Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Chocolate Tacos

Chocolate tacos are simple to make and stunning to serve. Your imagination can go wild for the filling. Whatever fruit is ripe and fresh at the market makes the filling bright and fun. Sliced peaches (grate a little fresh nutmeg over them), fresh figs, quartered, mandarin oranges, seedless grapes, papaya and the list can go on and on.

Find a bright, fruit flavored sorbet matching one of your fruit fillings to serve in the chocolate taco. Just remember, have FUN!

Chocolate Tacos

CHOCOLATE TORTILLA INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. cocoa powder
2 egg whites
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. skim milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/8 t. cinnamon
FRUIT FILLING:
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced (grind a small bit of fresh black pepper on top)
1 c. raspberries
1 c. blackberries
1/2 c. blueberries
1 mango, sliced into 1/2-inch thick strips
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced into rounds
TO SERVE:
1/2 pint sorbet (use a flavor of one of the fruits)
8 mint sprigs
TO MAKE THE BATTER:
Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth with an electric mixer. Cover the batter and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. TO COOK AND SHAPE THE TORTILLA:
Remove the batter from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, which will take 20-30 minutes. Heat a small skillet or crepe pan over low heat. Pour in about 1/4 cup of batter (I use a long-handled measuring cup as my ladle) and tilt the pan quickly to spread the batter into a 6-inch or 8-inch circle. Once the edges look dry (2 or 3 minutes), loosen the edges with a knife and turn over the tortilla. Cook for another minute or two.
Life the soft hot chocolate tortilla out of the pan with a knife or spatula and quickly drape it over a rolling pin. It will become firm and crisp as it cools.
NOTE: if the tortilla doesn't firm up, it means the tortilla isn't thoroughly done, so cook it a bit longer. It should be dry when you remove it from the skillet. DIRECTIONS FOR FRUIT FILLING:
Gently mix berries together in a bowl. Keep the remaining fruit separate until assembling or they'll pick up the colors from the berries.
TO SERVE:
Place a tortilla on a serving plate. Generously fill it with the berries and then tuck in the mango and kiwi. Add a scoop of sorbet and garnish with mint sprigs.