Cookie Dough Chocolate Mousse Bombe

I'm not a camper. I like my toilets to have walls, my bed to be bug free and a shower head that's more than a trickle. 

Yet today we bought a tent.

My lack of camping enthusiasm comes from a trifecta of issues:

1. We were not a camping family when I was growing up. One time we went on a holiday to sunny Mildura and stayed at a Caravan park. Mum forgot to take our bathers and made us go swimming in our underwear... an embarrassing moment for a pre-teen!

2. When I was in high school I went on a 10 day outdoor education camp where we got stuck in a lightning storm. The lightning struck a pole close to us and the 'lightning shock' travelled and caused us to all pass out. I hid under my bedcovers during a storm for many years after that incident.

3. If your feet stick out the end of the tent you may get mosquito bites on your ankles... which will itch and nag you for days.

Yet today we bought a tent! Why?

Sometimes a tent is more than just a place to sleep.
Sometimes a tent can bring you together and create lasting memories.
Sometimes you just have to give in to peer pressure and face the fact that as the only girl in the household you are in the minority.

Whilst I am tentative (pun intended!) about camping I most certainly know how I feel about dessert.
Sometimes a dessert is more than just the third course of a meal.
Sometimes a dessert is so pretty, so good looking that it seems a crime to cut into it.
Sometimes a dessert is just so damn amazing!

This Cookie Dough Chocolate Mousse Bombe was made by Heather at Sprinkle Bakes. I made it for a Christmas eve party last year and it was fantastic. This time I wanted to make it 'healthier'; but lets face it, a dessert this awesome is never going to be healthy like a piece of carrot or broccoli. The best I could hope for was gluten/dairy free and no refined sugars so my guilt for eating it for breakfast could be minimised.

And here we are! Not only does this recipe contain COOKIE DOUGH (woo hoo!), it has good fats from Avocados and coconut oil as well. Therefore it is allowed as a breakfast substitute

NOTES;
Do plan ahead! This recipe takes time as it requires setting in the freezer on multiple occasions.

I left mine in the freezer for 3 days as I was running short on preparation time for my birthday party, but overnight is ok.

COOKIE DOUGH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE BOMBE
(inspired by Sprinkle Bakes)

COOKIE DOUGH
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups Almond meal
3 Tablespoons Coconut Flour
8 Tablespoons Coconut Oil, softened
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
Dash salt
1 tablespoon Milk (of choice)
100 -200 grams Chocolate, cut into chips (see recipe below in Ganache on how to make your own chocolate)

INSTRUCTIONS
If making your own Chocolate do this first to allow to set in freezer.
Line a 1o cup glass bowl with plastic wrap (you could also use a pudding basin)
In the blender place all the ingredients (except milk and chocolate chips).
Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the ingredients combine.
Add milk and pulse in.
Add chocolate pieces and stir in my hand.
Remove dough from the blender and press about 2/3 into the bottom and up the sides of the lined bowl. Wrap remaining  portion of dough in plastic wrap and keep in fridge. The cookie dough in the bowl will be about 4-6mm thick.
Place in freezer while you make the chocolate mousse.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
INGREDIENTS
4 large ripe Avocados (or 6 small)
2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup cocoa, unsweetened
1 1/3 cup Maple Syrup
14 grams Gelatine
4 tablespoons Whipped coconut cream (or normal coconut cream)

INSTRUCTIONS
Place Gelatine in a saucepan with Whipped Coconut Cream and leave to sit for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes turn heat onto low and gently dissolve gelatin in the cream, stirring constantly.
Meanwhile; Remove pip from Avocado and spoon pulp into a blender.
Add vanilla, cocoa and maple syrup and blend until thoroughly mixed.
Stop and scrape down sides regularly to ensure that the avocado is broken up and blended in.
Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add cream/gelatine mix and whisk until fluffy (2-3 minutes).
Remove the bowl from the freezer and spoon mousse into the cookie dough bowl. Retain 1/2 cup of mousse to pipe around edge at end.
Smooth out of the top of the mousse.
Roll out remaining cookie dough onto baking paper and cut to the size of the top of the bowl (I used a dinner plate or bottom of a cake tin that fits the space).
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in freeze again over night (I left mine in for 4 days).

BROWNIE (adapted from TGIPaleo)
INGREDIENTS
3 Small ripe Avocados (or 2 Large)
1/2 Cup plus 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, melted

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 175C/350F.
Line and grease a  20cm/8 inch square tin.
Remove pip for Avocados and spoon pulp into a blender.
Blend on high to break up Avocado until it forms a soft paste (if your avocado is too form this will result in a lumpy batter and a not so nice brownie).
Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth, and then blend some more.
Pour battle into lined cake tin and bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until cooked through.
Remove form oven and allow to cool completely before transferring to a wire rack.
Using a plate or cake tin the size of the lined bowl (I used a 18cm cake tin) cut the brownie to size.
Assembly
Remove the bombe bowl from the freezer and remove plastic wrap covering.
Lightly brush the bottom layer of cookie dough with water and place the brownie on the cookie dough layer, ensuring that it sits in place by applying gentle pressure.
The brownie should fit flush in the cookie dome. If not, trim excess cookie dough.
Turn entire dessert out onto a wire rack and remove the glass bowl.
If the bowl is hard to remove (as it has been frozen) place a warm towel/paper on the top of the bowl to loosen the Bombe.
Place wire rack inside a large baking tray.
Make ganache.

GANACHE
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate (makes 200 grams)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa, unsweetened
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Ganache
2/3 cup coconut cream (can opened and in fridge overnight; spoon out thickened cream leaving behind watery contents)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
Chocolate
Over vey low heat, melt coconut oil.
Add maple syrup and whisk til combined.
Add cocoa and whisk until combined and slightly thickened.
Pour into dish lined with baking paper and freeze until set (minimum 1 hour)

Ganache
Break chocolate into small pieces and place in a heat proof bowl. Add coconut oil and vanilla extract.
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the coconut cream to the boil.
Pour boiling cream into bowl and allow to sit for 5 min, before whisking to combine.
Use while still runny.
Pour 1/2 the Ganache over the top of the Bombe, allowing it to run over the sides of the cake.
Collect the dripped chocolate from the tray to use on the 2nd coat of ganache.
Place glazed Bombe in fridge, allowing it to set for at least 1 hour.
Once set, remove from the fridge and place over tray again. Rewarm the ganache over a double boiler and pour over Bombe. Set in fridge again.
Remove Bombe from fridge and transfer onto a serving plate. This will take a delicate balance of finesse and luck! Sliding to the serving tray is the easiest method.
Pipe retained mousse around bottom of Bombe. This covers up any cracks from moving the Bombe.

Keep Bombe refrigerated.
As this is a very rich dessert it can be served with Whipped Coconut Cream or Raspberry Coulis.