Valentine Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream Bombe Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BOMBE

Steps:

• Line bowl with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang all around.
• Stir walnuts and chocolate cookies into cherry ice cream in another bowl. Transfer ice cream to lined bowl and spread evenly over bottom and up sides, leaving a crater in center. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Scoop chocolate ice cream into crater in cherry ice cream, then smooth top with an offset spatula. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, melt chocolate with butter and oil in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Invert bombe onto a rack set over a baking sheet and remove plastic wrap. Make a small indentation in top and place maraschino cherry into ice cream so that the cherry is submerged but stem sticks straight up (like a fuse).
• Ladle chocolate sauce on top of bombe (avoiding cherry stem), letting it drip over sides to coat thoroughly. Freeze until chocolate coating is set, about 30 minutes.
• To serve, cut into wedges.

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 CHERRY BOMBE

Steps:

• Line a 1 1/2 quart glass or stainless bowl with plastic wrap, leaving enough excess hanging over the edge, and stick it in the freezer.
• In a medium pot, combine the cherries, 1 cup of sugar, lemon juice, kirsch, and 3/4 cup of water. Simmer over medium-high heat until the juice from the cherries is released and the fruit is soft, about 20 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry and add it to the cherry mixture. Simmer, stirring, for another 2 minutes to thicken. Remove the cherry sauce from the heat, you should have about 4 cups. Put the cherry sauce in the freezer or in an ice bath to chill until cold.
• Using a wire whisk, beat 2 cups of the heavy cream, the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and vanilla together until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into half of the cherry mixture (2 cups) to make a light mousse - don't overdo it, it's ok if there are streaks of cream in the filling. Gently fold in the pistachios. Take the plastic-lined bowl out of the freezer and spoon the cherry mousse into it, filling it all the way to the top, and spreading evenly around the rim. Freeze again for at least 8 hours, so the mousse sets up firm.
• Heat the remaining 1 cup of cream and the chocolate in a pot over medium-low flame. Stir to melt the chocolate completely and smooth it out into the cream. Cool until warm to the touch, the chocolate should still be pourable.
• Take the bowl of cherry mousse out of the freezer and invert it, bottom-side up, on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Carefully peel off the plastic and pour the chocolate ganache over the bombe to cover it completely, allowing the excess to drip down into the sheet pan. Stick the chocolate cherry bombe back in the freezer to chill. Using a couple of flat spatulas, carefully remove the bombe from the rack and put in on a chilled platter. Cut into wedges; serve with the reserved cherry sauce.

CHERRY-CHEESECAKE CELEBRATION BOMBE

Steps:

• Sponge Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 10-inch round cake pan with oil. Line bottom with parchment; brush parchment. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder to combine. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk hot water with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until dissolved. Whisk in oil, then egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Whisk flour mixture into oil mixture just until combined.
• In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites just until no streaks remain. Transfer to prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
• Bake until cake is pale golden and top springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then turn cake out onto rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely.
• Cherry-Cookie Crumb: Pulse cookies, cherries, and granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until texture resembles wet sand (you should have 2 packed cups). Transfer to a bowl, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Cream-Cheese Filling: Line a 10-inch-diameter mixing bowl (10-to-12-cup volume) with plastic wrap, leaving a long overhang on all sides. Beat cream cheese on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in condensed milk. In another bowl, whisk cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Fold into cream-cheese mixture to combine. Transfer to prepared mixing bowl, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup cookie-crumb mixture. Transfer to freezer.
• Cherry Ice Cream: Combine cherries, corn syrup, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring a few times. Boil until juices thicken slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes (or cool quickly over an ice-water bath). Temper ice cream in refrigerator until softened but not melting, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer ice cream and chilled cherry mixture to a food processor. Pulse just until combined and no streaks of ice cream remain. Pour into bowl in freezer, smoothing top. Top with sponge cake. Cover cake with plastic over-hang and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and up to 5 days.
• Dip bowl in a hot-water bath 10 seconds. Wipe bowl dry and invert onto a cake plate. Remove bowl and plastic wrap. Using your hands, press remaining cookie-crumb mixture evenly over cream-cheese filling (remove any crumb mixture that falls onto plate with a pastry brush). Cut into wedges and serve immediately, or wrap in plastic and return to freezer until ready to serve, up to 3 days.

VALENTINE CHOCOLATE-CHERRY ICE CREAM BOMBE

Steps:

• Stir first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in brandy. Cool.
• Line 10-inch-diameter, 10-cup metal bowl with plastic wrap, extending over sides. Spread cherry-vanilla ice cream over inside of bowl to within 3/4 inch of top edge, leaving center 6-inch-diameter hollow. Freeze 30 minutes. Fill hollow completely with sorbet; smooth top. Overlap half of cookies (about 22) atop ice cream and sorbet, covering completely and pressing gently. Spread 1* cups fudge sauce over cookies. Overlap remaining cookies atop sauce. Cover; freeze bombe overnight. Cover and chill remaining sauce. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep bombe frozen. Keep sauce chilled.)
• Rewarm remaining sauce over low heat, stirring often. Turn bombe out onto platter. Peel off plastic. Cut bombe into wedges. Serve with remaining sauce.

BERRIES-AND-CHERRIES ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Combine vodka and 1/3 cup sugar; gently stir in cherries and berries. Let stand 2 hours, stirring occasionally; or refrigerate, covered, up to 12 hours. Strain (reserving syrup for another use).
• Pulse wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt; pulse until mixture has the texture of wet sand. Press half of mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Temper cherry ice cream in the refrigerator until it has the texture of soft-serve, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream with remaining 1/3 cup sugar to soft peaks. Stir two thirds of whipped cream (refrigerate the remainder) into cherry ice cream just to combine. Pour ice cream mixture over crust; smooth top and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Top with remaining crumb mixture; press to lightly pack. Freeze 20 minutes. Meanwhile, temper vanilla ice cream in the refrigerator about 20 minutes, then stir into remaining whipped cream just to combine. Fold in half of cherry-berry mixture. Spread over crumb mixture, smooth top, and sprinkle with remaining berry-cherry mixture. Cover and freeze at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of boiling water. Let cool until no longer hot but still pourable, about 10 minutes. Run a thin-bladed knife between cake and sides of pan to loosen; remove sides. Run knife between bottom of cake and pan; transfer to a cake plate. Drizzle chocolate evenly over cake; top with whole cherries and berries.
• Return to freezer until chocolate hardens, 2 to 3 minutes; or freeze, loosely covered, up to 8 hours. Slice into wedges using a sharp knife dipped in hot water (if cake is too firm to slice, let temper in the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes first).