If you dream of decadent desserts, this book will feed your weaknesses. From custards to brulees, after reading this book you will want all meals to START with desserts. And what would Valentines Day be with chocolate? Luckily, this book has options for all the chocoholics out there.Featured proudly on the cover of 101 Desserts to Eat Before You Die(t) is the chocolate brownie raspberry ice cream sandwich – a perfect Valentine’s Day treat! See below for a full recipe.
Chocolate Brownie Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwich
Ingredients (Makes 12)
8 cups fresh or thawed frozen raspberries
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
6 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Chocolate Brownies
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12/3 cups superfine sugar
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
12/3 cups finely chopped dark chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Directions:
Line a large square cake pan with baking paper, leaving a generous overhang on two opposite sides. Put raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a blender and blend to a pure?e. Reserve 1/2 cup of the puree and fold the remainder through the ice cream. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Freeze for 2 hours, or until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 x 12-inch cake pan and line with baking paper, leaving the paper hanging over the two long sides. To make the brownies, sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl. Add the sugar, nuts, and chocolate. Mix together and make a well in the center. Pour the butter into the well, add the vanilla extract and eggs, and mix well. Pour into the pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 45 minutes (the mixture will still be a bit soft in the middle).
Allow the brownies to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours. Lift out, using the paper as handles. Trim and cut into twelve 2 x 3 1/2 inch rectangles. Then, using a serrated knife, cut through the center of each brownie to form two thinner brownie slices.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer. To remove it from the pan, use the overhanging paper. Cut the ice cream into 12 rectangles, the same size as the brownies. To assemble, put 12 brownie slices on a tray, top with a rectangle of ice cream, and then another brownie slice. Smooth the sides of the ice cream to neaten, if necessary. Freeze for 10 minutes until firm. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with the reserved raspberry sauce.
by Anneka Manning (Thunder Bay ISBN 9781607102144)