Chocolate-Chestnut Pavé with Raspberry Coulis
Chestnut purée (also called crème de marrons) is a delicacy from the chestnut-growing regions of France, Spain and Italy. It is available in two forms: one plain, the other sweetened and flavored with vanilla. Its delicately sweet and nutty flavor pairs beautifully with chocolate and dark rum.
Pavé is a French word for a cold dish made in a square or rectangular mould. This one is a decadently rich combination of chocolate and chestnuts, with a tart raspberry coulis as a foil. In addition to being addictively tasty, it’s a favorite dessert because it’s so darn simple to make: literally 10 minutes from start to finish, and with minimal cleanup. You do need to plan for this dessert: it needs to chill for at least 4 hours, but it can be made a day or two ahead, making it an ideal ‘company’ dessert.
— 10-12 servings
*Items marked in green are available from The Gourmet Corner.
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) can chestnut purée
- 9 oz Cacao Noel Noir 72% chocolate calets*
- 4 Tbs (2 oz) Échiré unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 10 oz frozen unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed
- 1 cup crème fraîche
*This recipe works best with a high-percentage chocolate (65% or more). Sweeter chocolates will make the final dessert too sweet.
Pavé
Line a small (3-4 cup) loaf pan with plastic wrap. If a small loaf pan isn’t available, use a small bowl. The shape isn’t as as important as the size of the container — the pavé should end up being 2-2.5 inches deep. If it’s too shallow in the mold, the serving slices end up looking squat, rather than tall and elegant.
Microwave the chocolate calets and butter together in a large, microwave-safe bowl on low power until they are melted. Stir until smoothly blended.
Add the chestnut puree and rum to the chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly, then pour into the prepared loaf pan or bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to a couple of days).
Raspberry Coulis
Place a fine-mesh stainless-steel sieve over a small bowl. Use the back of a spoon to push the raspberries through the sieve, working the pulp until just the seeds are left in the sieve. If desired, sweeten slightly with a little sugar — but keep it on the tart side, to offset the sweet richness of the pavé.
Place the coulis in a covered container and refrigerate until needed, up to 2 days.
Plating
At serving time, unmold the pavé onto a serving platter, and cut it into 1/2-inch slices.
Drizzle 2 Tbs of the raspberry coulis onto each dessert plate, then top with a slice of the pavé. Spoon a dollop of crème fraîche at the side of each slice and serve, passing the remaining raspberry coulis at table.
Tags: chestnuts, chocolate, raspberries