Chocolate Spiral Dessert Recipe
So pretty yet so simple to make, the chocolate spiral takes this dessert from beautiful to stunning in just a few seconds.
Inside the dessert are layers of chocolate cake, salted caramel, caramel creme brûlée and chocolate mousse. I had to draw you a picture because they had all been eaten before I remembered to take a photo.
To make this chocolate spiral dessert you will need:
Chocolate cake
makes enough for 12 desserts
2 egg whites or approx 72g (2.54 ounces)
20g (0.71 ounces) or 1.5 Tbsp sugar
5 medium egg yolks or approx 75g (2.65 ounces)
80g (2.82 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 2 tsp sugar
30g (1.06 ounces) or 1/4 cup cocoa powder
40g (1.41 ounces) or 1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
30g (1.06 ounces) or 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp margarine or butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 180C (356 degrees Fahrenheit).
Add the first amount of sugar to the whites and whip them until you get soft peaks. Add the other sugar to the yolks and whip them until they are pale and fluffy. Fold in about one third of the whites then sift the flour and cocoa over the top. Start to fold then add the rest of the whites and fold together.
Take a quarter of this mixture and combine with the melted butter. Then add this back into the rest folding gently until just combined.
Pour into a lined baking tray, spread out and bake for around 10 minutes or until firm.
Vanilla Syrup
75g (2.65 ounces) or 1/3 cup sugar
110ml or 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
Combine all the ingredients and heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Caramel Creme Brûlée
makes enough for 12 desserts
40g (1.41 ounces) or 3 Tbsp sugar
100mL (3.38 fluid ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp full (4% fat) milk
100mL (3.38 fluid ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp cream (35% fat)
6 egg yolks or approx 90g (3.17 ounces)
25g (0.88 ounces) or 2 Tbsp sugar
2 sheets of gelatin
Soak the gelatin sheets in water to soften
Brown the sugar to form a caramel the add the milk and cream, stir until the caramel is dissolved.
Whip together the yolks and remaining sugar. Then whisk in a small amount of the hot milk mixture. Add this back into the pan and heat until you an see it is just starting to cling to the base of the pan. Add the gelatin and remove from the heat. Pour into a lined tray and freeze overnight.
Salted Caramel Recipe
(makes enough for 12 desserts with plenty left to eat)
200g (7.05 ounces) or 1 cup less 1 Tbsp sugar
100g (3.53 ounces) or 1/2 cup less 1 Tbsp cream (35% fat)
120g (4.23 ounces) or 1/2 cup plus 1 tsp margarine
1g (0.04 ounces) or a pinch of sea salt
Make a caramel with the sugar. Add the salt and cream. Stir in the margarine then continue to heat until a small amount dropped into a glass is sufficiently thick to form a soft blob.
Chocolate Mousse recipe
(makes enough for 24 desserts)
15g (0.53 ounces) or 1 Tbsp water
90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp sugar
3 egg yolks or approx 45g (1.59 ounces)
2 whole eggs
210g (7.41 ounces) dark chocolate
300mL (10.14 fluid ounces) or 1¼ cup less 1 Tbsp cream (35% fat)
Beat the eggs and egg yolks on high until they become fluffy and pale. Place the sugar and water into a pan and heat until 244F (117.78 degrees Celsius) on a candy thermometer. Then pour that into the egg mixture with the mixers running, until the side of the bowl feels cool. Whip the cream to soft peaks, fold in your melted chocolate, then add your egg mixture and fold it all together.
Chocolate mirror glaze recipe
Makes more than you need, store the excess in a ziplock bag in the freezer.
20g (0.71 ounces) or 1Tbsp and 1tsp powdered gelatin bloomed in 90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup cold water
200g (7.05 ounces) or 3/4 cup plus 1Tbsp and 1tsp cream (35% fat)
300g (10.58 ounces) or 1 1/3 cup plus 1Tbsp sugar
90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup additional water
100g (3.53 ounces) or 3/4 cup plus 1Tbsp and 1tsp cocoa powder
250g (8.82 ounces) or 2/3 cup plus 2tsp glucose syrup
Pour the gelatin into the water, stir in and set aside to bloom. Put the sugar, additional water and cream into a bowl and heat until sugar is dissolved. Sift in the cocoa powder, making sure there are no lumps, then whisk in really well. Add the bloomed gelatin, stir until it has melted in. Lastly add the glucose syrup and stir in. Allow the glaze to cool down before pouring it on top of the dessert.
My Cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country: http://bit.ly/ARcookbook All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
Hi Ann!
What was the size of the semi spheres you used and the cookie cutter you used to cut the cake and creme brulee?
Hi Robin, the red pan is a silicon hemisphere mold. Ann ordered hers through an online store. Each hemisphere has a diameter for of approx 7cm. The cookie cutter is a similar size.
Hi Ann,
I’m having trouble with the sugar syrup. The sugar doesn’t melt, it just crystallizes. I’m working on a gas top and keep it on a low heat removing any sugar on the sides with water and a pastry brush and I don’t move the pan. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks Brigitte
Hi Brigitte, it seems really strange. I am guessing you are making the caramel. Ann melts her sugar on a high heat but just briefly and then you can see the other ingredients are quickly added. Maybe keeping your sugar on a low heat is causing this issue and the sugar is just crystallizing out. As you are using gas, try a moderate to high heat on a pan with a really good base and see if the problem resolves.
