Dubai Chocolate Bombe Recipe

Make olive oil cake batter

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round pan. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, olive oil, milk, vanilla and lemon zest until combined.

Fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined; do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 22–28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a rack.

When cool, cut 2-inch rounds using a cutter or ring; you will need 8 rounds to place inside chocolate domes. Reserve scraps for another use.

Prepare pistachio paste

Place roasted pistachios and confectioners' sugar in a food processor. Pulse until a coarse paste forms, scraping sides as needed. Add neutral oil, vanilla and salt; process until very smooth, about 2–3 minutes. If necessary, add 1–2 teaspoons water or oil to achieve a spreadable consistency.

Bloom gelatin

Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes to bloom.

Warm bloomed gelatin gently (micro 5–8 seconds or double boiler) until liquefied but not hot. Stir a teaspoon of the whipped cream into the gelatin to temper before folding into the paste (see next step).

Whip cold heavy cream to medium-soft peaks. Reserve about 2 tablespoons for glazing/finishing. Fold a spoonful of whipped cream into the pistachio paste to lighten, then gently fold remaining whipped cream until uniform and airy. Add tempered gelatin and fold until combined. Chill mousse 30–45 minutes until slightly set but still pipeable.

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Break kataifi into small clumps; toss with melted butter, sugar and salt until evenly coated.

Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Toast 8–12 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crisp. Watch carefully as strands brown quickly. Cool completely; keep crisp.

Place mixed berries in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, add lemon juice and orange blossom water if using. Gently toss and let macerate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, stirring once. Drain any excess liquid; reserve a teaspoon for glazing if desired.

Temper or melt chocolate

Finely chop chocolate. Using a double boiler, gently melt chocolate with cocoa butter (if using) to 115°F (46°C), then remove from heat and cool to 82°F (28°C) stirring. Re-warm briefly over the double boiler until 88–90°F (31–32°C) for tempered chocolate. Alternatively, melt to 110°F (43°C) and use immediately for a quick shell (may be less shiny). Stir in 1 tsp neutral oil for shine.

Form chocolate domes

Lightly grease small hemisphere silicone molds with nonstick spray or a thin brush of cocoa butter. Spoon or paint melted tempered chocolate into each hemisphere, coating evenly and building a 2–3 mm shell. Tap molds to remove air bubbles. Chill in refrigerator 8–12 minutes until set. Repeat to ensure an even, non-translucent shell (second coat optional). Gently unmold chocolate hemispheres and keep refrigerated on a tray.

Line up four chocolate hemispheres per bombe (two halves per finished dome). Place a small smear of melted chocolate in the bottom of a hemisphere to 'glue' the cake round later.

Place a cut olive oil cake round into each hemisphere on top of the chocolate smear. Pipe or spoon chilled pistachio mousse over the cake, filling the hemisphere nearly to the rim and smoothing the top. Add a small spoon of macerated berries centered on the mousse (do not overfill).

Sprinkle toasted kataifi around the edge on top of mousse for texture, pressing lightly so it adheres. Place the matching chocolate hemisphere over the filled half and press gently. Warm a baking sheet briefly on the stove or in the oven (low) and press the rim of the top hemisphere onto the bottom rim to melt and seal; alternatively, brush rim with a little melted chocolate and join. Wipe excess chocolate; chill 10–15 minutes to set the joint.

Once set, garnish each dome with a dusting of powdered sugar and chopped pistachios. Keep refrigerated until service. Bring to cool room temperature 10 minutes before unmolding or serving.

Service (dramatic reveal)

Place bombe on serving plate. Pour 2–3 tablespoons of hot water over the top of the dome using a small ladle or pour a heated sauce (not included) so the top melts and reveals the interior. Alternatively, score a seam and crack gently with a spoon. Serve immediately with remaining macerated berries alongside.