Christmas Bombe Recipes

CHRISTMAS BOMBE

Steps:

• Make Cranberry-Raspberry Puree: Rinse and pick over cranberries and combine with sugar in small nonreactive saucepan. Cover and bring to simmer over medium heat. Uncover, raise heat and stir occasionally. Cook only a few minutes or until about three-fourths of the berries are burst, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Press mixture through a medium-fine strainer or food mill along with the raspberry preserves. Discard tough dry pulp and raspberry seeds. Cool the puree completely before using. Puree may be made and refrigerated up to 1 week in advance. Assemble and Freeze the Jelly Roll: Reverse the Hot Milk Sponge sheet onto a piece of foil; peel off the parchment. Turn sponge carefully over again (use a cookie sheet to aid you if sponge is delicate) so that brown side faces up. Spread all of Cranberry-Raspberry Puree evenly over sponge. Roll up as tightly as possible to form a 16 by 17-inch long thin jelly roll. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze at least several hours or overnight--or up to 1 month in advance of using. Line the Bombe with Jelly Roll Slices: Remove frozen jelly roll from freezer and unwrap. Trim ragged ends if necessary. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut slices 1/4-inch thick. Line the mold with the slices by placing one slice in the center of the bottom of the mold. Next fit 7 (or more) slices around the center pushing and fitting so that no space is left between the slices. Fit the next 9 (or more) around the bowl starting up the sides.
• Finish by fitting about 10 slices to completely line the mold , pushing and fitting so that no space is left Trim slices even with the rim of mold if necessary, or just push them so they are flush with the rim. Reserve trimmings and remaining slices and return them to freezer until needed. Set lined mold aside.
• Fill the Mold: Make the White Chocolate Mousse with Kirsch. Turn it immediately into the lined mold. Level and smooth the surface of the mousse. Remove the remaining slices of jelly roll and trimmings from the freezer. Set aside just enough slices to completely cover the mousse if placed tightly together - But do not put them in place, yet. Dice the remaining slices and any trimmings with a sharp knife. Scatter the diced pieces all over the mousse, and then fit the reserved slices closely together over the scattered dice to form the bottom layer of the dessert Place the corregated cake circle (or a small plate) inside the mold and press firmly to level and compact the bombe. Wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours before unmolding and serving. Bombe may be completed to this point up the 24 hours in advance of serving, or frozen up to 2 months.
• Unmold, Finish and Serve: Invert the mold and rap the edge sharply on counter to release dessert. Simmer strained apricot preserves in a small saucepan for 2-3 minutes to make a glaze. Use a pastry brush to paint the entire dessert with glaze. Touch bottom edge of bombe with minced pistachios. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE BOMBE

Steps:

• Line a 1-qt. round bowl with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Quickly spread ice cream over the bottom and up the sides to within 1/2 in. of the top of bowl. Freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. , In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup cream, sugar, egg yolks and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture reaches at least 160° and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and rum extract if desired. Refrigerate until cooled., Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate in water at 50% power for 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Gradually whisk into custard mixture. Beat remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture along with dates and nuts. Spoon into ice cream shell, spreading to completely cover the top. Cover and freeze overnight., Just before serving, remove from the freezer and invert onto a serving plate. Remove bowl and plastic wrap. Cut into wedges.

BOOZY CHRISTMAS BOMBE

Steps:

• Put the dried fruit into a large bowl, add 2 tbsp brandy and the sugar, then cover with cling film. Microwave on High for 2 mins until the sugar has melted and the fruit plumped up. Give it a stir, then leave to cool and soak overnight. If you're short of time, carry on with step 2 and leave to soak for as long as it takes to complete step 2.
• Put the cream, remaining brandy and icing sugar into a large bowl and whip to soft peaks. Pour the custard into another bowl and fold the cream into it. Tip into a freezer container and freeze the mix for 4 hrs, stirring the frozen edges into the rest of the mixture every hour or so until the whole tub is soft, but frozen (or use an ice cream machine, churning for 20-30 mins until thick). Meanwhile, line a 1.2-litre pudding basin with cling film.
• Once the ice cream mix is thick, quickly fold the soaked fruit (and any liquid from it) and frozen cranberries through it and spoon into the lined basin. Freeze overnight or for at least 6 hrs. To serve, leave bombe at room temperature for 10 mins and turn out onto a serving plate.
• To make the cranberry brandy butter sauce, in a heavy-based pan gently heat muscovado sugar and butter until the sugar dissolves.
• Splash in brandy, add cranberries and boil gently till the cranberries pop, but still hold their shape and colour the sauce. If you want to, sieve the seeds out of the sauce and add some more cranberries for a really glossy finish. Serve hot or warm.

CHRISTMAS BOMBE WITH SPICED CAKE AND CHOCOLATE-BRANDY GLAZE

Steps:

• Make the mousse:
• Spray a large bowl (at least 12-cup capacity; the stainless steel bowl of a stand mixer is perfect) with nonstick spray, then line with plastic wrap, leaving a generous overhang.
• Heat corn syrup, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over low until sugar is melted. Increase heat to medium and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 240°F, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed (or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Reduce mixer speed to low and carefully add sugar syrup to egg whites in a slow and steady stream. Increase speed to high and beat until mixture is light, glossy, and fluffy, 6-8 minutes.
• Using electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese in another large bowl until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth.
• Whisk one-third of meringue into cream cheese mixture to lighten. Gently fold remaining meringue into cream cheese mixture. Fold in apricots, cherries, and pistachios.
• Pour mixture into prepared bowl, smooth top, then bring plastic up and over bombe, pressing against bottom of bowl to compact. Freeze until hard, at least 12 hours.
• Make the cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat cake pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.
• Heat butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water), stirring, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and sugar in another large bowl until pale and tripled in volume, 10-12 minutes.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, orange zest, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk dry ingredients into chocolate mixture until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold about one-third of egg mixture into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth surface. Bake cake until center is set and sides are beginning to brown, 45-50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan (cake will sink a little in the center as it cools).
• Make glaze and assemble:
• Trim cake board to fit inside bowl with mousse (slightly smaller than diameter of bowl). Remove cake from pan and trim to flatten top, then trim to size of cake board. Place cake on board, then place board on a wire rack set on a sheet tray.
• Rub bowl with a very hot, wet towel to defrost slightly; remove plastic wrap from top of bowl. Invert bowl upside down on top of cake. Using plastic, gently pull so mousse comes free; adjust to center mousse on cake, if needed. Peel off plastic.
• Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream in a small pot over medium until hot but not boiling. Pour over chocolate, let sit 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Add salt and brandy (if using) and stir to combine.
• Spoon glaze over bombe, letting it drip over sides to coat thoroughly.
• Transfer bombe to a platter. Cut into wedges with a hot dry knife (run knife under hot water and wipe dry between slices).
• Do Ahead
• Mousse bombe can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen. Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER DINNER BOMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a deep-dish pie plate.
• Roll out biscuits, 1 at a time, into a thin rough 7-inch circles. Spread the center of each circle with 1 tablespoon cream cheese. Add 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce and 2 tablespoons each Swiss cheese, stuffing, and turkey. Bring dough up around the filling, pinching it together. Work your way around until the filling is fully encased in the biscuit bomb.
• Place bombs on the pie plate, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining biscuits, cream cheese, cranberry sauce, Swiss cheese, stuffing, and turkey. Fit 7 bombs around the rim of the pie plate and 1 in the middle.
• Brush melted butter over the top of each bomb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven, rotating once, until deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Rest bombs on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before eating. Serve with warmed gravy for dipping.