Chef Michael Schafer,
Sydney’s At The Forks
Chef Michael was inspired by a prairie sunset and created an edible version.
Ingredients
Pâté
227g milk chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 Tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp 35% cream
Ganache
113g white chocolate chips
1/2 cup 35% cream
4 drops food colouring
Method
Pâté
1. Melt chocolate over a double boiler on med-high heat.
2. Combine eggs, cocoa and sugar. Whisk over a double boiler on med-high heat until warm to touch. Add melted chocolate and mix well.
3. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture.
4. Line four small bowls with plastic wrap. Pour mixture evenly into bowls and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Ganache
1. Melt chocolate over a double boiler on med-high heat.
2. Stir in cream and food colouring.
3. For water effect, repeat with dark chocolate and omit the food colouring.
Vanilla bean birds
1. Scrape seeds from one vanilla bean.
2. Following pictures, slice thin pieces and fold them into bird shapes.
Meringue trees
1. Make your favourite meringue recipe and add 4 drops green food colouring.
2. Preheat oven to temp in recipe.
3. Pour meringue into a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe tree clusters onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake until dry, according to recipe.
Assembly
1. Set a rack over a cookie sheet and place pâtés on rack. Evenly pour yellow ganache. Let sit for a few min and then lift off with a spatula and place on plates. Reserve 2 Tbsp of ganache.
2. Line meringue trees on each side of the pâté. Pour the milk chocolate ganache between the trees. Add a straight line of yellow ganache and wiggle a toothpick through.
3. Place a few vanilla birds onto the bombe.
Yield 4 servings