The Great Cambridge Cook-Off

It all started with an innocent Facebook post: “Eat your heart out, Julia Shanks.”

My friend Dave had made a soup he was exceptionally proud of, and wanted to share a photo with me.  Somehow his words got minced, and friends assumed he challenged me to a cook-off.

Dave accepted the challenge. Or I did? However it happened we decided to face off on April Fool’s Day.

The rules were set: We each prepared a three-course meal featuring common ingredients: goat cheese for the appetizer, pork for the entrée and strawberries for dessert.

The judging was fierce, and I just barely eeked out a win.  What put me over the top was my dessert: Chocolate Mille Fuille with Chocolate Mousse and Minted Berries.

Chocolate Mille Fuille
 
15 sheets of filo dough
1 ½ tbs.  cocoa powder
1 ½  cup sugar
1 cup melted butter

¼ cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 egg
7 oz. heavy cream
10 oz. melted chocolate

1 qt strawberries
1 tbs. freshly chopped mint
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ cup sugar, or to taste

1.    For the filo sheets.  Lay them out, and keep them covered with a damp towel at all times to keep them from drying out.  Take one sheet at a time.  Cut it in half.  Brush it with melted butter and sprinkle cocoa powder and sugar on top.  Fold into quarters and place on a buttered cookie sheet.  Repeat this process until you have 30 squares.  Bake for 10 minutes at 425, or until golden brown.

2.    For the filling:  Combine eggs and sugar in a bowl, and place over simmering water. Stir until sugar dissolves and the temperature is approximately 110 degrees.  Remove from heat and whip  until mixture is cold.   In a separate bowl, whip cream until soft peaks.  Fold cream into egg mixture.   Gradually stir chocolate into base.

3.    Wash strawberries.  Cut into quarters.  Toss with mint, vanilla and sugar.

4.    To assemble: Put a chocolate filo square on a plate.  Put a spoon of custard in the middle and top with another filo square.  Garnish with strawberries.