When I started this recipe for Chocolate Bombe and Raspberry Sauce or Bombe aux Trois Chocolats (cake with 3 chocolates) recipe by Julie Child in the Menu Cookbook, I had no idea that it would take a couple of days to finish it! She starts the recipe by saying that it is a dessert for true chocolate lovers, yay, and one that’s beautiful to look at , for sure, and fun as well, though not difficult to make, hmmm. This recipe is indeed, chocolaty and beautiful but I would have to say that it is not going to be the easiest recipe that you have ever made but well worth it. Each step of the recipe is easy, but you will need to start it a couple of days before serving it. So don’t cut yourself short on time. I would actually suggest taking 3 days to make it. On the first day you will make the mousse, on the second day you will make the chocolate cake and cut it out and place in the bowl and add the mousse in layers to make the Bombe. Then on the 3rd day is a good time to invert the chocolate bombe onto your serving platter, add the chocolate topping and walnuts (optional), whip the cream and make the raspberry sauce (optional).
Julie Child is famous for some of her sayings like “If you are afraid of using butter then use cream”. Hence you will find that this recipe is not light and is one of those that you will make for a special occasion. She also said “The only real stumbling block is the fear of failure. In cooking you have to have a “What the Hell Attitude”!” So don’t let this recipe intimidate you and try it even though it looks a little long! Or “Nothing is too much trouble if it turns out like it should”. So follow the recipe one day at a time and one step at a time and it will be marvelous!
So plan, plan, plan out all the ingredients for each day and you will be all set to make a beautiful, chocolate bombe with whipped cream and raspberry sauce.
For the Mousse, first melt the two chocolates in a double boiler or in a small saucepan set inside a larger pan with simmering water. The chocolate will melt while you make the rest of the recipe. Make a custard using egg yolks and cream, and vanilla . Soften gelatin in a liquid, like rum or cognac or brandy and add to the custard. Then add the chocolate to the custard mixture. In a third bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form and then fold into the chocolate. This mixture will be cooled in the refrigerator and may be stored in the refrigerator for several days and also can be frozen.
You have now made the mousse for the Chocolate Bombe but this mousse would be good with white cake or with whipped cream or ice cream or strawberry sauce.
Day 2 – Cake Preparation
On the second day make the Chocolate Fudge Cake using a jelly roll pan. Make a paper pattern based on the size of your bowl and place on the finished cake and cut out. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap so that it is easily comes out of the bowl later. Arrange pieces of cake in the bowl and add mousse half way up the bowl and then add pieces of cake and then the remainder of the mousse. Add flat pieces of cake to make the bottom of the bombe and fold over the sides. What you see above is the bottom of the bombe. Place a flat plate on top to smash down the cake a little so that the mousse gets into the crevises of the bombe and cover and place in the refrigerator.
I used the Raspberry Coulis recipe from Food.com. Make Raspberry Coulis by pureeing 12 oz of raspberries (either fresh or frozen in a food processor). Add 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon Kirsch or Framboise eau-de-vie and stir. I didn’t remove the seeds but I would recommend removing seeds by straining raspberries through a sieve to remove them. Set aside sauce to use with the Chocolate Bombe,
Make whipping cream, using mixer to whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream until thick and light peaks form. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Chocolate Bombe with Raspberry Coulis
Chocolate Bombe and Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients for Mousse:
12 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate
1.5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons dark Jamaica rum, Cognac, or bourbon whiskey
3 “large” eggs
2 egg whites
1.4 cups heavy cream
1.4 tablespoons vanilla extract
Large pinch of salt
3 tablespoons sugar
Ingredients for Chocolate Fudge Cake
Butter and flour for baking pan
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 more stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups sugar
3 “large” eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
Ingredients for Toppings:
4 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoon chopped walnuts (optional)
a bowl of lightly whipped cream sweetened with confectioners sugar and flavored with vanilla
Ingredients for Raspberry Coulis
12 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon kirsch or Framboise
Instructions: Day 1:
1. Break up the two chocolates and set in a small saucepan. Place the small saucepan in a larger pan filled with 2 inches of water. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Stir until chocolate is melted. If needed return the 2 pots to heat and stir and remove. . Chocolate should be smoothly melted.
2. Measure gelatin into a small bowl and add the rum or cognac or bourbon and let soften.
3. Make Custard sauce_Separate the eggs, dropping the whites, plus the extra whites into a bowl, Set aside for later.
4. Place the yolks into a stainless steel saucepan. Use whisk to beat until thick and sticky. Then blend in the cream. Stir with wooden spatula or spoon, as liquid slowly heats. Do not let it come to a simmer. When bubbles appear on the surface, when you see the steam rising, this indicates that the sauce is thickening. When the sauce starts to cling to a light layer on the back of the spatula, remove from heat. Continue to stir for 1 minute.
