Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
Serves 2
By Paul A Young
From Saturday Kitchen
For the crumpled chocolate bowl
- 500g/1lb 2oz dark chocolate (60% cocoa solids or more), broken into pieces
- edible metallic red shimmer powder
For the sea salted caramel
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 50g/1¾oz unrefined light muscovado sugar
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 50ml/2fl oz double cream
For the chocolate truffles
- 200g/7oz dark chocolate (60% cocoa solids or more), broken into pieces
- 50g/1¾oz golden caster sugar
- 50g/1¾oz cocoa powder
For the cookie dough
- 100g/3½oz plain flour
- 60g/2¼oz butter softened
- 40g/1½oz light muscovado sugar
- 10g/⅓oz caster sugar
- 2 tbsp agave syrup or honey
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
For the chocolate hearts
- 200g/7oz milk, white or dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- metallic red shimmer powder
Technique
Method
Line a baking tray with baking paper. To make the crumpled chocolate bowl, scrunch up a sheet of baking paper and open it repeatedly to soften. Line a bowl of your choice with the paper.
Place two-thirds of the chocolate in a heatproof mixing bowl and rest over a pan of water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Heat the water over a medium heat but do not allow to boil. Melt the chocolate slowly for at least an hour, the chocolate should be 55C. Once melted, vigorously add the remaining chocolate and keep mixing until incorporated and the chocolate cools to 27C.
Use a hairdryer or heat gun to warm the chocolate to 30C. Dip a knife in the chocolate and allow to set. The chocolate should be smooth, glossy and brittle when set.
Dip the moulded paper halfway into the tempered chocolate, shake off the excess and set aside on the prepared baking tray. Place in the fridge for five minutes and repeat three times then cool in the fridge for 20 minutes. Carefully scrunch in the paper to remove from your bowl.
Dust a little shimmer powder around the edge of the bowl.
To make the sea salted caramel, melt the butter, sugar and salt together in a saucepan until bubbling. Mix well to a smooth consistency. Remove from the heat and add the cream, mixing well. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool.
To make the truffles, line a 10cm/4in baking tray with two layers of cling film.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of hot water.
Bring the sugar and 90ml/3fl oz water to a simmer in a small pan and pour into the chocolate, whisking until glossy. Pour the ganache into the lined baking tray and set in the fridge for at least an hour.
When set, remove the cling film and cut the ganache into squares or triangles.
Sift the cocoa powder onto a plate and coat the truffles well, dusting off any excess. Set aside.
To make the cookie dough, place all the ingredients in a food mixer with the paddle attachment and mix until a soft paste is formed. Keep at room temperature.
To make the chocolate hearts, brush shimmer powder onto a 30cm/12in piece of baking paper. Temper the chocolate as above and spread onto the baking paper until 1mm thick. Just before the chocolate sets use the point of a skewer or sharp knife to score heart shapes into the chocolate, making sure you go through the chocolate to the paper. Place the sheet of hearts in the fridge for 15 minutes, then carefully remove them from the paper.
To assemble your dessert, sprinkle cocoa powder onto a presentation plate and use melted chocolate to stick the crumpled bowl to it. Spoon some of the salted caramel into the bowl and dot with the truffles and pieces of cookie dough. Finish with the chocolate hearts.