Smell two of these and call me in the morning

Art Culinaire, Spring, 2007 by Carol M. Newman

To serve: Brush chocolate fudge sauce across plate. Place one graham cracker in center and pipe chocolate fudge sauce on top. Add marshmallow square, pressing slightly to adhere. Poke twig through marshmallow. Top with another graham cracker and chopped walnuts. Carefully place quenelle of oak ice cream on top. Arrange cinnamon sticks and rosemary alongside and light tableside.

Chocolate Mousse, Hot Chocolate and Tonka Bean Chocolate

(Serves 6)

Mas Amiel

Maury

France 1990

For the tonka bean chocolate:

8 ounces 53% Valrhona chocolate
3 ounces tonka beans
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt

For the port syrup:

1 cup port
3 ounces granulated sugar

For the mint syrup:

1 bunch mint, stemmed, blanched and shocked
1/2 cup corn syrup
Pinch of salt

For the chocolate mousse:

7 ounces heavy cream
4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 ounce butter, soft
1/4 cup espresso, hot
6 eggs, separated
2 1/2 ounces granulated sugar

For the hot chocolate:

3 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pint milk
1 pint heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 tablespoon star anise
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the chocolate ganache:

8 ounces 61% bittersweet chocolate
5 ounces heavy cream
1 ounce butter

For the garnish:

Fresh strawberries
Raw cacao nibs

For the tonka bean chocolate: The shells are made from E. Guittard Chocolate from Burlingame, California. All fillings must be cool when piping into the chocolates. Simmer cream with tonka beans for 2-3 minutes and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Combine with chocolate and whisk to combine. Emulsify in robo coupe.

For the port syrup: In a pot over medium heat, combine port and sugar, bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear. Cool and transfer syrup to a squeeze bottle. Set aside.

For the mint syrup: Place mint, corn syrup and salt in blender and blend for one and a half minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer syrup to a squeeze bottle and set aside.

For the chocolate mousse: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, whip cream to medium peaks, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. Heat water over medium-low heat in bottom of double boiler. In a bowl of a double boiler, combine chocolate, butter, and espresso, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until the chocolate is warm, but not hot to the touch. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. When the chocolate is warm, fold in the yolks. Gently add about one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold in half the whites until just incorporated, then fold in the remaining whites, and finally the remaining whipped cream until completely combined. Place chocolate mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and and pipe mouse into six 2 1/2-inch by 3-inch tall ring molds. Flatten mousse with spatula and refrigerate for three hours until set.