Chocolate Strawberry Bombe Recipes

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.

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!

Steps:

• Line a 1.2-litre pudding bowl with a double layer of cling film, leaving plenty overhanging, and make a space for the bowl in the freezer. Put the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the butter and 2 tbsp caramel, and blend until well mixed. Save about 3 tbsp for the top and tip the rest into the lined pudding bowl. Use the back of a spoon to press evenly over the base and up the sides of the bowl. Freeze for 30 mins.
• Remove the chocolate ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften at room temperature for 10 mins. Remove the pudding bowl from the freezer too (the biscuits should be firm by now.) Spoon the ice cream into the biscuit- lined bowl, packing it into the base. Spoon over the remaining caramel, spreading it to the biscuit walls. Return to the freezer for 30 mins.
• Remove the caramel ice cream and allow it to soften for 10 mins. Meanwhile, tip 75g Maltesers into a bowl and lighty crush with the end of a rolling pin, leaving some chunky bits. Add the ice cream to the bowl and stir through the Malteser pieces - work quickly so the ice cream doesn't melt too much. Remove the pudding bowl from the freezer and tip in the Malteser ice cream, spreading it to completely fill the bowl, then level the top. Scatter with the remaining biscuit crumbs. Return to the freezer for at least 4 hrs (or for up to 2 weeks).
• Put the cream in a pan and heat until steaming hot but not boiling. Put the chocolate in a large bowl and pour over the cream. Leave to stand for 1-2 mins, then stir to make a smooth ganache. Set aside to cool until the sauce thickens to a spreadable consistency (you can speed this up by putting it in the fridge, but remember to stir it every 5-10 mins or it will set around the edges).
• Remove the pudding bowl from the freezer. Turn it onto a plate and remove the bowl and cling film. Spread half the chocolate ganache all over the pudding and, as quickly as you can, stick the remaining Maltesers all over the surface - this is easiest if you start around the bottom and work your way up in layers. The chocolate ganache will start to set, so use a little more from the bowl to make the Maltesers stick. Once covered, return to the freezer for at least a further 4 hrs (or for up to 3 days), removing it 10 mins before serving. Top with a dusting of icing sugar and a sprig of holly, if you like.

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.

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, cook chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. Holding berries by the stem, dip each one in molten chocolate, about three-quarters of the way to the stem. Place, stem side down, on wire rack and chill in refrigerator until hardened.