A DELICIOUS DESSERT RECIPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Christmas is getting closer, and that means staying at home cuddled up with some real comfort food. Here’s a recipe that is perfect for the holidays!
We’ve begun preparing for the Christmas holidays at Poderi Marcarini. And now, thanks to Chiara, we can count on truly excellent food to pair with the wines from our winery. Chiara Marchetti, the director of Agriturismo Marcarini, is passionate about food. After her science studies at a Liceo Scientifico, she decided to dedicate her education to culinary studies, and attended the IFSE (Italian Food Style Education), a prestigious culinary institute in Piobesi Torinese. Her food studies and adventures took her to an internship at Carpe Noctem et Diem in Pollenzo, and then to South Africa at Capelands Wine Estates, where she learned to manage a traditional Italian restaurant in complete autonomy.
“South Africa was an experience that changed me. I had to throw myself into learning the trade,” she says. But Chiara’s passion for cooking is nothing new. Ever since she was a little girl, she has always had her “hands in the dough,” or mani in pasta, as they say in Italy. “I like cooking because I’ve always loved to eat,” she jokes. “I have really fond memories tied to the kitchen. I would cook with my mother, just us two, and it was always a special moment that brought us together and made me happy.”
Last year, Chiara contributed to the publication of a book by Caterina Reviglio Sonnino called Le atmosfere di Madame est servie. In the book, in addition to advice on how to decorate the perfect holiday table (and we highly recommend her suggestions!), there are several recipes by Chiara. One of them, Chocolate Mousse, would be the perfect recipe for Christmas—paired with our Barolo Chinato.
As Chiara wrote in the intro to the mousse, “One evening, after finishing dinner with a satisfyingly full stomach, my father began to tell my brothers and I about one of his typical “adventures” […]. We were drinking a glass of our Barolo Chinato at the time, a rare dessert wine and digestif that we prepare by following an old recipe that has been jealously guarded by my ancestors. It is surprisingly good when paired with chocolate desserts. That afternoon, a full container of cinnamon had fallen on my hand and all over the kitchen, of course, so that evening the spice was everywhere—ruining our dinner. But after the first sip of wine, I fell in love with the combination of dark chocolate, cinnamon, and Barolo Chinato! I couldn’t help but immediately begin thinking of a recipe to write in my recipe book.”
DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH CINNAMON – FOR 6 PEOPLE
65 g BUTTER, SOFTENED
160 g DARK CHOCOLATE
3 EGGS
20 g SUGAR
CINNAMON
DIRECTIONS
- Melt the chocolate and let it cool
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks
- Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved
- Incorporate the yolks with the butter, melted chocolate, and a dash of cinnamon (to taste)
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form
- Gradually incorporate the egg whites into the mix, being gentle so they don’t lose their air
- Allow the mousse to chill in the refrigerator until cold
The mousse is wonderful when paired with these delicious bignè filled with Chantilly cream. Here’s how to prepare them.
BIGNÈ – FOR 6 PEOPLE (MAKES ABOUT 30 BIGNÈ)
70 g BUTTER
90 g FLOUR
175 g WATER
3 EGGS
A PINCH OF SALT
DIRECTIONS
- Add the pinch of salt to a pan with the water and bring to a boil
- When the water is boiling, pour in the flour all at once and whisk until it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan
- Allow the flour and water mixture to cool
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well with each egg before adding the next
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and squeeze out balls about the size of a walnut onto a pan covered in oven paper, about 4 cm apart
- Bake at 180°C for about 25 minutes (or 20 minutes in a ventilated oven)
IMPORTANT! Do not open the oven during the first 15 minutes of baking
CHANTILLY CREAM – FOR 6 PEOPLE
250 g HOT MILK
2 EGGS
75 g FLOUR
50 g SUGAR
125 g WHIPPING CREAM
DIRECTIONS
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together well
- Add the flour, sifting if need be, and mix well
- Add the hot milk gradually
- Mix over a medium flame, but DO NOT allow it to boil. Whisk until the mixture thickens
- Remove from the heat and continue mixing until the mixture cools
- In a separate bowl, beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form
- Mix the whipped cream into the milk and egg mix very gently
TO SERVE
- When the bignè are cooled, fill them with the Chantilly cream using the piping bag
- Cover the filled bignè with the chocolate mousse and enjoy!
