Christmas Dinner, Part I – German Chocolate Bombes: Dessert First!
I was reading my Facebook feed and this recipe came through on Fine Cooking’s stream and it called to me – German Chocolate Bombes:
Photo courtesy Fine Cooking |
The photo just grabbed my attention and I adore German chocolate cake. I decided I just had to make them. I really wasn’t worried about putting them together – I’m pretty confident in the kitchen so I looked at the ingredients, sent hubby off with a shopping list and FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF ANY NEW RECIPE.
Read the whole damn thing before you start.
*sigh*
I wondered how they got to be so nice and roundish but figured it took an ice cream scoop, blah, blah, blah. It takes a bombe mold. A silicone bombe mold. This I learned as I had all of the components in front of me ready to be turned into bombes.
*sigh again*
I am going to purchase the damn molds so I can make them properly.
Fortunately I am quick on my feet and I have a pretty well stocked kitchen.
I improvised. I used a mini cheesecake pan.
They worked, they tasted divine but they weren’t technically bombes…
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German Chocolate Bombes (sort of)– courtesy Fine Cooking
PRINT THIS RECIPE at FineCooking.com
For the cake
- Cooking spray
- 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 oz. (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water
- 7 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
TIP:
This recipe contains raw eggs; if that’s a concern, buy pasteurized.
For the coconut-pecan filling
- 3-1/4 oz. (about 1 cup) sweetened, shredded dried coconut, toasted and cooled
- 3 oz. (2/3 cup) pecans, toasted and cooled
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2-1/2 oz. (5 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 5-oz. can evaporated milk
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the chocolate mousse
- 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70% cacao), chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3-1/2 oz. (7 Tbs.) unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
For the glaze
- 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70% cacao), finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 Tbs. light corn syrup
- 1 cup heavy cream
Make the cake
Very curdled… |
Make the coconut-pecan filling
Make the chocolate mousse
Assemble the bombes
Glaze the bombes
Since I did not have bombe molds I used my mini cheesecake pan. This is a pan with 12 holes with removable bottoms. I sprayed the openings with cooking spray.
I cut circles of cake with a 2″ biscuit cutter and put them in the bottom. I put some of the chocolate mousse into a disposable cake decorating bag with a plain tip.
I piped a circle of mousse around the edge of the cake leaving the center open. I then added in about a teaspoon of the coconut/pecan filling. For a few of them I had made a cherry filling for the hubby because he does not like coconut. I then filled them in with chocolate mousse.
I had a fair bit of all three components left over so I took a small pyrex bowl and I treated it like the bombe mold; I filled it with mousse but spread it down the sides, added the filling and topped it with a piece of cake. I put the bowl and the minis into the freezer. When they were frozen I pulled them out to glaze.
Removing the minis was quite easy. I just put some hot water in the sink and held the pan in the water for about 20 seconds. Then I pushed up from the bottom. They all came out perfectly.
I took my time pouring the glaze over the top of the little cakes making sure to coat all of the sides. It took a couple of go-rounds. I then sprinkled a bit of edible glitter on top.
The larger bombe in the bowl un-molded the same way and I glazed it as well. Not very pretty but very tasty!
The little cakes were a delight! The perfect size for a little treat. The mousse was rich, light and airy, the cake was almost brownie like and the coconut/pecan filling was delicious. These are a bit of work but definitely worth it!
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. I’ll be back with what we had for dinner – Bacon Wrapped Seabass on Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Rice with Apple, Pear and Citrus Salad. Mmmm.