 |
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 2685 Minutes |
Ready In: 2700 Minutes Servings: 8 |
|
Ellsworth Kelly's enormous sculpture, Stele 1, was the anchor in the Rooftop Garden when we opened our café in 2009. A 1-inch-thick oblong steel plate weighing seven tons and rising eighteen feet into the air perched on one narrow end, the sculpture seemed to defy gravity. The deep rust-colored patina of the Corten steel was an incredible contrast against gray volcanic stone walls of the Rooftop Garden and the stunning art deco Pacific Bell building that towers over the east side of the museum. Of course, I thought the piece looked like an enormous slab of chocolate. Trying to figure out a dessert based on the sculpture, I played with various truffle recipes and cakes baked in oblong pans, but nothing was giving me the rich matte color and texture of the weathered steel.One day I was chatting with the museum's brilliant and witty social media guru, Ian Padgham, about Stele 1, and I asked him what the sculpture reminded him of. A Fudgsicle, of course! he said. And, so it was. I found some silicone ice-pop molds in the shape of the sculpture and developed a creamy, rich chocolatey base with a touch of natural cocoa powder to give the frozen fudge pops the reddish matte finish of Corten steel. Ingredients:
8 ounces (227 g) high-quality bittersweet chocolate (62% to 70% cacao), coarsely chopped |
1 tablespoon vanilla extract |
1 1/4 cups (10.4 oz / 290 g) heavy cream |
1 cup (8.6 oz / 242 g) whole milk |
1/4 cup (1.8 oz / 50 g) sugar |
4 teaspoons natural (not dutch-processed) unsweetened cocoa powder |
1 teaspoon kosher salt |
Directions:
1. Have ready 10 ice-pop molds. If your molds are flexible like the ones we use at the museum, set them on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl, add the vanilla extract, and set aside.
3. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking often to break up the lumps of cocoa powder, until bubbles start to form around the edges and the temperature of the mixture registers 180°F to 190°F on a digital thermometer.
4. Immediately pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and stir with a whisk or blend with an immersion blender until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is a smooth liquid (a thoroughly emulsified mixture will yield the most creamy fudge pop). Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a liquid measuring cup.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into the ice-pop molds and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or up to 2 weeks; follow the manufacturer's instructions for inserting the sticks. If you don't have ice-pop molds, pour the chocolate mixture into ice cube trays; freeze until partially frozen, about 30 minutes, and then insert a toothpick or short wooden skewer into each ice pop. Continue freezing until solid.
6. Unmold the fudge pops, dipping the molds into warm water to loosen, if needed, and serve.
7. Do Ahead: Stored in an airtight container, the fudge pops will keep for up to 2 weeks in the freezer.Above and Beyond: This recipe works well in any ice-pop mold, but if you want to create a miniature edible Ellsworth Kelly sculpture in your home, see Resources to order the silicone ice-pop molds we use at the café. Resources: Medium ice-pop molds (4-ounce capacity):
|
|