Pavlova Cookies N' Ice Creme Anglaise

If you're looking for a decadent take on an ice cream cake search no further. Mascarpone and Creme Anglaise contrast beautifully. The meringue chocolate chips add a beatiful touch and a slightly malted flavor. The perfect ice cream cake for a food snob. As seen on Photograzing!

pavlova cookies n' ice creme anglaise

So here we have it! My first Daring Bakers’ Challenge! I was very excited to finally get to participate! I was sad that I’d missed last month’s Croquembouche challenge. Butchie and I had made one for our baking night last year…I really just wanted to eat the Croquembouche is all.

chocolate pavlova cookie sandwiches

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard.

I have to say I had more than a fair amount of trouble with this recipe. I followed the instructions the first time around exactly but what I got was not so perfect! I found it near impossible to fold in the cocoa and still have a merinque. I baked it for the designated amount of time and I ended up with course granular bricks instead of the beautiful marshmallow meringue I had been expecting.

my failed pavlovas

I started scouring the internet for what went wrong, and made a second attempt. My Berries N’ Cream Pavlova was MUCH MUCH better. With that under my belt I decided to conquer this chocolate pavlova again. 

My three pieces of advice are as follows: use nowhere near the amount of cocoa and use entirely powdered sugar and lastly, bake for less time. Those three changes fixed EVERYING. You can see the amazing differences in these pictures. The finished products are dramatically different.

failed chocoalte pavlovas and beautiful plain pavlova

I still prefer a plain pavlova however. Yes. You read that correctly. I, in fact, have found something I prefer to not be chocolate.

my second attempt at chocolate pavlovas

Because I’d already made the filling once, I opted not to make it again. I actually used the first round of chocolate mascarpone mousse and the crème anglaise to fill the chocolate buttermilk cupcakes for my kickball team. They loved it. Mostly because of a secret ingredient I added just for them. Wink. Wink. So this time around I decided to take a few liberties.

Without further ado may I present:

pavlova cookies n' ice creme anglaise

Pavlova Cookies N’ Ice Crème Anglaise!

Chocolate Meringue

3 large egg whites

¾ cup and 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 ½ tablespoon dutch process cocoa

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200º F (95º C) degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Put the egg whites in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar and cornstarch about 1 tbsp at a time until stiff peaks form. (The whites should be firm but moist.)

Sift the cocoa powder over the egg whites and fold in (This looks like it will not happen; Fold gently and it will eventually come together).

Fill a pastry bag with the meringue. Pipe the meringue into one inch circles, roughly the size of a small cookie. Level down the peaks with a knife if you prefer.

Bake for one hour and ten minutes until the meringues become dry and crisp. Turn off oven and allow meringues to cool inside.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse

1 ½ cups (355 mls) heavy cream
9 ounces (255 grams) 72% chocolate, chopped
1 2/3 cups (390 mls) mascarpone

Put ½ cup (120 mls) of the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once warm, add the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let sit at room temperature until cool.

Place the mascarpone, and the remaining cup of cream in a bowl. Whip on low for a minute until the mascarpone until it holds soft peaks.

Mix about ¼ of the mascarpone mixture into the chocolate to lighten. Fold in the remaining mascarpone until well incorporated. Fill a pastry bag with the mousse. Pipe some into the middle of the pavlova cookies to create sandwiches. Reserve the remaining mousse. 

Ice Crème Anglaise:

1 recipe crème anglaise
½ cup (120 mls) mascarpone
½ cup (120 mls) heavy cream

Directions:

Prepare the crème anglaise. Slowly whisk in the mascarpone and the Sambucca and let the mixture cool. Put the cream in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until very soft peaks are formed. Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture.

Crème Anglaise:

1 cup (235 mls) whole milk
1 cup (235 mls) heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
6 tbsp (75 grams) sugar

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow.

Combine the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Take off the heat.

Pour about ½ cup of the hot liquid into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to keep from making scrambled eggs. Pour the yolk mixture into the pan with the remaining cream mixture and put the heat back on medium. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

Remove the mixture from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours or overnight.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Ice Cream Assembly Instructions:

When finished pour in layers like you would a trifle of the crème anglaise ice cream, chocolate mascarpone mousse, and pavlova cookie bits.

Freeze until fully hardened. Allow to soften 10 minutes before serving.

Original Assembly Instructions:

Pipe the mousse onto the pavlovas and drizzle with the mascarpone cream over the top (do not freeze!). Dust with confectioner’s sugar and fresh fruit if desired.