Chocolates, Breads and The Modern Cafe

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 4, 2010

The Culinary Institute of America has three new publications. The two from CIA’s “at Home” series, Chocolates and Confections at Home and Artisan Breads at Home, are for home cooks who want to master the arts of chocolates, confections and delicious breads.

Chocolates and Confections at Home
by Peter P. Greweling
(Wiley, 2010)
$34.95

Artisan Breads at Home
by Eric W. Kastel
(Wiley, 2010)
$34.95

The third book takes it one step further. The Modern Café is a comprehensive reference for aspiring restaurateurs, packed with recipes and guidance on all aspects of running a café, including finances, human resources, food production, menu development and décor. Written by Francisco Migoya, the former executive pastry chef at The French Laundry, Bouchon Bistro and Bouchon Bakery, he also runs CIA’s own café, Apple Pie Bakery Café.

The Modern Café
by Francisco J. Migoya
(Wiley, 2010)
$60

All three cookbooks are packed with inspiring recipes and detailed instructions that will take readers to the next level of culinary expertise.

The following marshamels recipe is from Chocolates and Confections at Home. Each recipe notes the required skill level, and this one is a three — the highest. You can build up to it from the other recipes or try to dive right in!

MARSHAMELS

Makes 26 Bars
Two venerable classics in one bar—marshmallow and caramel—make this bar a chewy delight. Add toasted nuts to the caramel layer if you want additional texture.

Caramel
4 oz (1/2 cup) Water
1 lb (2 cups) Sugar
1 Vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened condensed milk
12 oz (1 cup) Light corn syrup
6 oz (12 tbsp; 1 1/2 sticks) Butter, unsalted, soft
1 tsp Salt

Marshmallow
¾ oz (3 tbsp; 3 envelopes) Gelatin
4 oz (1/2 cup) Cold water
12 oz (1 1/2 cups) Sugar
8 oz (3/4 cup) Light corn syrup
2 oz (1⁄3 cup) Honey
4 oz (1/2 cup) Water
1 tbsp Vanilla extract

Enrobing
2 lb (3 cups) Dark chocolate, melted, tempered

1. Lightly brush a 9 × 13–inch baking pan with oil and line with plastic wrap. Oil the inside of the wrap as well.
2. Combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean, condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter for the caramel in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
3. Continue stirring while cooking until the batch reaches 245°F. This is a good estimation of the required temperature. When the thermometer reads 240°F, begin testing the caramels using the spoon technique. The cooled piece on the spoon should be firm but not hard when the caramel is properly cooked.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt. Pour into the prepared baking pan and carefully remove the vanilla bean using tongs. Set aside to cool while you make the marshmallow.
5. To make the marshmallow, stir the gelatin into the cold water in a small stainless-steel bowl. Set aside.
6. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey, and water in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook to 250°F using the Standard Sugar Cooking Technique. Remove from the heat.
7. Pour the hot syrup into the bowl of a 5-quart mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Allow to cool undisturbed until a thermometer reads 210°F, about 15 minutes.
8. While the syrup is cooling, melt the gelatin over a hot water bath.
9. When the syrup reaches 210°F, add the melted gelatin and put the bowl on the mixer.
10. Whip on high speed until very light, about 6 minutes. Whip in the vanilla extract.
11. Remove the marshmallow from the bowl using an oiled rubber spatula and place on top of the caramel. Spread in an even layer with an oiled offset palette knife.
12. Allow to cool completely to room temperature, at least 2 hours.
13. Remove the entire slab from the pan by inverting and pulling the plastic out of the pan. Peel the plastic off the caramel.
14. Spread a thin layer of the chocolate for enrobing on the caramel. Allow the chocolate to set. Tempered chocolate should set within 8 minutes.
15. Invert the slab so that the coated caramel is on the bottom. Trim all edges of the slab and cut the slab down the middle lengthwise. Cut each half slab into 1-inch bars, yielding bars 1 × 4 1/2 inches.
16. Place the bars caramel side down on a screen. Pour the tempered dark chocolate over each piece to enrobe.
17. Remove from the screen before the chocolate sets. Place on a piece of parchment paper to set.
18. Garnish with fork marks, then allow the chocolate to set completely.

Keys to Success

• If the slab is very soft when cutting, chill slightly to improve ease of cutting.
• Use an oiled chef’s knife for cutting.
• Be sure to remove the bars from the screen before the chocolate sets or they will be hopelessly stuck to the screen!