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Friday, March 21, 2008
Ever tried making something from a cookbook that looks really cool and really simple but just doesn’t turn out right? Or, as happened to S and me just a few days ago, right-side up? A great friend of ours had recently given us a copy of Modern Spanish Cooking by Sam & Eddie Hart. She and her husband had eaten at the Harts’ Fino restaurant in London and loved their meal. Knowing that we didn’t yet have a copy of their book and that the yummy dishes in it would inspire us to get back in the kitchen (a place, sadly, that because of work we’ve been spending less and less time in recently), she kindly carried one back home for us. It really is an inspiring text. S and I literally drooled over the pages as we flipped through them together. (The fact that we are soon making our very first trip to Spain has also re-ignited an interest in and passion for Spanish cuisine.) David Loftus’ pictures are also quite nice, enhancing the saliva-factor of the book tremendously. Stand-out dishes that we can’t wait to try include jamon croquetas, potato and chrorizo chips, arroz negra, white beans and clams, chicken with red peppers, roast suckling pig, crisp pork belly, ensaladilla russa, pedro ximenez ice cream, and churros and chocolate.
The recipe looked easy enough (we’re reprinting it below). We made the white chocolate soup first and let it chill in our fridge for several hours. Then S made the dark chocolate cream. Following the instructions in the book, we poured the white chocolate soup into a couple of shot glasses. Then we carefully scooped up some of the dark chocolate cream and ever so gently placed some on top of one of the shot glasses. Only to watch it disappear into the white chocolate soup and plop onto the bottom of the glass. We tried it again with the same results. Each time, the dark chocolate plonked to the bottom of the glass. The chocolate cream was simply denser and heavier than the white chocolate soup. Unless we added some gelatin or other thickener to the soup — or conversely, thinned out the dark chocolate cream — there was no way we were ever going to create the shots pictured in the book. The components, though, tasted fantastic. So, instead of wasting them, S decided to just do the logical thing and invert the shots. She spooned some of the dark chocolate on the bottom of each shot glass, over which we poured the white chocolate soup. We then happily devoured these. We’re thinking of making these shots again soon. There are basically two scenarios. Either the recipe doesn’t work quite right or somehow while making these, S and I screwed up. Either way, we want to know what happened. Of course, if some of you want to give this recipe a try, please do. And please tell us if it works for you. Update 26/3/2008: W, over at Whine & Dine has managed to pull off these shots properly. To see how they should look, click over here. Shots of white and dark chocolate Serves 4 for the white chocolate soup for the dark chocolate For the white chocolate soup, break up the chocolate and melt in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of hot water on a very low heat. Take the bowl off the pan. Pour the cream and milk into a bowl. Slowly add the warm melted chocolate, stirring well until smooth, and set aside to cool. Refrigerate the white chocolate soup for 3 hours and then skim off the impurities from the surface. For the dark chocolate layer, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Add the cocoa powder and mix well until smooth. Pour the double cream into a large bowl and whisk until it just starts to thicken, then slowly pour in the melted chocolate, stirring well. Finally, stir in the milk to achieve a lighter consistency. To assemble, pour the chilled white chocolate soup into 4 shot glasses, to 2-3cm from the top. Carefully spoon the dark chocolate on top of the white soup and serve, with straws.        Posted by Chubby Hubby 
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The one dish that we thought looked super-yummy and strikingly simple to make was the Harts’ shots of white and dark chocolate. From the picture, which I have scanned and placed to the right, these shots are compositions of chilled white chocolate soup over which warm whipped dark chocolate cream is spooned. Using a straw, you then slurp the whole thing up in one lusciously rich and chocolately mouthful.
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Upside down or right-side up, they both look delicious. Definitely not a failure, just a variation.
Posted by: Kitt | 21 March 2008 @ 12:30 am
The first thing I have to say is that sounds wickedly good. I really, really, really want to make it. And will when I remove 5kg from my rear end.
In the meantime I can only surmise as to why yours turned upside down. I remember an old trick from making layered cocktails back in my misspent youth. Once the bottom layer is poured, take a teaspoon, turn it upside down and angle it into the glass with the point of it just touching the bottom layer. Then, gently spoon or pour the next layer over the upturned back of the spoon. This always kept the layers separate that would combine if it was poured any other way. Hard process to describe but hopefully you get my drift.
Posted by: dani | 21 March 2008 @ 4:35 am
That looks delicious. Did you try pouring the top layer over the back of a spoon layered cocktail style?
