Elegant Striped Bombe Dessert

A stunning French-inspired entremet that combines beautiful coral and cream stripes in a perfect dome, crowned with fresh strawberries and artisanal chocolate work. This showstopper dessert is perfect for special occasions when you want to wow your guests!

Hello, dessert lovers! Today We’re sharing a recipe that’s near and dear to our heart – a gorgeous striped Bombe dessert that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. While this recipe requires some patience and attention to detail, We’ll guide you through each step to create this magnificent dessert. Don’t be intimidated by its professional appearance; with the right tools and techniques, you can master this at home!

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 2 hours
Setting Time: 6-8 hours
Total Time: 8-10 hours
Servings: 8-10
Difficulty: Advanced
Cost: $$$ (Moderate to High)

Equipment Needed

Before we begin, make sure you have all these tools ready:

• 6-inch dome-shaped silicone mold
• Stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment
• Digital thermometer
• 7-inch cake ring
• Offset spatula
• Several piping bags
• Cake turntable (recommended)
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Microwave or double boiler
• Digital scale
• Rubber spatulas

Ingredients

For the Pistachio Base

• 100g ground pistachios
• 150g cookie crumbs (digestive biscuits or graham crackers)
• 75g unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• Green food coloring (optional)

For the Striped Mousse Layers

• 600ml heavy cream (35% fat), divided
• 400g white chocolate, chopped
• 8 halal/beef gelatin sheets
• Coral/pink food coloring
• 1 tsp alcohol free vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

For the White Chocolate Spheres

• 200g white chocolate, tempered
• 50g cookie crumbs
• Gold dust (optional)

For Decoration

• 8-10 fresh strawberries
• White chocolate for decoration piece
• Edible gold dust (optional)

Instructions

Preparing the Base

1. Line the bottom of a 7-inch cake ring with parchment paper.
2. Combine ground pistachios and cookie crumbs in a food processor until finely ground.
3. Mix in melted butter and salt until the mixture resembles wet sand.
4. If desired, add a tiny amount of green food coloring to enhance the pistachio color.
5. Press the mixture firmly into the cake ring, creating an even layer.
6. Refrigerate while preparing the mousse.

Making the Striped Mousse

1. Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes (if using powdered gelatin, sprinkle over 1/4 cup cold water).
2. In a double boiler or microwave, melt white chocolate until smooth. Let cool to 35°C (95°F).
3. Whip 400ml heavy cream to soft peaks. Set aside.
4. Heat remaining 200ml cream until hot but not boiling.
5. Squeeze out excess water from gelatin and stir into hot cream until dissolved.
6. Slowly stream the cream mixture into melted chocolate, stirring constantly to create an emulsion.
7. When mixture reaches 30°C (86°F), fold in whipped cream in three additions.

Creating the Stripes

1. Divide mousse into three portions – leave one white, color two portions in different shades of coral/pink.
2. Place each mousse in a piping bag.
3. Starting from the top of the dome mold, pipe alternating stripes of white and coral mousse.
4. Tap mold gently to remove air bubbles.
5. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

White Chocolate Spheres

1. Temper white chocolate following proper tempering curves.
2. Use sphere molds to create small white chocolate shells.
3. Fill with crushed cookies and seal with more chocolate.
4. Dust with gold if desired.

Assembly

1. Once mousse is frozen solid, unmold onto the pistachio base.
2. Pipe white chocolate dollops around the top edge.
3. Arrange fresh strawberries in the center.
4. Place a white chocolate sphere in the middle.
5. Add chocolate decoration piece.
6. Dust with gold if desired.

Storage and Serving

• Keep refrigerated until 15-20 minutes before serving.
• Best consumed within 2-3 days.
• Do not freeze after final assembly.
• When serving, cut with a hot knife for clean slices.

Pro Tips

1. Temperature Control: Each component should be at the right temperature when assembling. Too cold mousse won’t stick together; too warm will collapse.
2. Striping Technique: Work quickly when piping stripes and keep steady pressure for even lines.
3. Freezing: Ensure the mousse is completely frozen before unmolding – this typically takes at least 6 hours.
4. Food Coloring: Use gel or powder coloring rather than liquid to maintain the mousse’s structure.
5. Strawberry Selection: Choose same-sized strawberries for a professional appearance.

Troubleshooting

• If mousse is too soft: Your chocolate might have been too warm when incorporating cream. Ensure proper temperatures.
• If stripes are uneven: Practice piping technique on parchment paper first.
• If base is crumbly: Add a bit more melted butter to help it hold together.

Variations

• Try different color combinations for various occasions
• Experiment with different fruit toppings (raspberries, blackberries)
• Change the base flavor (almond, hazelnut, chocolate)
• Adjust mousse flavors by adding fruit purees or extracts

Remember, practice makes perfect with this recipe. Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t identical to the photo – each try will help you perfect your technique!

Happy Baking! 💝