Sunday, September 19, 2010

Mini Quick Chocolate Mousse Cups with Raspberry Coulis

I thought I would make something for the "We Should Cocoa" challenge which is to make something with chocolate every month and feature a special ingredient.  Additional details at Chocolate Log Blog  This month's challenge is being hosted by Chocolate Teapot  The special ingredient for this month is Raspberries.

So I had been meaning to try chocolate balloon cups for awhile this was the perfect opportunity.  I made them mini sized as i wanted to fill them with chocolate mousse and being so rich only a small portion necessary.  I got the idea from here Gourmet Mom on-the-go but of course didn't have any white chocolate in the house.  So they just ended up being plain dark chocolate cups. 

I blew up the balloons to the size I wanted and melted the dark chocolate.  I a little coin sized drop of choc onto the baking tray lined with baking paper first so the balloon can sit on it and it forms a little foot.  Then dip away.  I dipped some straight in so they have a straight edge all the way round like a bowl.  Or you can achieve a petal effect by rolling the balloon from side to side until you have gone around the entire balloon.  Hard to explain!  I have taken some pics so hopefully that will help. 



Let them set hard, can be hastened in the fridge.  Then make a small snip with scissors to the top of the balloon trying not to burst it but to let the air out slowly.  If you burst it the chocolate may shatter.  Gently pull away the balloon to form your cup.  If there are any holes you can try to patch them up with a little extra melted choc on the inside.  You can make these ahead and just store them until needed to be filled.

The quick chocolate mousse recipe I use tastes fantastic and has no eggs in it!  Melted marshmallows is the key.  Recipe can be found here Nigella - Instant Chocolate Mousse, so quick and easy!  Then I just poured the mix into the cups to set in the fridge, extra just set in a ramekin.

Then I made a Raspberry Coulis sauce.  Not much of a recipe I just mushed up a cup of frozen Raspberries.  Then put it threw a sieve to get the seeds out.  Added about a tablespoon of lime juice and a tablespoon of icing sugar.

Then assembled on the plate with some white chocolate curls placed into the mousse cups with raspberry coulis underneath.

Pink Masquerade Cake

Pink Masquerade Cake for Destiny.




Top tier is dark chocolate mudcake, bottom tier is cherry ripe mudcake both with dark chocolate ganache and covered in fondant. With sugar flowers and a fondant skirt.



Hand made sugarpaste mask. Only things not edible are the feathers, gold ribbon and diamantes.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Mini Party in a Bubble Cake

Just for fun! Totally Edible Party in a Bubble Mini Cake :)


Everything is edible and made by me. This is a mini 4 inch cake that is actually Chocolate Rocky Road and not cake. Covered in fondant with gumpaste decorations and a gelatine bubble.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Daffodil Day Cake

My donation cake to a Daffodil Day High Tea fundraiser.


This is a four layered cake, with alternate layers of white chocolate mud and lemon mud cake filled with vanilla buttercream. Decorated with fondant stems. The top dome is made from rice bubbles and marshmallows and covered with 31 handmade sugarpaste daffodil flowers.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Black and White Bow Cake


Playing around with my cake dummy. This is a fake polystyrene 6 inch cake that I have covered in fondant icing.


White fondant with black embossed border with a gumpaste bow.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Fishing Boat Cake


40th birthday cake for Shaun. Cake modelled off pictures and a painting his wife had done as a gift to him. So the boat my interpretation of the painting. I also made his football jersey in his team colours. Also a bottle of wine and bread in his basket on the boat.


2 tier chocolate mudcake with dark chocolate ganache and fondant. Sugarpaste decorations.

Smiggle Birthday Cake


Smiggles stationery cake for Paige. Vanilla buttercake with vanilla buttercream and fondant and gumpaste decorations. All edible.