Dream Dessert

On a fall night in paris, two friends of mine took me to a tiny, modest cafe in the sixth arrondissement. It was one of countless dimly lit establishments with battered chairs, tiny tables and a chalkboard menu. Wine and water arrived in unmarked glass decanters and the waiter got up from his own aperitif to grudgingly take our orders. We’d had a large midday meal with family so we only ordered salads, which were nothing special, except that in France the lettuce actually has flavor. Afterward, one friend said, “Now, we must order this one dessert. It is why we came to this cafe.” She pointed to the chalkboard. “I dream about that dessert.” Chocolate and orange was what she wanted: Fantasie du chocolat et l’orange.

I was still jet-lagged, alternately exhausted and insomniac, and chocolate just before bed seemed like a bad idea. “I’m afraid it will keep me awake.”

“Ah,” said my friend. “The trick is to get to bed and go to sleep before the chocolate hits. We will eat this dessert and I promise, in 15 minutes, you will be in bed.”

I gave in. Truth is, nobody has to beg me to eat chocolate. What arrived at our table was a short stack of terrines in a pool of slightly sweetened cream. The bottom level was a sturdy slice of gelatin densely packed with fresh chunks of orange--it looked like a beautifully polished cross-section of orange crystals. On top of the gelatin was a slab of chocolate terrine, very dark and profoundly bittersweet. Juicy oranges, intense chocolate, sweet cream.

Even mid-bliss--and this may seem odd--I saw room for improvement. While this was indeed an inspired, brilliant dessert--sweet and bitter, firm and creamy, rich and juicy--this particular Fantasie du chocolat et l’orange, I knew, was not the best possible version of itself.

The oranges were watery and low on flavor and the gelatin so firm that it was borderline bouncy. And the chocolate terrine, however dark and intense, could have benefited from a higher grade of chocolate.

I gave a lot of thought to this dessert. In fact, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Especially that night, when I couldn’t sleep.

In December, when navel oranges began hitting the markets in Southern California, I gave a dinner party for 15 people and made my first version of Fantasie du chocolat et l’orange. I made the orange layer with freshly squeezed orange juice but didn’t use enough gelatin--the terrine unmolded beautifully, yet collapsed somewhat as I tried to cut picture-perfect slices. (An electric knife could’ve done the job, if I’d had one.) I tried a bittersweet mousse for the chocolate terrine and that wasn’t quite right. Nevertheless, this first attempt was a hit--a big hit.

I’ve now made this dessert for half a dozen gatherings ranging in size from 5 to 25 people, and each time the recipe becomes easier. Although there is some preparation--the most time-consuming part is skinning and chopping seven to nine oranges--it’s a fail-safe dessert. Fantasie du chocolat et l’orange, in fact, is one of those rare, brilliant ideas that’s so good, it’s infallible, and virtually any version smacks of genius.

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FANTASIE DU CHOCOLAT ET L’ORANGE

Serves 10 to 12

ORANGE TERRINE:

2 packets (4 teaspoons) plain gelatin

21/2 cups orange juice

7 large ripe navel oranges, peeled

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon orange oil

2 teaspoons orange zest, finely minced

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Sprinkle gelatin on half cup of the orange juice. Set aside.

Prepare peeled oranges by cutting away any of the white part of the skin and the tough membranes. Cut oranges into juicy chunks (about 12 per orange). Arrange orange chunks evenly and closely in a 6-cup loaf pan until oranges are within 11/2 inches of the top.

Heat orange juice and sugar in a saucepan until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin/juice mixture. Add orange oil and zest. Pour juice-gelatin mixture over oranges in loaf pan until they are completely covered. Chill in refrigerator until set, at least 4 hours.

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CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons gelatin

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

8 ounces creme fraiche

2 tablespoons good cocoa powder

1 teaspoon orange zest, minced

1 cup whipping cream or 10 egg whites

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Place milk in measuring cup and sprinkle with gelatin. Set aside. Melt chocolate in a double boiler until almost melted. Bring creme fra 5/8che to a boil, add cocoa powder and mix until smooth. Reheat and remove from fire. Add gelatin/milk to hot creme fra 5/8che-cocoa mixture; combine both with melted chocolate. Set aside to cool. Whip cream or egg whites until thick, stiff peaks form and fold very gently into chocolate mixture. (You can make egg whites “safe” by heating them over boiling water to 160 degrees, stirring constantly but gently to prevent scrambling). Pour into loaf pan and chill in refrigerator until set, at least 4 hours.

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CRME:

8 ounces plain yogurt (low-fat is fine)

8 ounces creme fraiche milk for thinning

2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

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Combine ingredients in small pitcher. Thin with milk until mixture is pourable.

When you are ready to serve the dessert, unmold loaf pans onto separate plates. Pour a couple of tablespoons of the creme mixture onto each plate to create a pool. Add first a slice of orange terrine, then a slice of chocolate mousse.

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Michelle Huneven last wrote about Moroccan food.

Food stylist: Christine Masterson