​Chocolate Soufflé with Orange Sauce
Servings: 4 

​INGREDIENTS
For the Chocolate Soufflés:
1 ounce unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup sugar, divided
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 percent), cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup heavy cream
4 egg whites
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
 
For the Orange Sauce:
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
¼ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
 
DIRECTIONS
1. Make the soufflés: Preheat the oven to 400º. Grease four 6-ounce ramekins with the butter and coat with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, rotating to coat the entire ramekin. In a double boiler, add the chocolate and cream, and heat until completely melted, stirring until smooth.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites and beat until soft peaks have formed. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk until stiff peaks have formed. Working in 3 batches, carefully fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites using a rubber spatula.
3. Divide the soufflé among the prepared ramekins. Place the soufflés on a baking sheet and bake until set in the center, 13 to 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the orange sauce: In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients until smooth.
5. Remove the soufflés from the oven. Dust with confectioners' sugar and spoon over the orange sauce, then serve warm.

Source: adapted from 'Heart & Soul in the Kitchen,' by Jacques Pépin (HMH)

Fresh Fruit Tart
 Servings: 1 tarte

INGREDIENTS
For the tart shell: (one 9 inch crust)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

For the pastry cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
Pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Assembly
1 baked tart shell
1 recipe of pastry cream
1 ½ pints of berries and fresh fruit cut as desired
1/2 cup clear apple jelly, melted

DIRECTIONS
For the tart shell:
Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine the butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and stir until evenly incorporated. Add the measured flour and stir until just combined and a soft dough forms.
Sprinkle the dough over the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup or your fingers, evenly press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (flour the cup occasionally to prevent sticking).
Cover the tart shell with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once chilled, prick it all over with a fork and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before filling and removing from the pan.

For the pastry cream:
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot-milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until it has been incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla bean.
Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter, and beat on medium speed until the butter melts and the mixture cools, about 5 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, beat on low speed until smooth (you can also whisk by hand).

For the assembly:
Spread cooled pastry cream in cooled tart shell or tartlet shells. Arrange fruit over pastry cream in concentric circles in an attractive pattern. With a small brush, brush apple jelly over fruit to glaze.

NOTES
Notes: Crisp, lightly sweet, and buttery, this classic pastry crust is an elegant base on which to build an entire repertoire of tarts. It’s easier to make than flaky pie pastry, too—just stir melted butter with sugar and a bit of salt, then blend in all-purpose flour to form the dough. With your fingers, press it into a tart pan and put it in the fridge for half an hour before pricking the bottom and baking.

Brown Sugar-Miso Ice Cream
Servings: 1 Quart

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons white miso
5 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, and miso. Place over medium heat & scald, whisking often.
2. Meanwhile, place egg yolks into mixing bowl and whisk until pale colored.
3. Temper milk mixture into yolks. Add milk-egg mixture back into the saucepan and hat on medium low heat until mixture thickens.
4. Pour the heavy cream into a clean mixing bowl with a strainer set on top of it, once custard is thickened, strain into the the heavy cream and whisk to combine.
5. Chill and spin in the ice cream machine.