Coconut cream chocolate with raspberry gel and crumble

This fancy-looking dessert was my first foray into molecular gastronomy. It comes from a class I recently took taught by Muffie Fulton. While I don’t plan on incorporating many modernist techniques into my own kitchen, it was wonderful to be able to demystifies some of those crazy-looking dishes at high-end restaurants. This chocolate cake is surprising easy to make and requires no special equipment. It’s soft and sweet, with a subtle coconut flavor from the cream, which you can absolutely substitute with heavy cream if you’d like. While it doesn’t need anything else, it can be perked up with the raspberry gel and chocolate crumble. We also added a little meringue for a touch of glam. Because it’s modernist, all ingredients are listed in grams or milliliters (gotta be accurate). I’d love to see your creations if you make it!

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
For the coconut cream chocolate
300 milliliters water
1 gram Kapa carrageenan
150 grams dark chocolate
300 milliliters coconut cream
125 grams sugar
For the raspberry gel
1700 grams raspberry puree
15.5 grams agar
3.4 grams xantham gum

INSTRUCTIONS

Put the water and kappa carrageenan in a blender and blend for about 10 seconds, until it’s all dispersed.

In a small sauce pot over low heat, melt the chocolate, stirring constantly.

Meanwhile, in a separate sauce pot over medium heat, add the coconut cream and sugar. Bring to a boil. Then, slowly pour into the melted chocolate, whisking constantly. Pour in the water and kappa carrageenan mixture into the chocolate bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Pour the chocolate mixture into a mold of your choice or a shallow glass baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Next you’ll want to make the raspberry gel.

Wipe out the blender. Add the raspberry puree, agar and xantham gum and blend on high for about 20 seconds until everything is incorporated.

Wipe out one of the sauce pots used to make the chocolate. Add the raspberry mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and pour into a container. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

While the coconut chocolate and raspberry gel are setting, make the chocolate crumble. Heat the oven to 300°F.

In a bowl, combine the sugar, almond flour, AP flour, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Mix with your hands until you get a sand-like texture.

On a baking sheet, evenly spread the mixture. Bake until it’s dry and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes.

Once the chocolate is set, you can cut out molds of the chocolate if you didn’t use molds. Decorate with the gel and crumble, as you wish.