Whisk egg yolks, 2 tablespoons honey, Grand Marnier, and 3 tablespoons cold water in large metal bowl to blend. Set over saucepan of gently boiling water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and whisk until mixture thickens and thermometer registers 160°F, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water; add gelatin mixture and whisk until dissolved.
Stir remaining 1 tablespoon cold water and 4 tablespoons honey in small saucepan over low heat until honey dissolves. Increase heat and boil until candy thermometer inserted into mixture registers 220°F, tilting pan to submerge thermometer bulb, about 2 minutes.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat hot honey syrup into whites. Continue beating until whites are cool and very stiff, about 4 minutes. Fold barely lukewarm white chocolate into yolk mixture; then fold whites into yolk mixture in 3 additions.
Beat cream and vanilla in medium bowl until medium-firm peaks form. Fold cream and nuts into mousse. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Cover with plastic; freeze overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.
Freeze oval platter 15 minutes. Uncover terrine. Place platter on pan. Invert terrine onto platter; peel off plastic. Spoon Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce onto center of plates. Slice terrine; place atop sauce. Spoon Raspberry-Fig Sauce over center of terrine slices and serve immediately.
A little bit of honey and a shot of brandy amp up the flavor of this sauce. Makes about 1¾ cups
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon brandyPinch of salt
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine cream, honey, brandy, and salt in medium saucepan. Stir over high heat until mixture comes to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk in vanilla. Let stand until cool but still pourable, about 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Before serving, stir over low heat until just liquid but not warm.
Dried figs and frozen raspberries make this a dessert sauce for all seasons. Makes about 2 cups
5 ounces dried Calimyrna figs, stemmed, quartered (about 1 cup)
1 cup water
3 tablespoons honey
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 12-ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed
¼ cup sugar
Combine figs, 1 cup water, honey, and vanilla bean in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium and simmer until figs are tender and liquid is reduced to thick syrup, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add raspberries and sugar and simmer until thickened to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
The chocolate, peppermint, and cream mixture here does double duty: First, it’s rolled into truffles, which become mint chocolate polka dots when pressed into the vanilla ice cream terrine. The remaining chocolate mixture is then melted into a decadent sauce that’s drizzled around the terrine, along with a mint sauce, before serving. 12 servings
Truffles and Chocolate Sauce
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
16 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
2 teaspoons pure peppermint extractNatural unsweetened cocoa powder
2½ pints vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
Mint Sauce
¾ cup sugar
⅓ cup water
2 cups (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
TRUFFLES AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE: Bring cream to simmer in heavy large saucepan; remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Whisk in peppermint extract. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours, or chill overnight.
Line baking sheet with foil. Drop scant 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture for each of 16 truffles onto prepared sheet. Dust hands with cocoa; roll chocolate mounds into rounds. Cover and freeze truffles. Cover and chill remaining chocolate mixture for sauce.
DO AHEAD: Truffles and sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Keep truffles frozen; keep chocolate mixture chilled.
Line 8½×4½×2½-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang. Spread ⅓ of ice cream (about 1⅔ cups) over bottom of prepared pan. Press 8 truffles in random pattern (and spaced apart) into ice-cream layer. Spread ½ of remaining ice cream over. Press remaining 8 truffles in random pattern (and spaced apart) into second ice-cream layer. Spread remaining ice cream over. Cover terrine with plastic wrap overhang. Freeze at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.
MINT SAUCE: Bring sugar and ½ cup water to boil in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour syrup into blender; cool 10 minutes. Add mint leaves to syrup and puree until smooth. Transfer sauce to bowl; cool.
DO AHEAD: Mint sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Whisk to blend before using.
Stir remaining chocolate mixture over low heat until warm. Transfer to pitcher. Turn ice cream terrine out onto platter; peel off plastic. Cut terrine crosswise into slices; arrange on plates. Drizzle chocolate sauce and mint sauce around slices.
Ice-cream pies are ideal for summer entertaining: There’s little or no baking required, they’re easy to prepare, they can be made well in advance, and they’re guaranteed crowd-pleasers. In this pie, rocky road ice cream is deconstructed into its essential elements: chocolate, marshmallow, vanilla, and nuts. It all starts with a chocolate crust, which is topped with purchased chocolate ice cream, dotted with a rich milk chocolate fudge sauce, drizzled with melted marshmallow cream, and sprinkled with toasted walnut pieces. 12 servings
Fudge Sauce
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Marshmallow Sauce
4 cups mini marshmallows (about 7½ ounces)
⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pie
2 quarts chocolate ice cream, slightly softened, dividedChocolate Crumb Crust (see recipe)
1 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped, divided
FUDGE SAUCE: Bring cream just to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; let stand 1 minute. Whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Let stand at room temperature until sauce cools and thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.