Dome Cake Filled With Chocolate And Nut Cream Food

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL DOMES

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, egg and 1 teaspoon hot water until smooth and combined.
• Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then flip out onto a cutting board to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 6 circles from the cake (save the scraps for another use); set aside.
• For the chocolate domes and mousse: Meanwhile, add the coconut oil and 3 ounces of the chocolate to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cavities of a silicone half-sphere mold with six 3-ounce-capacity cavities and tilt the mold to swirl the chocolate around until each half-sphere is coated entirely (you can also use your finger to swirl the chocolate around). Some chocolate may spill over on top of the mold, which is fine; it will break off when you unmold the domes. Tap out any excess chocolate and freeze until the chocolate is hardened, about 5 minutes.
• Put 1/4 cup of the cream in a small bowl and stir in the gelatin. Put the butter and remaining 6 ounces chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir the gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture until the gelatin is dissolved. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until well combined. Add the remaining chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until no streaks remain.
• For the filling and topping: Scoop 1/3 cup of the mousse into each chocolate cavity in the half-sphere mold. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a divot in the middle of each portion of chocolate mousse about halfway down. Pour a heaping teaspoon of caramel sauce into each divot. Top each half-sphere with a cake round, pressing down gently into the mousse (use a paper towel to wipe away any mousse that may seep out of the mold). Freeze until the mousse is set, about 1 hour.
• Gently peel the mold away from each of the half-spheres and place them cake-side down on a serving platter.
• Use a vegetable peeler to shave 1 tablespoon of chocolate curls from the chocolate. Put the remaining chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted, about 1 minute. Drizzle the melted chocolate over each dome and sprinkle with the chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

CREME-FILLED CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan according to the cake mix package directions. Bake the Devil's food cake according to the package directions. Let cool completely.
• Combine the softened butter and marshmallow creme in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and well combined. Add the confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon cream and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Put the marshmallow creme mixture into a piping bag fitted with a long thin round tip.
• Flip the cake so it is flat-side up and make 12 evenly-spaced holes in the bottom of the cake using a skewer, pressing only halfway down into the cake and wiggling the skewer slightly to widen the holes until they are each about 1 inch wide. Insert the piping tip in each of the hollowed-out holes and pipe in some marshmallow mixture until it starts to ooze out the top of the hole, reserving about 1/4 cup frosting for decorating the top of the cake. Flip the cake flat-side down onto a cake stand or serving platter.
• Put the chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl. Bring the remaining 1/3 cup cream to a boil in a small saucepan, then pour over the chips. Stir until the chips are melted, then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Spoon over the cake and let cool until set, about 30 minutes. Pipe connecting loops over the top of the cake with the remaining frosting in the piping bag. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

HAZELNUT DOME CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Line with parchment paper. Butter parchment. Combine nuts, sugar and flour in processor. Process until nuts are finely ground. Beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold nut mixture into whites in 3 additions (whites will deflate). Spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake until cake starts to pull away from sides of baking sheet and is light golden on top, about 35 minutes (cake will be slightly moist). Cool cake 10 minutes.
• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Invert cake onto parchment. Cool cake completely.
• Make chocolate ganache:
• Place chocolate in large bowl. Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Chill until firm enough to spread, at least 6 hours or overnight. (Cake and chocolate ganache can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cake tightly with plastic wrap; leave at room temperature. Keep ganache refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature until spreadable.)
• Make hazelnut cream:
• Beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and 1/4 cup amaretto, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in chopped hazelnuts and chocolate.
• Line 2-quart bowl with plastic wrap, overlapping sides by 2 inches. Cut cake lengthwise into 1/3-inch-wide slices. Line bowl with cake, placing slices cut side down and tightly side by side in single layer, trimming to fit and completely covering bowl (if cake slices break, piece together to fit). Brush cake with 1 1/2 tablespoons amaretto. Spread ganache over cake, covering completely. Spoon hazelnut cream into center; smooth top. Cover filling with cake, placing slices side by side, fitting tightly together and trimming to fit. Brush with 1 1/2 tablespoons amaretto. Cover; chill at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
• Uncover cake. Invert onto platter. Remove plastic. Sift cocoa powder and powdered sugar over. Serve with berries.

MILK CHOCOLATE DOME WITH CARAMEL CREAM, FLEUR DE SEL AND PISTACHIO CRUNCH ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Mousse:
• Whip the 16 ounces heavy cream to soft peaks. Bring the milk and remaining 4 1/2 ounces of cream to a boil. Beat the sugar and egg yolks until smooth. While whisking egg yolk mixture, add a small ladle of the hot cream and whisk well to temper. Add the yolk mixture to the cream mixture and cook over low heat, while whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat. Strain and pour over the chocolate. Mix to incorporate. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
• Caramel Cream:
• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Once mixture boils, don't stir anymore. Boil until the mixture turns a dark caramel color. Once a dark caramel color is achieved, remove from the heat and carefully add half quart cream and the vanilla bean. Be careful as the mixture may sputter a bit when you add the cream. Bring back to a boil and cook until a uniform consistency is achieved. Strain and let cool overnight. Whip the remaining half quart of cream to soft peaks. Fold in the caramel.
• Assembly:
• While the ice cream is still soft stir in 1 cup of pistachio nougatine. Place in freezer until ready to serve.
• Pipe the mousse into 4-ounce dome molds and gently spoon up the sides to create a shell. Place in the freezer until set. Pipe in about 2 tablespoons of the caramel cream into each dome mold. Top with a chocolate disk and a round of chocolate biscuit. Place in the freezer until set and then unmold and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Warm the chocolate glaze. Place a sable round on a plate. Glaze the dome and place it on top of the cookie. Top with a dot of gold leaf. Serve with the pistachio ice cream and chocolate garnishes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the egg whites in a mixer and whisk until frothy. While whisking, slowly add the 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of sugar and whisk to soft peaks. Meanwhile whisk together the yolks, oil and water until frothy. Stir in the remaining 2 cups sugar. Sift the remaining dry ingredients and whisk into the yolk mixture.
• Gently fold in the meringue. Spread between 3 full sheet pans lined with parchment and bake until the cake springs back in the center, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut with a round cutter to fit directly at the base of the dome mold.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and yolk, 1 at a time, just to combine.
• Sift all dry ingredients and add a little at a time until just mixed together. Roll out very thin, about 1/8-inch. Cut out with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter. Sprinkle disks with sugar and bake off until dry to the touch, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool.
• Bring the water, sugar, cream and corn syrup to a boil. Pour over the chocolates and mix together. Let cool.
• Preheat oven to 325 degree F.
• In a large pot, melt the butter and corn syrup. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and pectin and cook, stirring until you have reached a full boil. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the pistachios. Spread onto parchment lined sheet pan and bake in the oven until golden brown. Let cool. Grind in a food processor into small chunks.
• Bring the milk, cream, vanilla beans and half the sugar to a boil. Whisk together the remaining sugar and yolks. While whisking, add a ladle of the hot cream mixture to the yolks. Stir the yolk mixture into the cream mixture and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and strain. Let cool and process in an ice cream machine.
• Temper chocolate and spread a thin layer out onto parchment. Sprinkle lightly with fleur de sel before it sets. Cut out with a 3/4-inch circle cutter.