LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2022

MILK CHOCOLATE RHUBARB MOUSSE Quick to put together, this make-ahead dessert is a surprisingly delicious blending of flavours. By using milk chocolate rather than dark, the mousse will have a rich chocolate flavour without overpowering the subtlety of the rhubarb. The colour of the mousse may be quite light or a darker shade depending on the brand of chocolate you use (in testing, Lindt was lighter, and President’s Choice was darker). When whipping the cream to fold into the chocolate, don’t overdo it—the cream should be barely whipped and still quite fluid. This dessert looks lovely in a clear dessert glass, and for added texture, serve it with a crisp cookie or wafer on the side. 1 batch Roasted Rhubarb (recipe on page 111) MILK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE 4 1/2 oz (125 g) milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces 1 Strain the rhubarb, reserving the syrup, then place a few pieces of rhubarb in the bottoms of six dessert glasses. Set aside. 2 Place the chopped chocolate, 4 tsp (20 mL) rhubarb syrup and water in a medium heat- proof bowl. Reserve the remaining syrup from the Roasted Rhubarb for another use. 3 Place a pot with a few inches of water in the bottom over high heat and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and place the bowl of chocolate mixture over top, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and cool until just warm to the touch. 4 In a medium bowl, whip 3/4 cup (175 mL) cream just until it starts to thicken. It should still flow when you tilt the bowl and barely hold its shape. Add all the cream to the bowl of chocolate, and quickly and carefully, fold the two together just until they’re incorpo- rated, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as you fold. The mousse should still be quite soft but will set upon refrigeration. Be careful not to overmix at this point or the mousse may develop a grainy texture. Divide the mousse among the six dessert glasses, 4 tsp (20 mL) rhubarb syrup (from Roasted Rhubarb recipe above) 4 tsp (20 mL) water 3/4 cup (175 mL) whipping cream GARNISH (OPTIONAL) About 1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream Sugar to taste

cover and chill until set, about 1 hour. The mousse can be prepared and spooned into glasses up to 1 day ahead. 5 If using the optional garnish, whip the cream to soft peaks with sugar to taste, and dollop onto the mousse. Top with a few pieces of Roasted Rhubarb and serve with a crisp cookie if you like.

1 For the dough, combine the flour, almonds and baking powder in a medium bowl, and set aside. 2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, followed by the yolk and almond extract, beating to combine. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. The dough will be very soft. 3 Divide the dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other, about 12 oz (340 g) and 10 oz (285 g) each. Wrap each portion in plas- tic wrap, flatten into round discs and refriger- ate for at least 2 hours or overnight. 4 For the pastry cream, combine the milk and butter in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. 5 Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk to- gether the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Combine the cornstarch and flour, then add to the yolk mixture. Whisk well until smooth. 6 Gradually pour the warm milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat. Continue cooking, whisking con- stantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil—it should be shiny with no lumps. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla paste or extract. Pour mixture into a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the sur- face of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate to cool com- pletely. The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days ahead. 7 To assemble the gâteau, drain the roasted rhubarb, reserving the syrup for another use. Place the rhubarb in a single layer on paper towel and pat dry. 8 Remove the larger piece of dough from the fridge, soften it slightly with your hands until it is malleable and place on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the dough and roll out into a 10 1/2-inch (26-cm) circle. Fit the dough into a 9-inch (23-cm) round fluted tart pan with removeable bottom. The dough should extend just slightly above the top edge of the tart pan. If it has any cracks, push the dough together with your fingertips. 9 Arrange the rhubarb in a single layer, cover­ ing the dough completely. Lightly stir the pastry cream with a spatula to soften it slightly, then spread it in an even layer over the rhu­ barb. Lightly brush the inner edges of the dough with egg wash.

Serves 6

WHAT TO SERVE Serve this local Framboise as an ideal accom­ paniment. The lush raspberry flavours will com­ plement the chocolate and highlight the tangy

rhubarb elements in the mousse. Southbrook Canadian Framboise VINTAGES 341024, 375 mL, $19.95

Rhubarb Gâteau Basque Is it a tart or a cake? The classic Gâteau Basque falls somewhere in between with its soft, cake-like double crust and custard filling. Adding a layer of rhubarb takes it to a whole new level, to say nothing of the pop of colour. Note that the dough will soften rather quickly when rolling so keep it refrigerated until the moment you’re going to use it. And make sure to dust your work surface with flour as well as the dough itself. 2 tbsp (30 mL) ground almonds 3/4 tsp (4 mL) baking powder 1/2 cup (125 mL) plus 2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup (125 mL) plus 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar 1 egg plus 1 yolk, at room temperature 3/4 tsp (4 mL) almond extract PASTRY CREAM 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) milk 2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter 4 egg yolks 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar 2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch 4 tsp (20 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla bean paste or 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract 1 batch Roasted Rhubarb (recipe on page 111) 1 egg beaten with 2 tsp (10 mL) water, then strained, for egg wash Icing sugar for dusting (optional) DOUGH 1 3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour

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SPRING 2022 FOOD & DRINK