September 21, 2007

Executive Pastry Chef David Guas makes his second appearance on Secret Sauce to share another easy, delicious dessert for you to enjoy! Mini Chocolate Espresso Cakes is special to Chef Guas for one simple reason: Who doesn't love these two flavors?

Catch his TODAY show appearance to see David create this dish live, and get the recipe here - with a special Orange Macerated Raspberries and Chantilly Cream topping you'll only find on Secret Sauce.

Says Chef Guas, "Who does not like to have two of the most popular flavors consumed in my household - Chocolate and Coffee. They are truly my favorite ingredients separately, and so I decided to put them together to make a "blow out" of a dessert. It is a decadent treat to give yourself every once and awhile...at least I do!"

Procedure: Espresso Cakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Butter and flour 6 to 8 four ounce soufflé ramekins*.
• In a small bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, and espresso powder. Reserve.

• Combine butter and chocolate over a double boiler and melt. Remove from heat.
• Allow to cool slightly, approximately 8-10 minutes.
• Whisk in eggs, vanilla extract, and sifted dry ingredients.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips. Portion mixture into ramekins, filling each one about two thirds full.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the centers are set. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly in ramekin.
• To serve, invert directly onto a plate and dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder. (See below for plating instructions.)
  
  If you have baked cakes ahead of time, you may reheat the cakes in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.

Procedure: Orange Macerated Raspberries

• Combine sugar in saucepot with enough water to resemble wet sand, approximately ¼ cup water.
• Cover and cook on high heat until caramel begins to form medium to dark color.
• Remove from heat and slowly add orange juice.
• Once it stops bubbling, whisk smooth and add Grand Marnier (or Cointreau) and strain through a fine mesh strainer.

• Allow caramel to cool.
• In a mixing bowl, gently toss raspberries with ¼ cup of cooled orange caramel.
• Let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.

Procedure: Chantilly Cream

• Combine 1 pint heavy whipping cream, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 vanilla bean (which has been split with a paring knife and, using the back of the blade, had the inside of the bean scraped) in an large shallow stainless steel mixing bowl.
• Whip with a whisk until medium peaks form.
• Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Note that the whipped cream might need to be re-whipped just before plating the dessert.

A ramekin is a small glazed ceramic serving bowl.

David Guas, the original creative force behind the sweets at Washington’s Passion Food Hospitality restaurants (Acadiana, Ceiba, DC Coast, and TenPenh), has launched his own entrepreneurial career as a private consultant, boutique pastry caterer, dessert cookbook author, and, by the end of 2008, bakery owner.

Bayou Bakery in McLean, Virginia [exact location to be determined] will feature a number of his signature desserts (many of them based on his Louisiana and Cuban heritage) that gained him such a following at Washington’s Passion Food Hospitality.

In 2004, Guas was named Pastry Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, and Bon Appétit called him one of the country’s eight “Dessert Stars.”

Guas makes regular appearances on NBC’s Today Show, de-mystifying everything from pastry dough to Mardi Gras king cakes for the nationwide viewing audience.

• Get the recipe for David's Dulce de Leche Cheesecake