This recipe started out as a recipe for Puerco Pibil by Robert Rodriguez that was one of the extras on Once Upon a Time in Mexico. I modified it rather heavily
Ingredients
3 Oranges (well peeled)
2 Limes (peeled)
1 Lemon (juiced)
2 Habanero Peppers (seeded and chopped)
8 garlic cloves crushed
1T ground Pepper
2t Salt
1t ground Cumin
1 1/2 t ground Allspice
1/2 t ground cloves
1 T Annatto
1 shot Tequilla
1 chicken, in 1/8ths, or 4 whole breasts
Steps
Recipe from Laura Adrian, of Hidden Kitchen
This recipe makes sixteen small cakes (using 2 ounce ramekins), but Laura noted that it would likely make eight to ten larger (using 4-6 ounce ramekins). Only fill the molds up two-thirds of the way full since the cakes are rich.
Note the quantity of white chocolate is for the already caramelized white chocolate, so start the caramelization with more white chocolate than the finished amount, to allow for reduction and "spoon lick-loss", as I call it. You can make the white chocolate in advance; it'll firm up, but can be rewarmed in a microwave oven or set over simmering water.
6 ounces (1 1/2 cups, 170g) almond flour (see Note)
3/4 cup (110g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 ounces (340g) caramelized white chocolate, warm
1 1/2 ounces (45g) salted or unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons (45g) sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
2. Generously butter sixteen 2-ounce ramekins, or similar-sized molds, and set them on a baking sheet.
3. Whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the white chocolate with the melted butter and sugar. Add in the eggs one at a time, until they're completely incorporated. The mixture may be lumpy, which is normal.
5. Stir in the flour mixture with a spatula just until no specks of flour remain.
6. Spoon the batter into the butter molds, filling them no more than two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cakes are still quite soft in the center, but firm at the edges.
8. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, run a small knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it from the mold, then turn the cake out onto a serving plate.
Note: Also called almond meal or ground almonds, almond flour is simply pulverized almond. It's available in specialty stores, including Trader Joe's and online at King Arthur Flour and Amazon. You can make your own by pulverizing sliced blanched almonds in a food processor with the sharp blade attachment (measuring by weight) with the flour and salt, until finely ground.
About one cup (250ml)
The original recipe said it should take 20 to 30 minutes at a slightly-higher oven temperature. Mine took about twice that long, but I baked it a lower temperature since I was concerned about overcooking the white chocolate. Note that this is a recipe more about technique than one to be followed strictly to the letter. So if you think your batch is done before the time indicated, then it's likely done.
Basically what you're doing is checking the chocolate every ten minutes and giving it a good stir to promote the caramelization. The only danger is overcooking: you want to cook it until it's the color of natural peanut butter. If you do overcook it and it gets grainy, you can press it through a fine mesh sieve and it'll be just fine.
12 ounces (340gr) white chocolate, a block or in fêves (as
shown)
pinch of flaky sea salt
Preheat the oven to 250F (120 C)
1. If the white chocolate is in a block, chop it into coarse pieces.
2. Distribute the white chocolate on a rimmed baking sheet and heat for ten minutes.
3. Remove it from the oven and spread it with a clean, dry spatula.
4. Continue to cook for and additional 40-60 minutes, stirring at 10 minute intervals. At some points it may look lumpy and chalky but keep stirring and it will smooth out and caramelize.
5. Cook until the white chocolate is deep-golden brown, and caramelized. Stir in a good pinch of sea salt.
If it's lumpy, scrape it into a bowl and smooth it out with an immersion
blender, or in a food processor.
Store in a jar, at room temperature, until ready to use. It should keep for several months, if stored in a cool, dry place.
*UPDATE (6/5/09): I did try this with 'supermarket' white chocolate, which probably had the minimum of cocoa butter (20%) and it was quite chalky and hard to stir. When it was done, I blended it with heavy cream and it was nice and smooth. But be aware if you use a white chocolate with a low cocoa butter content, it will be quite dry during the caramelization. Check the package and look for one with a high cocoa butter content, boasting at least 30%, for best results.
