Petit four Chocolate butter caramels by Alexandra Motz
Alexandra Motz, the Executive Pastry Chef at restaurant Spoon and Stable, located in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis, argues that a plated dessert can be just as appealing as a wedding cake or a chocolate masterpiece. Plating is an art, since “every person eats with their eyes first, and then with their taste buds. The visual WOW of a beautiful presentation will give the consumer the initial impression, but the taste will keep them coming back.”
Although she designs her desserts based on seasonality, she does not forget about chocolate. “Many people are chocolate and caramel lovers, I also try to cater to these guests. I’ve provided a mix of both worlds” with proposals like this petit four Chocolate butter caramels with sourdough shortbread, and garnished with tempered milk chocolate and Maldon Sea Salt.
Chocolate butter caramels
Chocolate butter caramel
Yield: 32ea 1.5cmx1cm mold
- 160 g heavy cream
- 250 g butter
- 350 g granulated sugar
- 100 g water
- 70 g heavy cream
- 75 g Valrhona cocoa mass
- 5 g salt
In a saucepan combine the first cream and butter. Melt together. Meanwhile, bring sugar, salt, and water to a dark amber color on the stove. Pour melted butter and warm cream into the caramel mixture while stirring with a spatula to combine. Cook caramels to 256 degrees Fahrenheit. Take off heat immediately and pour over cocoa mass in a tall metal bain marie. With an immersion blender, blend caramel mixture with cocoa paste. It will look a bit separated. Add 2nd cold cream once you see a vortex made with the immersion blender. The caramels will become homogeneous. Pipe into desired molds using a piping bag and a heat safe glove. Store in the freezer until set, and pop out of molds.
Sourdough shortbreads
Yield: 3 – ½ sheets of sheeted dough
- 400 g butter
- 200 g powdered sugar
- 500 g AP Flour
- 100 g sourdough flour
- 40 g egg yolks
- 40 g sourdough starter
- 8 g salt
Process the sourdough breadcrumbs a day ahead of time by taking day old sourdough bread, drying out in the oven and blending/sifting to create a flour. In a mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until creamy and fluffy. Add yolks and starter together, and pour into the creaming butter / powdered sugar mixture. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to avoid any lumps. Combine all dry sifted ingredients together, and add to the mixing ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more, and mix until homogeneous. Portion shortbread into 415g balls in between two pieces of parchment. Sheet dough between two pieces of parchment down to #3. This should make 3 – ½ sheet trays worth of sheeted dough. Freeze dough before cutting. Cut dough to desired length and shape depending on the mold used for the chocolate butter caramels. Bake at 325 degrees, low fan until golden just around the edges.
Montage
Garnish Chocolate Butter Caramels with tempered milk chocolate and Maldon Sea Salt.
