Midnight Mocha & Gold Leaf Mousse Bombs

 

Ingredients

For the Main Component:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1/2 cup dark chocolate (70% cocoa), finely chopped

1/4 cup whole milk

2 tsp espresso powder

2 tsp unflavored gelatin powder

3 tbsp cold water

For the Secondary Component:

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp salted caramel sauce

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, finely crushed

For the Sauce / Layer / Topping:

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp unflavored gelatin powder

2 tbsp cold water

1 drop black food coloring gel

For Garnish (optional):

2 sheets edible gold leaf

3 coffee beans

Directions

Bloom 2 tsp gelatin in 3 tbsp cold water for 5 minutes.

Heat milk and espresso powder until simmering; stir in

the bloomed gelatin until dissolved, then pour over the

chopped dark chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Whip 1/2 cup heavy cream with salted caramel to stiff

peaks; fold in crushed hazelnuts, spoon into small

hemisphere molds, and freeze until solid.

Whip the remaining 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to soft

peaks and gently fold into the cooled mocha chocolate

base.

Fill large dome molds halfway with mocha mousse,

press a frozen caramel-hazelnut center into the middle,

and top with more mousse; freeze overnight.

Prepare the mirror glaze by boiling sugar, water, and

condensed milk; stir in the remaining 2 tsp bloomed

gelatin.

Pour the hot liquid over dark chocolate chips, let sit for 2

minutes, then emulsify with a hand blender and stir in the

black food coloring gel.

Unmold frozen domes onto a wire rack and pour the

glaze (at 90°F) over them until fully coated and reflective.

Once set, use tweezers to carefully apply small

fragments of gold leaf to the surface.