two of our favorite dessert sauces. The result is an intense chocolate sauce with the deep underlying flavor of caramel.
1½ cups Caramel Butter Sauce (recipe follows)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Reheat the caramel sauce if necessary. Chop the chocolate into very fine pieces. Stir into the hot caramel sauce until all the chocolate melts. Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. To serve, warm the sauce in the microwave on High, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted.
MAKES 1½ CUPS
This quick-to-make sauce is somewhat technically difficult because it has to be cooked for just the right amount of time. If cooked for too long, the caramel will taste burned, and if not cooked enough, it will have a gritty sugar-crystal texture. Practice making this a few times in advance of serving it to guests. Then, you’ll have plenty of caramel sauce to pour over ice cream, night after night.
1 cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Place the sugar in a small, heavy stainless-steel saucepan. Place over medium-high heat. When the sugar turns dark brown around the sides of the saucepan, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or whisk. Cook until the sugar turns a very dark brown and just begins to smoke. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Using a long-handled whisk, slowly stir in the cream, adding it in a continuous stream. The caramel will bubble furiously, so be careful. Stir in the butter. Let cool slightly, then pour into a jar and refrigerate for up to 3 months. To serve, warm the sauce in the microwave on High, stirring the sauce every 20 seconds, until melted.
SERVES 6 TO 10, OR ABOUT 3 PINTS
Roasting bananas heightens their flavor and forms the perfect match with generous servings of homemade caramel sauce. The ice cream is also delicious served with chocolate sauce.
4 ripe bananas, peeled
½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
¼ teaspoon salt
Caramel Sauce, warmed, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the bananas into ½-inch slices. In a 2-quart baking dish, toss the bananas with the brown sugar and butter. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once. The bananas should be brown. Let cool before proceeding.
Transfer the bananas to a blender. Add the cream, lemon juice, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Blend to liquefy, but don’t let the blender run for more than 10 seconds or it will start to turn the cream to butter. Transfer to an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Press plastic wrap directly across the surface of the ice cream. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Serve with plenty of warm caramel sauce.
These mohigangas, or large papier-mâché figures, dance to a mariachi band at a birthday party.
SERVES 6 TO 10, OR ABOUT 2 QUARTS
This rich coconut ice cream is a very refreshing dessert, especially after enjoying spicy Mexican food. Unlike egg-based ice cream, which within a few weeks crystallizes and acquires a stale taste, this ice cream, if properly sealed in a container with plastic wrap pressed across the surface, maintains its perfect flavor for months in the freezer. Serve with any one of the various dessert sauces in this chapter.
3 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
1½ cups heavy cream
1½ cups sugar
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Fresh strawberries or a combination of mixed fresh berries, for serving
Combine the coconut milk, cream, and sugar in a bowl. Transfer to an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Press plastic wrap directly across the surface. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Toast the shredded coconut over low heat until golden, 5 minutes. Cool, transfer to a resealable plastic bag, and freeze for up to 4 months. Serve with one of the sauces from this chapter, a sprinkling of toasted coconut, and garnish with the berries.
Pictured clockwise from upper left: Horchata, Hibuscus Tea, and Chocolate Chip–Coconut Cookies.
MAKES 15 TO 20 COOKIES
There can never be too many chocolate chips in the recipe—or in your hand. When buying them, make sure the bag says “pure” or “real” chocolate chips. A better taste choice and a bit more work is to substitute a good-quality bittersweet chocolate bar such as Valrhona, and to “chip” it into little fragments.
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
10 ounces white or dark chocolate chips
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Toast the coconut in a dry skillet over low heat until golden, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
In a food processor, combine the butter and sugars. Pulse the machine until the butter and sugars form a ball. Add the egg, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pulse the food processor a few more times in order to evenly mix everything. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the toasted coconut and chocolate chips, then stir again. Add the flour in batches, one-third at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. The recipe can be completed up to this point and the batter refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 3 months.
Scoop out the cookie dough 2 tablespoons at a time, and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool on a rack. The cookies will keep for 3 days at room temperature.
Pictured clockwise from upper left: Horchata, Hibuscus Tea, and Chocolate Chip–Coconut Cookies.