Posted by: dani | 21 March 2008 @ 4:39 am
I have yet to try this recipe, but from the pic posted, it almost looks foamed. Maybe blitzing it with more air? Not sure how this will affect the dark choc and cream though, but possibly only make it more mousse-y…
Posted by: Zamina | 21 March 2008 @ 8:23 am
Spain is an exciting place to eat through! bouqueria is amazing (although be careful of tourist traps). In Barcelona, you should visit El Rovell in the Born district (I believe they have a website) for a trendy take on traditional spanish fares. And ah the best chocolate (Maestro Churrero in Madrid, Xocolateria in Barcelona), tapas and other places (Malaspina in Madrid). YUM. Enjoy!
Posted by: R | 21 March 2008 @ 10:18 am
Has it got anything to do with the dimensions of the cup? A smallish cup that is even in size from top to bottom might help prevent the white chocolate from rising up and enveloping the dark chocolate cream.
Posted by: Jun | 22 March 2008 @ 10:05 am
It looks great i tried it out and ran choc syrup inside the glass and layed it like you did and named it Ebony and Ivory
Super Recipe
Posted by: caroline | 22 March 2008 @ 7:53 pm
Don’t you just love eating the “mistakes”!
Posted by: Eat Me Outta Here | 23 March 2008 @ 3:06 am
Dont you have a simpler recipe!!?? It looks like just the drink I would serve after a dinner, sadly the extent of my kitchen know how revolves around 7 dishes and opening wine.
Posted by: The Jolly Jetsetter | 23 March 2008 @ 7:23 pm
could it be that the dark chocolate uses double creme and white single creme and double is denser than single?
Posted by: Jono | 23 March 2008 @ 10:03 pm
sorry this is totally unrelated to the above article but i didnt know how else to post. i had what i would say was the best western meal at infuzi at the biopolis last week. for a discerning diner like me from melbourne, this is saying something. not that i’ve been to all of the great restaurants in singapore but this was divine. the dessert however was average but the mains were stunning. i’d never heard anything of this place so i encourage all to go and check it out for themselves. including the chubby one of course…
Posted by: zac | 24 March 2008 @ 10:26 am
hi! can someone please clarify something for me? double cream vs. single cream? thanks!
Posted by: roshbosh | 25 March 2008 @ 2:04 am
i wonder if its like the food science connected with making irish coffee……basically its a very cold high fat cream[48%] floated onto a very hot sweet [black] coffee….you pour the cream over the back of a dessert spoon which must not either touch the glass or the hot coffee…..low fat cream and/or unsweet coffee will not work?…..to s and aun …the hart brothers are super people and i’m sure they would explain the trick…i think their email at their restaurant is www.fino.co.uk
Posted by: maz | 25 March 2008 @ 6:08 am
Long time reader with a strange qn.. Do you have to declare at customs when you bring foodstuffs back into Singapore? I’m thinking in the line of cured meat or fruit..
Posted by: an | 25 March 2008 @ 10:25 am
Hi all,
I didn’t try layering using the back of the spoon technique. I’ll do that when I try this again.
Maz: Thanks for the URL. A tad shy about emailing them directly.
An: Um… with some food, yes you do. But I usually don’t. I just smile and walk quickly to the green lane.
Posted by: Chubby Hubby | 25 March 2008 @ 10:34 am
upside down or right side up, they both look like something i wish i had in front of me right now. i’m definitely tagging this to try…maybe with a little booze mixed in.
Posted by: michelle @ the smackdown | 26 March 2008 @ 2:51 am
Hey CH, thanks for linking me up!
I was pretty psyched I finally managed to get it right.
I get the feeling though that it needed to be whisked past the instructions, as the air that’s incorporated is probably what gets the cream less dense than the white chocolate soup.
Posted by: w. | 26 March 2008 @ 7:22 pm
-> roshbosh
Double cream : 35 % milk fat (whipping cream)
Single cream : 18 % milk fat
Posted by: L | 30 March 2008 @ 1:28 pm
in u k fresh cream….[uht is after my time]
doublecream is 48%….
singlecream is 18%…..
whipping cream 38% [but must be very cold and have cold bowl and beaters….some prof chefs use 40 % as it is less likely to breakdown
….others use double cream with a lump of ice
coffee cream12%
Posted by: maz | 15 April 2008 @ 11:00 pm