Concluding our celebration of International Chocolate Day – although for us every day is Chocolate Day – we are featuring a recipe from Chef En-Ming Hsu, who was not only a member of the 2001 Gold Medal-winning US Pastry Team but was also a coach of the 2005 Bronze Medal-winning US Team.
Along with team members Chefs Ewald Notter, Michel Willaume, and Jody Klocko and coaches Chefs Stanton Ho and Donald Wressell, Chef Hsu was a member of the 2001 Gold Medal-winning US Pastry Team at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in Lyon, France.
In 2005, Chef Hsu transitioned to a coaching role alongside Chef Stanton Ho, contributing to another triumphant moment. The 2005 US Pastry Team, featuring Chefs Donald Wressell, Derek Poirier, and Andrew Shotts, secured the bronze medal in Lyon.
In October 2021, En-Ming and her sister Yih-Ming formed Sip LLC to produce their luxurious Sip!
Extraordinary Drinking Chocolate mix. Sip! is a rich, creamy beverage that may be served hot,
chilled, or frozen. It is available online at sipextraordinary.com for retail and wholesale orders. Sip
proudly partners with other small businesses to manufacture Sip! En-Ming developed Sip! to be a
multi-purpose product that can be transformed into irresistible treats including chocolate mousse,
gelato-style frozen dessert, chocolate milkshake, and other delights.
The History of Bavarois
Below is Chef Hsu’s recipe for a Milk Chocolate Raspberry Bavarois. Before we delve into the recipe, a bit of background on what is a bavarois – or Bavarian Cream.
A bavarois is a French dessert consisting of an egg-based cooked custard (milk thickened with eggs) and gelatin, into which whipped cream is folded. The mixture sets up in a cold mold and is unmolded for serving.
Bavarian cream, a beloved classic dessert, found its place in the culinary repertoire of the renowned pastry chef Marie-Antoine Carême during the 18th Century. While he is sometimes credited with its invention, Bavarian cream has a storied history.
Although Bavarian cream’s roots are believed to trace back to the Middle Ages, its documented origin, as per DaysoftheYear.com, is associated with the 17th and 18th centuries when French chefs prepared exquisite dishes for the Wittelsbach princes, a prominent German family that ruled Bavaria from the 12th century until 1918.
In the United States, Bavarian creams first appeared in Boston Cooking School books by D. A. Lincoln in 1884, and by Fannie Farmer in 1896.
Milk Chocolate Raspberry Bavarois
Yield: 8 cakes
Vanilla Sweet Dough Recipe
| INGREDIENTS | MEASUREMENTS |
| Butter, unsalted, room temperature | 60g |
| Confectioners Sugar, sifted | 40g |
| Fine Sea Salt | .5g or scant 1/8 teaspoon |
| Bourbon Vanilla Paste (We use Nielsen-Massey Vanilla) | 3g |
| Blanched Almond Flour | 25g |
| Eggs, room temperature | 22g |
| Cake Flour, sifted | 115g |
| Cocoa Butter, Milk Chocolate, or White Chocolate (We use Valrhona Chocolate) | As needed |
Method
Cream together the butter, confectioners sugar, salt, and Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Paste
Add the almond flour
Slowly blend in the eggs
Add the flour and mix well
Press the dough together into a square about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the cold dough to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.
Cut 8 2.5 inch (6.5 cm) rounds. Dock the surface.
Transfer the rounds to a baking tray lined with parchment or a perforated silicone mat. If using a perforated mat, cover the rounds with a second mat.
Bake in a 325 degree Fahrenheit/163 degree Celsius convection oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the surface with finely grated cocoa butter, milk or white chocolate.
Cool the rounds completely and store airtight until ready to use.
Raspberry Compote Recipe
| INGREDIENTS | MEASUREMENTS |
| Raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed) | 100 g |
| Sugar | 40 g |
| Instant ClearJel | 1.5 g |
Method
Crush the raspberries
Combine the sugar and ClearJel. Mix into the raspberries.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
The compote may be molded into a flexible mold and frozen. Unmold and keep frozen until ready to use.
Milk Chocolate Bavarois Recipe
| INGREDIENTS | MEASUREMENTS |
| Whole Milk | 115 g |
| Granulated Sugar | 40 g |
| Egg Yolks | 60 g |
| Gelatin Sheets 180 bloom, hydrated OR 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/16 teaspoon Knox Gelatin soaked in 12 grams of water | 3 g (gelatin sheets) |
| Milk Chocolate 38%, chopped (We use Valrhona Chocolate) | 140 g |
| Heavy Cream 35% | 190 g |
Method
In a small saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, and egg yolks.
Cook the mixture carefully over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan.
When the mixture reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit / 82 degrees Celsius, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the hydrated gelatin. Mix well.
Place the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl.
Strain the cooked mixture over the chocolate. Using a whisk, blend well.
Whip the heavy cream to a very soft peak.
When the chocolate mix is 80 degrees Fahrenheit / 27 degrees Celsius, fold in the whipped cream using a rubber spatula.
Transfer the bavarois to a pastry bag. Pipe into flexible molds (2.5 to 3 oz / 70-85 grams) two-thirds full.
Place a small spoon of raspberry compote in the center. Top with additional bavarois and smooth the surface.
Cover the mold with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Unmold the bavarois and keep frozen until ready to finish.
Chocolate Spray Recipe
| INGREDIENTS | MEASUREMENTS |
| Dark Chocolate 70% (We use Valrhona Chocolate) | 75 g |
| Cocoa Butter | 65 g |
Method
Melt the chocolate and cocoa butter separately.
Mix together. Strain and hold at 100 degrees Fahrenheit / 38 degrees Celsius
Assembly
Frozen Milk Chocolate Bavarois
Chocolate Spray
Vanilla Sweet Dough Rounds
Fresh Raspberries and/or Chocolate Decor
Using a paint sprayer, spray the frozen cakes with chocolate spray. Freeze until set for approximately 30 minutes.
Place the frozen cakes on the sweet dough bases.
Garnish the surface with fresh raspberries and/or chocolate decor.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Be sure the cakes have thawed completely before serving.
NOTE: For alternative finishes, the cakes may be left unsprayed or lightly dusted with
cocoa powder. A shiny chocolate glaze may also be used. Glaze the cakes while frozen.
Chef Hsu and Sip! Extraordinary Drinking Chocolate can be found on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), and YouTube.