MAKES 12 BROWNIES
This brownie recipe is given a Mexican slant by adding vanilla bean paste, cayenne pepper, and ground cinnamon. The flavor of each of these ingredients perfectly complements the chocolate. The raisins soaked in Jack Daniel’s were an addition made by my cooking school assistant, Audreen Maestri, in the early years of the school. It’s not authentic Mexican, but the flavor of the Jack Daniel’s and the texture of the raisins is the cause for hiding extra brownies for a secret tasting later in the day.
1 cup dark raisins
½ cup Jack Daniel’s
¾ cup unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup toasted walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
Vanilla bean ice cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round baking pan or a square glass baking dish. Place the raisins in a small bowl and add the Jack Daniel’s. Let soak for 2 hours.
Cut the butter and chocolate into small pieces. Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl that fits securely over a saucepan with a couple of inches of water. The bowl should not be touching the water. Simmer over low heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Beat the eggs vigorously with a whisk in a large bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate and then the sugars. Stir in the vanilla, cayenne, and cinnamon. Add the raisins and Jack Daniel’s to the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour and nuts. Mix evenly.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until just set, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan. Turn out of the pan and cut into wedges or squares. The brownies will keep refrigerated for 3 days in an airtight container. Serve at room temperature with ice cream.
SERVES 8 TO 12
This recipe takes a European chocolate tart and transforms it by adding favorite Mexican seasonings of orange, cinnamon, and ancho or chipotle chile powder. We like to make it a day in advance and then cut and place it on dessert plates just before guests arrive. With the plates hidden away, for example in the laundry room, it’s a simple matter to exchange empty dinner plates for this beautiful chocolate tart, garnished at the last minute with fresh berries and vanilla bean ice cream. Be aware that this tart uses raw eggs.
7 ounces gingersnaps, graham crackers, or plain biscotti
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
½ teaspoon ancho or chipotle chile powder
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
Vanilla bean ice cream, for serving
Fresh berries of your choice, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a food processor, powder the gingersnaps. Melt the butter. Pour half the butter down the feeder tube with the machine running. Add only enough butter so that the mixture feels crumbly but slightly damp. If the mixture feels dry, then add a little more of the melted butter. Press the gingersnaps across the bottom of a 9- to 10-inch tart pan or springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool on a rack.
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and add the cream, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, and chile powder. Place the bowl inside a saucepan filled with a few inches of boiling water. The bowl should fit securely in the pan but not be touching the water. Simmer over low heat, stirring, until melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using a whisk, beat the egg with the egg yolks for 30 seconds, then using the whisk stir this into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the tart pan. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. The tart can be made 24 hours ahead and refrigerated.
To serve, cut the tart into wedges and transfer to serving plates. The wedges can be left at room temperature for 2 hours, or the plates refrigerated. Accompany with scoops of ice cream and fresh berries.
MAKES TWELVE 4-OUNCE RAMEKINS
This wonderful flan is based on a recipe that San Miguel pastry chef Paco Cardenas taught our cooking class. You can make the flan 24 hours in advance, and then unmold it before dinner guests arrive. Serve it chilled, by itself or with fresh berries.
1½ cups sugar
6 ounces cream cheese, cut into 6 pieces, at room temperature
2 cups whole milk
1 cup condensed milk
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
¼ teaspoon salt
Fresh berries and/or raspberries or strawberries (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir the sugar. Heat until the sugar turns a caramel color around the edges of the saucepan. Then stir the sugar. Continue stirring until all the sugar melts and turns a caramel color without any grainy texture. Pour the sauce into the bottoms of twelve 4-ounce ramekins. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
In a blender, place the cream cheese, milk, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Puree until liquefied. Pour into the ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a roasting pan, and carefully add hot tap water to a depth of 1 inch. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven, and bake the flans for 40 to 45 minutes. They are done when you gently shake a ramekin and the custard does not wobble. Remove the pan from the oven. When cool enough to handle, remove the ramekins from the water bath. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
To serve, run a paring knife around the inside of each ramekin to help loosen the flan. Pour 1 inch of water into a 12-inch frying pan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Dip each ramekin into the water for 15 seconds to loosen the flan. Then invert onto a serving plate. This can be done 24 hours in advance of serving, with the flans kept refrigerated. Just before serving, add fresh berries outside of each ramekin.
