Galettes au chocolat et aux noix

pronounced gah let / oh / shoh koh lah / ay / oh / nwa

THIS RECIPE TAKES SOME EFFORT IN TERMS OF CAREFUL ASSEMBLY BUT IS SO WELL WORTH THE PATIENCE REQUIRED!

SERVES 4 deserts.

You need two unusual items to make this recipe: parchment paper and an off-set spatula.

INGREDIENTS:

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 Tablespoons light cream
2 Tablespoons slivered hazelnuts that have been toasted and skinned.
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

PREPARATION:

Draw 12 3-inch circles on parchment paper. Turn the paper over so the ink or pencil lines are underneath and won't get on the food.

Put the unsweetened chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt on 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.

When the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the cream.

Carefully using the off-set spatula, spread the melted creamed chocolate in even, thin layers in the 12 circles you drew so that you have 12 flat circles of chocolate. Sprinkle FOUR of those circles with the 2 Tablespoons of hazelnuts that have been slivered, toasted and skinned.

Set aside to harden.

Now put the white chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and melt in 30 second intervals, stirring.

Add the ricotta cheese and sherry, stir well.

Fold in the remaining chopped hazelnuts.

Allow the mixture to cool so that it will hold its shape.

ASSEMBLY:

Carefully remove a chocolate round from parchment paper. Spread with a layer of the white chocolate mixture. Add a second chocolate round on top of white chocolate layer. Add another layer of white chocolate. Top with one of the chocolate rounds that have the slivered hazelnuts.

So each galette has 3 layers of unsweetened chocolate and 2 layers of white chocolate.

CHILL BEFORE SERVING, one galette per plate.

Merme

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"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)

I have never tried it with anything but parchment, Cricket. I know food specialty shops sell huge rolls of the stuff, but I use two sheets of ordinary parchment from my pad of 8.5 x 11 sheets I also use for calligraphy. You can get six 3-inch circles on a sheet that size, so there's no need to invest in a huge roll.

The only real trick to this recipe is keeping the chocolate loose enough for easy spreading. As it continues to cool while you work with it, it gets crumbly and won't spread. I just pop it back into the microwave for 10 seconds or so to get it pliable again as needed, because I tend to work slowly.

And this is also a recipe you shouldn't be shy to use your fingers, especially for smoothing the edges of the rounds.

But once the rounds are spread and well set -- which happens while you are making the white chocolate mixture -- they really DO lift easily off of the paper just by sliding the off-set spatula underneath them.

To keep mine fresh if they are not going to be eaten right away, I wrap them individually in plastic wrap as soon as they are constructed.

Merme

* * * *



"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)