This recipe was presented in the “Taste of Tantalizing Tunisia and Mystical Morocco” event with our Celebrity Chefs Adarsh and Gautami Parekh. Our Foodies had a hand in making these delectable parcels of chocolate gooeyness wrapped in flaky puff pastry and had a lot of fun making them. Served on a plate with a big spoonful of the vanilla custard with the warm croustillant perched on top, there were many people coming back for second servings!
Ingredients
For the custard
500 ml milk
1 vanilla pod
6 egg yolks
90 gm caster sugar
For the croustillants
150 gm butter
150 gm brown sugar
400 gm figs, chopped
150 gm dark chocolate
250 gm almonds, toasted and chopped
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
12 thinly rolled puff pastry or filo pastry sheets, cut into 4 inch squares
1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting
Preparation
•Make the custard: bring the milk to boil with the vanilla pod; meanwhile beat the egg yolks with the sugar for 2 – 3 minutes until pale and thick. When the milk boils, pour it slowly over the egg-sugar mix while stirring continuously; transfer the mixture back to the pan and whisk well over a gentle heat (preferably over a water bath) until the sauce begins to thicken (be careful at this stage to prevent curdling). Remove from heat. Remove vanilla pod and slit it down the middle lengthwise and scrape the seeds with a knife into the custard. Mix well. Leave to cool – and then refrigerate to chill
•Pre-heat the oven to 320 ̊F / 170 ̊C
•Melt 100 gm butter in a pan. Add the sugar and stir until it starts to caramelise. Be careful not to burn the sugar. When the caramel is golden, add the figs, almond and cinnamon. Mix well and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Set aside to cool
•Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a water bath. Add to the fig mixture and combine. Set aside
•Brush each sheet of pastry with melted butter. Put a tablespoon of filling in the centre of each sheet. Pull up opposite angles to make a triangle. Pleat the pastry from one end to the other in the shape of a purse. Skewer with a cocktail stick or a toothpick.
•Arrange on a greased baking sheet. Bake in the oven until crisp and golden.
Croustillants of chocolate and figs, with vanilla custard
Wednesday, February 16, 2011