Warning: This took me 5 hours to make!
Crust:
- 1-¾ cups of cookie crumbs (Ginger cookies)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Custard Base:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 7 large egg yolks
Dark-chocolate layer:
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (around 5 blocks of Baker’s chocolate)
- ½ cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1/3 Custard Base recipe
- 2 tablespoons Kahlua
White-chocolate layer:
- 1/3 Custard Base recipe
- 2 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped (around 2 blocks of Baker’s chocolate)
- ½ cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1 tablespoon fine brandy or cognac
Milk-chocolate layer:
- 1/3 Custard Base recipe
- 7 ounces dark milk chocolate (preferably 42% cacao), finely chopped (around 7 blocks of Baker’s chocolate)
- ½ cup heavy cream, chilled
Instructions:
For crust:
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly butter the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan.
Crumble the cookies into a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until blended. Or blend together crumbs and butter.
Press the crust evenly into the unlined, lightly coated pan. Bake for 10 minutes. When cool, line the sides with a 3-inch-wide parchment strip along the inside edge.
To prepare the custard base:
In a small, heavy saucepan, whisk together the cream, milk, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Using a paring knife, scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the mixture and toss in the bean. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
In a mixing bowl whisk together the remaining sugar and egg yolks. Slowly pour approximately one third of the warm cream mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan, stirring constantly.
Return to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon, about 160F. Remove from the heat.
Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Evenly divide the base into 3 small mixing bowls. Cover the custards with plastic wrap touching the tops so a skin does not form. Refrigerate until cook but not cold.
To make the three chocolate layers:
First make the Dark-Chocolate Layer. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Remove when nearly melted and continue stirring until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool, stirring frequently. Return it to the double boiler only briefly if it begins to set up.
In a separate bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
Remove one bowl of the Custard Base from the refrigerator and stir until smooth and creamy. There should be no lumps. Stir in Kahlua. Fold the cooled, melted chocolate into the custard. Lighten by quickly folding in one-third of the whipping cream. Gently fold in the remaining cream in 2 parts.
To make the remaining layers:
Evenly spread the Dark-Chocolate Layer the crust in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer to set.
When the first layer is set, follow the same procedure to make the White-Chocolate Layer. Remove plastic wrap from dark layer. Spread white layer evenly over the dark layer, cover in plastic and freeze until set, about 20 minutes.
When the second layer is set, follow the same procedure to make the Milk-Chocolate Layer. Spread evenly over the white layer. Cover in plastic and freeze for at least 4 hours to set.
To serve, loosen and move the side of the pan. Remove the parchment. Serve ice cold, directly from the freezer, using a warm dry knife to cut.
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