Posted by Lisabug 6/21/01 8:42:14 am

Source: Chef Andy Niedenthal - Cheeca Lodge - Islamorada, Florida

Circles of flaky filo create a base for baked chocolate-mango cream. The stacks of filo cookies and baked cream are garnished with raspberry and mango coulis and chocolate sauce.

Serves 8.

Cookies
1/4 package filo dough
1 cup clarified butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup (3 ounces) grated bittersweet chocolate

Chocolate-Mango Cream
1 cup half-and-half
1 vanilla bean, split
12 egg yolks
1 quart (4 cups) heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 diced mango
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Raspberry Coulis
1 pint raspberries
1 tablespoon orange juice
Confectioners' sugar to taste

Mango Coulis
1 mango, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon orange juice

Cr?e Anglaise
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 vanilla bean, split
1/2 cup (3 ounces) granulated sugar
4 egg yolks

Garnish
1/2 cup chocolate sauce

To make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Cut 5 layers of filo in half, then cut in half again. Spread a sheet of filo, brush with butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Top with a second sheet of filo, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Top with a third layer of filo and sprinkle with chocolate. Top with a fourth sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Top with a final layer of filo, brush with butter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut with a 4-inch cookie cutter and pull away the excess filo (this can also be cut into smaller shapes and baked for use with other desserts). Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

To make the chocolate-mango cream: In a deep, heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the half-and-half to a boil. Scrape the vanilla bean pieces and put the seeds in the warming half-and-half. In a separate pan, combine the egg yolks and sugar. When the half-and-half comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and stir 2 tablespoons of hot milk into the egg yolks. Stirring constantly, slowly add the rest of the milk to the eggs. Whisk in the heavy cream.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with plastic wrap.

Distribute the mango dice and chopped chocolate across the surface of the pan. Pour the custard over the mango and chocolate. Pour hot water into a large pan that will hold the sheet pan, filling half-way up the sides of the sheet pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm. Cool, then refrigerate.

To make the cr?e Anglaise: Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. When the half-and-half comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and stir 2 tablespoons of hot milk into the egg yolks. Stirring constantly, slowly add the rest of the milk to the eggs. Return to heat and whisk gently until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl set in an ice bath and chill.

To make the raspberry coulis: Put the ingredients in a blender and pur?. Add sugar to sweeten if desired. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Put in a squeeze bottle.

To make the mango coulis: Put the ingredients in a blender and pur?. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Put in a squeeze bottle.

To serve: Pool cr?e Anglaise on serving plates. Make 3 dots of raspberry coulis on the cr?e Anglaise and draw through it with a knife to make a design. Place a filo disc on each plate. Cut the cr?e brl? with the same 4-inch cookie cutter and place a disc of brl? on each filo disc. Top with another filo disc, leaning slightly against the stack. Drizzle mango coulis and chocolate sauce over the brl?.