5. Combine custard, gelatin and chocolate. Stir in the vanilla.
6. Beat the egg whites for a few minutes, add the salt, and then gradually increase speed and beat until egg whites form soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until eggs whites form Stiff shining peaks.
7. Fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate and then return the whole mixture to the egg white bowl.
8. Continue to fold until completely mixed and mousse is a dark color through out.
9. Chill until the next day or for at least several hours. Make be frozen.
Instructions Day 2:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C. Butter the jelly roll pan and cut a sheet of wax paper to fit it with 2 inches overhanging the pan at each end. Press into the pan. Butter and flour the paper, knocking off excess flour. Measure out all your ingredients.
2. Set the first stick of butter and the chocolate in to a pan. Place the pan into another bigger pan with 2 inches of water to make a double boiler. Place pans on stove and bring to a simmer and let the chocolate and butter melt together while you make the batter.
3. Cream second stick of butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one and the vanilla and salt. Stir in the warm melted chocolate mixture, then gradually sift and fold in the flour.
4. Spread the batter evenly into the pan, and bake at once in middle level of preheated oven, setting timer for 20 minutes until set or until top is still spongy.
5. Turn pan upside down over a wax paper. Remove the wax paper on the bottom of cake. Col for 10 minutes. Place the cake back into the pan.
6. When cool, cut 1/2 inch border all around the rectangle, since the edges tend to be brittle.
7. Make the cut out pattern for the container you will placing the Chocolate Bombe into. Cut 6 or 7 wedges for the sides of the bombe and 1 circle for the bottom of the bombe.
8. Place your pattern on top of the chocolate cake and cut out. With the remaining cake, cut the pieces that will fit on the bottom of the bombe.
9. Line the glass bowl with plastic wrap. Place the round circle into the bottom of the glass bowl on top of the plastic wrap. Place the cut out rectangle pieces in the bowl to form the sides of the chocolate bombe.
10. Fill half way up with the mousse. On top of the mousse add small pieces of the leftover cake. Add all the remaining mousse on top. Then add the extra pieces of cake. You should have 1/2 inch or 1 inch of cake on the sides. Fold the sides into the middle. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top and add a plate to press down the mousse so it fills the sides of the chocolate bombe.
11. Turn Chocolate Bombe out onto serving plate.
Day 3:
1. Melt chocolate over hot water in a double boiler.
2. Pour chocolate over the chocolate bombe. Chopped nuts may be added to the tope
3, Whip Cream until lightly whipped and add confectioners sugar and vanilla flavoring.
4. Make Raspberry Coulis. by combining 12 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar,
3 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon Kirsch or Framboise.
To Serve, Cut Chocolate Bombe into wedges and serve with whipped cream and raspberry coulis.
That is incredible. I’m used to my 3 day breads, so this won’t bother me at all!! What an elegant looking dessert!
Thanks Karen. It’s worth it! I’ll have to check out some of your 3 day breads.
This looks amazingly decadent!
Yes, Rosemary, it’s decadent and delcious! Well worth the time it takes to make it!
Wow! It looks incredible! I am a big chocolate fan, so this is definitely my kind of recipe. Saving it for later!
Hope you get to try it Tania. It is worth it!
I love the presentation! And the step by step photos are so helpful.
Thanks Kit. It looks like a lot of steps but it’s well worth it!
Wow! This chocolate bombe looks like it’s worth every minute of those three days of prep!
If you like chocolate and baking this one is the one to try!
I love “project” desserts. The longer and more complicated, the more fun. This looks amazing! I’m not sure I’d ever seen a Chocolate Bombe whole before, because when I got to your photo of it once it had been turned out of the bowl, I was so shocked at how neat it looks! This is definitely a chocolate lover’s dream.
Thanks Tracy. You are right it’s a chocolate lover’s dream. Well worth making!
I need some chocolate bombe in my life!! This looks so delicious!!
Yes, everyone needs chocolate bombe in their life. Thanks Sam.
Love your step by step instructions. I’ve just had dinner and this would be the PERFECT dessert! There’s nothing better than a chocolate + raspberry combo… my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
So True Whitney!
This is definitely something I would love, chocolate! Sounds and looks delicious.
Thanks Rosemary.
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Perfectly written!
Thank you Brandon. There are a lot of steps but I tried to show them all.