Mint Chocolate Bombe Recipes

Steps:

• Spray a 24-count mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place an approximately 20-inch-long piece of plastic wrap over the muffin pan, leaving about 4 inches of excess plastic hanging over the ends of the pan. Press the plastic into each cup of the pan, making sure the cups are completely lined with the plastic wrap.
• Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure, scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons ice cream into each muffin cup so they are filled to the top. Place a chocolate cookie on top of each ice cream-filled muffin cup and gently press down. Freeze until the ice cream hardens, about 3 hours.
• Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Carefully remove the plastic wrap from the muffin pan to release the bonbons from the muffin cups. Place the bonbons cookie-side down on the baking sheet lined with the wire rack. Slowly pour some of the chocolate shell ice cream sauce over about 1 to 2 bonbons at a time to cover completely. Before the sauce hardens, sprinkle the top of the bonbon with the chopped mint candies. The sauce will harden in about 30 seconds, so continue to coat 1 to 2 bonbons at a time before topping them with the chopped candies, until all 24 are coated and topped.
• Transfer the bonbons from the rack to the parchment-lined baking sheet with an offset spatula or butter knife. If needed, dip the offset spatula in hot water, then use it to remove the bonbons from rack. (The hot spatula will help prevent the chocolate shell from cracking when you remove them.) Store in a resealable container in the freezer until ready to serve, for up to one week.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3/fan oven 140C. Grease a 1.7 litre/3 pint stainless steel mixing bowl and line the base (approx 9cm/31⁄2in) with a circle of greaseproof paper.
• Break the chocolate into pieces in a heatproof bowl. Add 25g/1oz of the butter and stand the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until the chocolate has melted (or melt it in the microwave). Stir until smooth.
• Put the remaining butter in a separate bowl with the sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and 85g/3oz of the almonds. Beat together for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Spoon 350g/12oz of this mixture into another bowl and stir in the cocoa powder and milk. Stir the remaining almonds and the vanilla extract into the remaining plain cake mixture.
• Spread a little of the vanilla mixture in the base of the bowl. Top with a spoonful of the cocoa mixture, then a little of the chocolate sauce, taking care not to let the chocolate sauce get near the edge of the bowl or it will burn during baking. Continue to alternate the three mixtures in the bowl, placing large spoonfuls in at random and spreading them slightly to mix up the colours. Level the surface, then swirl a skewer or the end of a teaspoon through the mixture, two or three times, to ripple the colours together. Don't overmix or the colours will lose their definition.
• Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes until the cake is risen and the surface feels firm to the touch. To check that the cake is done, pierce the light part of the cake with a skewer - it should come out clean. Leave to cool in the bowl, then loosen the edges and invert the cake on to a flat serving plate.
• Make the chocolate cream. Heat the cream in a small heavybased saucepan until hot and beginning to bubble round the edges. Add the chocolate pieces and remove from the heat, stirring gently. Pour into a bowl and leave until the chocolate has melted. Chill for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture just holds its shape when beaten.
• Using a palette knife, swirl the chocolate cream over the top and sides of the cake. Slice the candied fruits and use to decorate the top of the cake. Keep in a cool place (not the fridge) until ready to serve. This is a luxurious dessert, so serve thin slivers with a dollop of crème fraîche to cut through the richness.