Bittersweet Chocolate Impulse

Take an impulsive thought and jot it down on paper. Don’t overthink it. Let it go. Don’t get bogged down in the details. Just sketch it out.

In 1957, Richard Berry wrote the lyrics to “Louie, Louie” on a section of bathroom toilet paper at a night club while inspired by a Latin rhythm. In 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote The Star Spangled Banner on the only paper he had available to him, a letter he’d crammed in his pocket just before being detained by the British. One of the most famous of sketchers, Leonardo da Vinci, reminds us that to sketch is to explore.  One such sketch may even prove that Da Vinci invented the Google Glass long before Sergey Brin was a household name. No matter the size of your idea, put it down on paper.

My new chef fave, Inaki Aizpitarte, sketched this recipe for a simple dessert using two kinds of peppers, adding a nuanced sweet & spicy flavor to bittersweet chocolate.

Source: The Selby offering an insider’s view of creative individuals in their personal spaces.

The Espelette Pepper is a chile of the Basque region of France and Spain, named after the village of Espelette in France’s Nive Valley. The flavor is said to offer hints of peach and sea brine, and a nuanced, subtle heat. The seasoning has become such a cherished commodity that it has been given a protected designation by the European Union, ensuring that only peppers grown in the Espelette region may be labeled as Piment d’Espelette. It’s not easily found in American grocery stores, but I found a jar at Sur La Table and a few on Amazon as well. You can also substitute with a hot paprika in a pinch. Both pimento and paprika are prepared from red bell peppers so  the marriage of flavors is natural.

Found: Ceramic plate by Susan Simonini.

Chocolate Cream with Espelette Pepper and Red Pepper Jelly

1 liter Heavy Cream (~2 pints)

408 grams of 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, chopped (~14 ounces)

1.5 grams Espelette (I used dried pepper to taste ~1/3 to 1/2 teaspoons)

1-2 Red Peppers

1 packet of gelatin

Simmer cream and espelette. Strain if using solid form of pepper. Pour onto chocolate in large bowl and let sit for a few minutes, then whisk until well blended and smooth. Pour into individual pots and refrigerate for one hour. In the meantime, juice some red pepper, strain, add 16g gelatine/liter and pour 2mm on top of each pot of chocolate. Store in refrigerator.