I snagged this off Chowhound.com today.
Hopefully I'll be able to make it this weekend.
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Black Forest Strata
desserts
----For the cookies----
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate; coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder; unsweetened
1 cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter(1 1/2 sticks); room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Crème anglaise
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
9 large egg yolks
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate; coarsely chopped
-Garnish_
1 pound dried cherries
1 cup _Lindemans Kriek; Lambic *
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate; coarsely chopped
For the cookies...
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, in a
small saucepan over low heat; set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, espresso
powder, and cocoa powder in a medium mixing bowl to aerate the mixture
and break up any lumps.
3. Cream the sugar and butter by beating well until the mixture is
light. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the eggs, one at a time,
and mix to combine. Stir in the melted chocolate.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until well
incorporated. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a cookie
sheet and bake in the heated oven until cookies are puffed and set,
about 10 minutes. Set the cookies on a cooling rack and let cool to
room temperature. (Makes 36 cookies.)
For the chocolate crème anglaise:
1. Combine the cream and half the sugar (1/4 cup) in a medium saucepan
over medium heat. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from the
heat.
2. Whisk together the remaining sugar (1/4 cup) and the egg yolks
until well incorporated, then whisk in half of the hot cream. Pour the
cream and egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over low heat.
Stirring constantly, cook the mixture until it is viscous and coats
the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Melt the chocolate over low heat and whisk into the crème anglaise.
Cool and refrigerate.
For the garnish:
Combine the cherries and lambic in a medium bowl, and set aside until
the cherries rehydrate, about 15 minutes.
2. Drain the cherries and reserve the lambic. Whisk the lambic and
cream together, and beat to form medium peaks; refrigerate until ready
to use.
Assembly:
1. For each serving, break up three cookies and set aside. In a 4- to
5-inch tall glass (with a 2 1/2 to 3 inch diameter) layer one-third of
the cookie pieces, a rounded tablespoon of the whipped cream, 1
tablespoon of the crème anglaise, a few soaked cherries, and a bit of
the chopped chocolate. Repeat twice to make three complete layers.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Game Plan: Everything can be prepared up to one day ahead, and the
dessert can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead.
* What to buy: Belgian lambics are becoming more popular and therefore
more commonplace. Lindemans Kriek Lambic is the most widely available
kriek lambic, and it can be found at most gourmet stores and liquor
stores.
Note:
After assembling your desserts, you'll have some leftover chocolate
cookies. We're sure you'll figure out something to do with them!
Beverage pairing: Lindemans Kriek Lambic or Old Rasputin Imperial
Stout.
With sinfully rich chocolate desserts, nothing refreshes the palate
more than a glass of cool and sweet red bubbly! For this reason we
love the Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d'Acqui. Serve chilled in a
champagne flute,and watch that strata disappear!
Contributor: Chowhound
** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.77 **
Koko
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Blog in progress
http://kokoscorner.blogspot.com
updated 4/14 Irish Pub page.
"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw