Chocolate Strawberry Bombe Recipes

CHOCOLATE ORANGE & CRANBERRY RED VELVET BOMBE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease 2 x 16cm hemisphere cake tins, then dust with flour and shake out the excess. Stand the tins on two ramekins placed on a baking tray to hold them steady. Put the cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk together until smooth and evenly coloured bright red. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for 45 mins. Remove from the oven, cool in the tins for 10 mins, then tip onto a wire rack and leave until completely cold.
• Meanwhile, make the chocolate-orange ganache and the filling. Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the orange zest and heat until just steaming. Put half the white chocolate in a bowl, and the dark and milk chocolates in another bowl. Pour 50ml of the hot cream over the white chocolate (strain it if the orange zest is in big strands), and the remaining cream over the dark and milk mixture. Leave the bowls for 1-2 mins, then stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool for 10 mins.
• Put the cream cheese in a bowl and whisk lightly to loosen. Add the icing sugar and the cooled white chocolate and cream mixture, then blend until smooth. Stir through the cranberries, then chill.
• When the cakes are cold, you can start assembling. With the cakes flat-side up, use a 7cm biscuit cutter to mark a circle in the centre of each. Use a spoon to gently scoop a dip in each cake, about 4cm deep (save the crumbs for cake truffles - see tip, left.) Remove the cream cheese mixture from the fridge and use to fill the cavities in the cakes, spreading a little onto the flat surfaces too, to help them stick together. Invert 1 cake onto the other to create a sphere, and place on a wire rack set over a baking tray (this will catch any chocolate drips).
• To ice the cake, the chocolate ganache needs to be the right consistency - pourable but not too runny. If it has set a little too much, place in the microwave for 10-20 secs, then mix until smooth; if it is too runny, chill until it has firmed up a little. Pour half the ganache over the cake, letting it cover the sides and run into the tray below (use the chocolate drips for cake truffles, see Tip). Cover the whole surface using a palette knife. This is just the first coating, so won't fill the gap between the sponges. Chill the cake for 20 mins or until the ganache has firmed up a little.
• Remove the cake from the fridge. Cover the gap around the middle with the remaining ganache, smoothing it all over with a palette knife. Return to the fridge for another 20 mins until firm, then transfer to a serving plate.
• Melt the remaining white chocolate in the microwave in short 10-sec bursts. Drizzle over the top of the cake, then scatter with dried cranberries, sprinkles and edible glitter, if you like. Chill if not serving straight away - it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Remove from the fridge 30 mins before serving.

BROWNIE BOMBE

Steps:

• For the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
• Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs in a large bowl and mix until well combined; set aside.
• Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler, then whisk together until fully combined. Pour the chocolate mixture into the sugar mixture and mix until fully combined. Fold in the flour and cocoa.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the bombe: Using a 4-inch ring cutter, cut a round from the baking sheet of brownies. Slice the remaining brownies into approximately 3-by-4-inch rectangles. You should have 10 rectangles. Keep 5 rectangles as they are and cut the other 5 in half to make triangles.
• Line a 2 1/2-quart (about 9 inches across) freezer-safe bowl with plastic wrap. Place the brownie round in the bottom of the bowl and, alternating between the rectangles and triangles, fill the sides of the bowl. Press the brownie pieces into the bowl so that the interior of the bowl is lined with brownies. Break off any excess that extends above the edge of the bowl. Make sure to press the seams together so there are no cracks. Break the remaining brownie pieces into small crumbles and reserve.
• Wrap a 5-inch freezer-safe bowl in plastic wrap from the bottom, combining the loose ends of the plastic wrap at the top.
• Spread the softened ice cream inside the large bowl over the brownie layer. You should have about a 2-inch-thick layer of ice cream. Place the 5-inch bowl inside the ice cream layer, pushing it into the ice cream slightly to create a well. Cover the top with plastic wrap and freeze until the ice cream is firm, about 2 hours.
• In a large chilled bowl, combine the heavy cream, granulated sugar and cocoa. Whip the cream with a whisk or electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
• Remove the bombe from the freezer and remove the small bowl. Pour the hot fudge into the well, then fill with the whipped cream. Combine the reserved brownie crumbles and walnuts and sprinkle over the top of the bombe. Cover with plastic wrap and push down to press the brownie crumbles into the bombe. Freeze until the whipped cream is frozen, about 2 hours.
• Remove the bombe from the freezer and place the bowl side into a large bowl of hot water for 1 minute. Remove the plastic wrap. Invert the bombe onto a large platter or plate. Remove the glass bowl and plastic wrap. Garnish with a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Slice and serve.

CHOCOLATE-STRAWBERRY BOMBE

Steps:

• Grease and flour three (8- or 9-in.) round baking pans; set aside. Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions. Divide evenly and pour into prepared pans. , Bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., Reserve 6-7 strawberries for garnish. Puree enough remaining strawberries to measure 1 cup; set aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle gelatin over juice concentrate; let stand 5 minutes. Microwave on high power 1 minute. Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved; set aside. In a small bowl, beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff; set aside., To prepare filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in strawberry puree. Gradually add gelatin mixture; blend until smooth. Gradually whisk in whipped cream; set aside., Line a 12-cup capacity bowl with 2-3 long sheets of plastic wrap, allowing ends of plastic to over-hang edges by at least 6 inches. (Diameter at top of bowl must be 8-1/2 or 9-1/2 inches, depending on size of baking pan.), Gently press one cake layer into bottom of prepared bowl. , Spoon about one-half of filling over cake layer in bowl; top with second cake layer. Gently press down on cake layer. Spread remaining filling over cake. Top with remaining cake layer. Gently press down. Cover cake with loose ends of plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour., In a small bowl, beat confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 cups heavy whipping cream until stiff. Uncover top of bombe in bowl. Invert onto serving platter; remove and discard plastic wrap. Frost bombe with sweetened whipped cream., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and oil; stir until smooth. Transfer to a heavy-duty small resealable plastic bat. Cut a tiny hole in bottom corner of bag. Gently squeeze bag and drizzle chocolate over bombe. Garnish as desired with reserved strawberries.

ICE CREAM BOMBE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Line a 9-inch diameter glass bowl with enough plastic wrap to hang over the edges by 6 inches (15 ¼ cm) all the way around. You may have to use more than one piece of plastic.
• Add the softened ice cream to a medium bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
• Transfer the softened ice cream to the prepared glass bowl and smooth the top with a rubber spatula so the ice cream is about 1½ inches (4 cm) from the rim of the bowl. Reserve any leftover ice cream in the freezer. Gently press another piece of plastic wrap over the ice cream to prevent freezer burn and freeze for at least 8 hours, up to overnight.
• Make the vanilla cake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan with parchment paper and grease with nonstick spray.
• In a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, mix together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla.
• In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the egg yolks, beating between each addition. Continue beating until almost doubled in volume and very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, gently beat in a third of the flour mixture. Before it's fully combined, add half of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining buttermilk mixture, and the remaining flour and mix until well-blended and no lumps remain. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until the cake is golden brown, pulling away from the sides of the pan, and the top springs back slightly when pressed. A cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. The cake should still be very warm, but cool enough to handle. Remove the cake from the pan and place pan-side down on a wire rack or cutting board. Slice the domed top off the cake and discard or save for another use.
• Remove the ice cream bowl from freezer and peel back the top layer of plastic wrap. Gently flip the cake upside down, placing the still-warm, cut side of the cake down on top of the ice cream. It should fit snugly inside the rim of the bowl. Gently press the cake down to ensure it makes full contact with the ice cream. Cover again with plastic wrap and return to the freezer for at least 6 hours, up to overnight.
• Remove the ice cream bowl from freezer. Fill a slightly larger bowl about ⅓ of the way with hot water. Carefully lower the ice cream bowl into the hot water, ensuring that the water line is well below the rim of the bowl so it doesn't spill over.
• Set a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Peel back the plastic wrap and carefully invert the ice cream bowl onto the center of the wire rack. Remove the bowl and plastic wrap.
• Using the hot water in the larger bowl, warm an offset spatula for a few seconds. Use the spatula to smooth out any creases in the ice cream left by the plastic wrap. The surface of the ice cream should be as smooth as possible. If there are any gaps between the ice cream and cake, fill in with the leftover ice cream. If the ice cream has started to melt at all, return to the freezer until completely frozen again, 1-2 hours.
• Make the chocolate glaze: Add the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, whisking between, until completely melted. Whisk vigorously until glaze is smooth and glossy. Let cool to about 100°F (38°C), or just warm to the touch, before using.
• Pour the chocolate glaze directly over the top of the ice cream dome in one continuous pour, using a spatula to ensure the chocolate leaves the bowl quickly. Ensure the bombe is covered completely by swirling the chocolate in a 2-inch circle over the top center of the dome.
• Let the bombe sit at room temperature 5-10 minutes for the ice cream to soften slightly and the glaze to set, or place in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes. If serving more than 30 minutes later, return to the freezer, then let the bombe thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
• Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY BROWNIE BOMBE

Steps:

• Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Stir in walnuts. Pour the batter into two greased and waxed paper-lined 8-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pans. , Line a 1-1/2-qt. metal bowl with foil. Cut and fit one brownie layer to evenly line the inside of a bowl (brownie may crack). Spread preserves over brownie layer. Freeze for 15 minutes. Fill brownie-lined bowl with ice cream; smooth top. Cover and freeze for 3 hours or until ice cream is firm., Place remaining brownie layer on a serving plate. Remove bowl from freezer; uncover. Invert onto brownie layer; remove bowl and foil. Return to freezer. , In a large bowl, beat cream and food coloring until soft peaks form. Add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form; set aside 1-1/2 cups. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of bombe. , Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag and insert star tip. Fill with reserved whipped cream; pipe border at base of bombe. Holding the bag straight up and down, form stars on top. Garnish with strawberries and mint if desired.