Grasshopper Bombe

Ingredients/supplies needed:

•  Individual 6-in., open-ended ring molds

•  Your favorite moist chocolate cake recipe

•  Premium mint chocolate chip ice cream

•  Chopped Oreos

•  Ganache (make the day you un-mold the bombes)

•  1 quart heavy cream

•  1 lb. semi-sweet chocolate pastills

Needed for plating:

•  Fresh strawberries, medium-dice

•  Fresh mint

•  White chocolate curl garnish, prepared as follows:

- mild-temper a block of white chocolate until slightly loose around edges;
I place it near our steam table early in the morning, and flip it often.
- using a peeler, peel large curls, forming them by hand.

Procedure:

•  Bake your cake in a nine-inch pan and cool.
•  Place chocolate in a mixing bowl. Boil cream and pour over chocolate. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
•  Once your cake is cooled, torte It in three sections, using your ring mold as a cutter. Get three discs per mold.
•  Use the flattest piece of cake disc for the bottom (it keeps it level for plating). Layer with your mold in this order: cake, ice cream, oreos; cake, ice cream, oreos; cake. Make sure to press each layer into the mold.
•  Wrap overnight in freezer.
•  After properly frozen, unmold the bombes with a torch or a hot knife. Cut vertically in half and spoon ganache over the top, so it runs down both the back and front of the cut bombe.
•  Refreeze until firm.

Plating:

•  Spoon warm ganache onto the plate as “glue.”
•  Spoon more ganache over the bombe.
•  Place white chocolate curls on top.
•  Garnish with diced strawberries and fresh mint.

Submitted by Perry Seal, Executive Chef, Hillwood Country Club, Nashville, Tenn.

Tags: Hillwood Country Club Nashville Tenn. Perry Seal