MAKES 2 QUARTS
This is a refreshing ice cream—a perfect conclusion following a complex-tasting Mexican meal. You’ll find ginger liqueur at higher-end and larger liquor stores. The most common brand is Domaine de Canton. The ice cream may take a little longer to freeze with the addition of the liqueur, so be patient. Even without the liqueur, the ice cream has a very nice ginger flavor.
1 (6-inch) piece fresh ginger
2 cups whole milk
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup ginger liqueur (optional)
1½ cups sugar
Peel the ginger and cut it crosswise into paper-thin slices. Transfer the slices to a food processor or mini chopper and mince. You will need 1 cup of minced ginger. Place the ginger and milk in a blender. Blend until liquefied.
Transfer to a large saucepan and add 2 cups of the cream. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Immediately remove from the heat and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then strain the ginger cream through a medium-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard the solids.
Add the remaining 2 cups cream, liqueur, if using, and sugar to the bowl. Stir to evenly combine. Process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer- safe container. Press plastic wrap directly across the surface. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Around Easter, traditional handicrafts are used for decorations, such as these sugar-sculpture chickens and delicate candles.
SERVES 12
This recipe has three of our favorite ingredients: Kahlúa, Valrhona cocoa powder, and vanilla bean paste. Kahlúa is a rum and coffee liqueur from the high mountains of Veracruz. It is a blend of pure sugarcane and rum with enticing flavor notes of vanilla and caramel. Valrhona cocoa powder is black and intensely chocolaty. If you can’t find this, it can be ordered at www.valrhona.com. Vanilla bean paste is a thick syrup filled with specks of vanilla bean. It’s more complex-tasting than vanilla extract. For recipes using vanilla extract, substitute the same amount of vanilla bean paste.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup Valrhona or Guittard cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup Kahlúa
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Cut the butter into 8 pieces. In a food processor or an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk, place the butter and sugar. Process or mix until the butter has absorbed all of the sugar and has become soft and fluffy (the butter- sugar mixture will have formed into a ball).
With the food processor or mixer running, add the eggs one at a time. When evenly combined, add the cocoa powder and combine. Add the vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, chile powder, and salt. Process or mix until very smooth. With the machine running, add the Kahlúa. When evenly combined, transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Add the flour, and stir the chocolate batter with a whisk until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet, and bake until the cake no longer moves when you jiggle the baking pan, about 30 minutes. Do not overcook or the center will not “fall”! Let cool on a rack. The cake can be prepared up to this point 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. When cool, the Kahlúa cake should have “fallen” in the center.
To serve, before dinner bring to room temperature. Slice the cake and place on serving plates. When ready to serve, surround each slice with the strawberry coulis and halved strawberries.
Clockwise from top left: A balloon vendor in the town center. Easter candles emphasize the spring season. A flute player participates in a neighborhood festival. A local fountain decorated by a group of neighbors before Easter.
MAKES 16 TRUFFLES
Now a different type of feast draws to a close. The recipe for Gravlox Infused with Chiles, Cilantro, and Tequila opened the appetizer chapter and welcomed you to our love of Mexican flavors and entertaining, and these delicious chocolate truffles serve as our fond farewell. Gather around the table to celebrate the triumph of Mexican food, both traditional and contemporary. Then gather again. Let’s celebrate.
The combination of vanilla, grated orange zest, and ancho chile powder gives these chocolate truffles a Mexican taste. Serve them as the main dessert with fresh berries, or as a chocolate accent to a non-chocolate dessert such as flan. They are also delicious with vanilla bean ice cream or Coconut Ice Cream. For maximum flavor impact, make these with a great bittersweet chocolate, such as Scharffen Berger, Valrhona, Dagoba, or Green & Black’s.
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 cup pecans or hazelnuts
Cut the chocolate into very fine slices or shards. In a small heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate, cream, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and ancho chile powder. Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water so that it fits snugly. The bowl should not touch the simmering water. Turn off the heat. With a whisk, stir the chocolate mixture until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is combined. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly across a dinner plate. Place in the refrigerator until the mixture becomes very firm, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet until they darken slightly, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. If using hazelnuts, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove the brown skins. Place the nuts in a food processor and finely chop.
When the chocolate mixture becomes firm, use a dessert spoon to separate the chocolate into 12 to 16 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece between your palms into a ball. Then roll the chocolate balls in the chopped nuts. Place on a clean plate and refrigerate. The truffles can be stored for 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Be sure to bring to room temperature before serving.
