A melting chocolate ball is a ball of chocolate which is melted with hot caramel sauce to reveal something inside. Melting chocolate ball has become so popular recently and they are not too difficult to make. The first thing you need to do is melt some chocolate, you can use whichever chocolate you like, milk, dark or even white chocolate. It is better to use a block of chocolate rather than chocolate chips which are usually chocolate compound. Cut your chocolate up in smaller pieces and place into a bowl then melt the chocolate over Bain Marie, also known as a water bath. This provides much more of an indirect heat so there is less chance of chocolate burning. Fill a medium-sized saucepan with a small amount of water and place over high heat until it starts to boil. Turn off the heat and place the bowl of chocolate over the top. The bowl should not touch the water in the saucepan to make sure there isn’t too much water.
The stean underneath the bowl will rise u and melt the chocolate. Once the chocolate has melted remove the bowl from the saucepan. Make sure your chocolate is not too hot, it needs to be around 30 degrees Celsius so it will harden at room temperature and have a shine on it. Separate a round mold and spoon in few tablespoons of melted chocolate, place on the other half. Rotate the mold around so it is coated evenly with the chocolate, the easiest way to do that is by shaking the mold. Once the chocolate has evenly coated the mold, place it into the fridge for about 20 minutes to harden. While you are waiting for the chocolate ball o harden, you can make the caramel sauce. It only requires a few ingredients. Once the chocolate ball has harden, remove it from the fridge and set it to the side. To fit anything inside the chocolate ball, we need to create an opening at one end.
The easiest way to do that is to heat up a surface like a cup or a mug or ramekin to melt the chocolate. Place the ramekin into the boiling water and leave it to heat for about 30 seconds or so. Remove the ramekin from the saucepan using a tong and use a paper towel to dry it. Remove the chocolate ball from the mold by pulling apart each end, the chocolate ball should come out easily. Be very careful with the chocolate ball at this point as it is very fragile and can crack easily. Set the chocolate ball on top of the ramekin and move it around as to starts to melt the chocolate at the bottom. You don’t want a big gap, just enough to fit something inside. Remove the chocolate ball from the ramekin and set it to the side. For the inside of the chocolate ball, the possibilities are endless, you can use ice cream and fruit, use any type of dessert that would fit. You can pace a few scoops of ice cream into the bowl, some strawberry, blueberries and finally some mint.
Slowly place over the chocolate ball, making sure that everything fits inside. When you are ready to serve the melting chocolate ball desert make sure the caramel sauce is hot. Pour it to a serving jug. To serve the dessert slowly start to pour the hot caramel sauce over the chocolate ball and it should slowly start to melt, revealing everything inside.
Ingredients;
- 8 oz milk chocolate, chopped or in chips (225 g)
- 2 brownies, prepared as desired
- assorted berries, for serving
- ice cream, for serving
- 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped (225 g)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240 mL)
Instructions;
- Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Open the fillable ornament and coat the inside with a lightly oiled paper towel. Pour the melted chocolate into one of the halves.
- Close the ornament, rotating the ball so that the chocolate evenly coats the entire surface.
- Place the ball in the freezer, then flip it after 2 minutes. Continue to flip it every few minutes, 2-3 more times. Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Remove the ball from the freezer. Carefully open the ornament and remove the ball.
- Work quickly and avoid touching the ball for too long with your warm hands. If you want to be extra careful, immediately after unmolding, place the ball back in the freezer for a few minutes.
- Dip or run a flat-bottomed bowl in boiling water, then dry the entire bowl. Invert the bowl onto a flat surface, then place one side of the frozen chocolate ball on the hot bowl.
- Twist back and forth with a gentle motion, making sure that you’re not applying too much pressure to the ball, as it is very fragile.
- Use a paper towel to help insulate the ball from your warm fingers.
- You may have to reheat and wipe off the bowl a few times as it will cool down a bit. Place the ball back in the freezer.
- On a large plate, stack the brownies on top of each other, then surround them with berries.
- Place a scoop of ice cream on top of the brownies, then slowly place the chocolate ball on top.
- To cover up any holes or imperfections along the seam where the ball touches the plate, surround the base of the ball with more berries.
- Microwave the dark chocolate with the heavy cream in 20-second intervals until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the chocolate sauce over the ball in a circular motion.
