I get asked quite often why I like to cook. The first reason I give is normally because I like to eat. I am Thai and food is a big factor in our culture. We greet each other with hello followed by 'have you eaten? When guests turn up at your house it's safe to assume that they will expect to be fed.

The second reason is that as I grew up in the Northeastern part of Thailand, the poorest region, food was always hard to come by. We weren't hungry as there was always rice, but it was difficult finding something to go with rice. Now I do have ingredients to go with rice, I want to cook!

Thursday 4 February 2016

Chocolate Semifreddo with Poached Pear and Pistachios.



Chocolate Semifreddo with Poached Pear and Pistachios.

Equipment:
Large(2litre capacity)loaf tin lined with cling film.

          In large saucepan, put in,
-400ml water.
Bring it up to a gentle simmer.

         Use an electric mixer beat,
-3 eggs + 3 egg yolks, with
-180g caster sugar,
-1tsp vanilla bean paste.
Beat until light and frothy.
Transfer into a heatproof bowl.
Place on the pan of simmering water.
Use a balloon whisk to whisk the mixture over simmering water. Whisk continuously for 5 minutes. Take off the heat, leave aside and get on with the next bit.

          In a saucepan, put in,
-300g dark chocolate, broken into chunks, melt on low heat, with
-pinch of salt.
Leave to cool slightly.

In a small saucepan, put in,
-150g white chocolate, broken into chunks, melt on low heat. Leave aside.

       Use an electric mixer, to beat,
-2x250g mascarpone cheese,
-200ml double cream.
-2tbsp icing sugar,
-1tsp vanilla bean paste.
Beat until the cream just holds its shape, stir through,
-slightly cooled egg mixture.
Divide mixture into 3 portions.

Add 80g melted chocolate to one portion, stir well to combine , it should resemble milk chocolate.
Add the rest of the melted chocolate to the second portion, it should resemble dark chocolate.
Add white chocolate to the remaining portion.

Spoon the white chocolate mixture into the prepared tin. Spread evenly.
Freeze for around 2-3 hours until set.
Spoon on milk chocolate mixture. Freeze2-3 hours or until set.

Set the dark chocolate mixture over a pan of simmering water (it'll have set by now and is not spreadable). It only needs around 30 seconds to warm through and spreadable.
Spoon the dark chocolate mixture into the prepared tin.
Freeze 4 hours to overnight.

        For the poached pear.

320g firm pear, peeled, cored and cut into eighths.

In a large saucepan, put in,
-prepared pears, with
-300ml water,
-50g caster sugar,
-pinch of salt.
Bring to a simmer and cook, with the lid on, for 10 minutes. The pears should still be quite firm. Leave to cool in the poaching liquid for around 10-15 minutes. Drain.

        To Serve.
Invert the chocolate semifreddo on to a serving plate.
Arrange cooled pear pieces on top.
Sprinkle over 30g chopped pistachios.
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