Do you have a printable copy of these recipes? my computer leaves some out when I do Crtl P 🙂
how do you get the cream?
For the creme brulee, if I don’t have the gelatin sheets and only have the gelatin powder, what amount would I put in? 😀
Hi Nicole, You will need to refer to the directions on the tin as the strengths of gelatine varies from brand to brand. A popular brand of gelatine here suggests that 5 sheets of their gelatine is the equivalent of 1 tablespoon (or 3 teaspoons) of powdered gelatine and will set 500ml of liquid.
Can I use powdered gelatin for the creme brulee? If so how much?
Hello,
I had an issue with the chocolate mousse. As I pour the sugar syrup into the whisked eggs the sugar crystalises and I end up with lumps of sugar in the bottom of my bowl.
I used a sugar thermometer to get it to the correct temperature however my syrup was clear and in the video yours is a bit golden.
Any ideas on how to stop this?
Thank you
Hi Lorna, If you have a good keep the mixer and keep it running till the bowl is cool, you shouldn’t get this happening. The beaters should stir up the base well enough to prevent crystallization from happening. 2 things could help. Check the accuracy of your candy thermometer to ensure the syrup gets hot enough . Add the sugar syrup to the eggs in a thin stream while the mixers are running. Also try moving the beaters or bowl to prevent the sugar syrup from collecting in the bottom of the bowl.
Thank you Ann. It was delicious but the glaze wasn’t perfect as I expected maybe because I used less amount of gelatin than you did Because I didn’t have enough
Hi Khawal, it looks pretty awesome from the photos. Well done!
Hello,
You make lovely videos.
I have a couple of questions.
How long can you keep the mousse frozen for before it has to be used. Wondering if I can make them ahead of time for an event.
Also you mention freezing the remaining glaze. How would you defrost it and use it?
Many thanks, Lorna
Hi Lorna, You can make the and assemble the mousse hemispheres and freeze them til you are ready to use them. As with all cake, fresh is going to be better but making them a couple of days or up to a week in advance can work well. It would be a good idea if you are planning to leave them in the freezer more than a day to cover the top of the tray with some plastic wrap or similar to prevent it from drying out. Left over glaze can be frozen in a zip lock bag to keep it fresh. When you are ready to use it, let the amount you need defrost out of the freezer, then warm very gently on the stove or using short bursts in the microwave. Stir it well to ensure there are no lumps.
Bonjour je suis française et ne comprend pas l anglais et j aimerai telemen réaliser la spirale en chocolat blanc je regarde la vidéo mais je comprend pas l anglais alors pouvez vous me dire si vous mettez quelque chose dans le chocolat ou pas ou si il dois etre tempérer !!?? J espère que vous me répondrez assez vite
Merci
Bonsoir Anne,
Si vous utilisez le vrai chocolat, il doit être trempé ou il ne sera pas fixé et de conserver sa forme. Si vous utilisez le chocolat composé ou faux, alors il n’est pas nécessaire de le tempérer. Merci!
C quoi que vous appellez chocolat composé ou faux chocolat ? Et vrai chocolat ?
J ai un peu de mal a comprendre désolé Ann
Merci de votre patience
A et encors désolée de vous embêter mais je veux rester la spirale sur un grand dôme et pas des petits comme vous ?pensez vous que cela marchera quand même?
Alors voilà j ai tester avec le chocolat nestlé blanc donc pas tempérer puisque faux chocolat comme vous dites et bien cela ne fonction pas du tout je l ai mis au frigo a refroidir avans de la prendre pour la poser sur l entremet et bien elle c est toute cassée donc ca ne fonctionne pas désolé
Salut, le vrai chocolat contient du beurre de cacao et a un goût de chocolat riche. Lorsqu’elle est tempérée, elle se maintiendra à température ambiante. Le chocolat composé ne contient pas de beurre de coco. Au lieu de cela, il contiendra d’autres graisses. Il ne goûte pas aussi bon mais n’a pas besoin d’être trempé. Vérifiez l’étiquette sur le chcolate et si elle contient du beurre de cacao, vous devrez le tremper avant d’essayer de faire la décoration. Ann n’a pas testé faire une grande spirale pour la décoration. Il pourrait fonctionner, mais est susceptible de se casser facilement ou de se pencher hors de forme si elle reste trop longtemps. Vous devriez expérimenter avec la taille que vous voulez et voir si vous êtes heureux avec le résultat.
can i use agar agar powder in place of gelatin?
Hi Pipli, Gelatin works best in this recipe. If you prefer not to use gelatin due to dietary requirements, you can replace it with halal gelatin which is a vegetarian preparation.
Nice recipe,Very informative and clear thanks.
Hi Ann
How long could I leave the unglazed spheres frozen?
HI Jacqui, Usually two hours would be more than enough.
Hey, Can I have the recipie for the white cchocolate spiral I can’t find it. Thank you!
Hi Cindy, Here it is: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/chocolate-spiral-dessert-recipe/
Which one is the best to make the spiral?
Hi Monique, If you are asking which type of gelatine then the powdered one is easier to work with.
Hi Ann, I’m really struggling to get powdered gelatin. Could I use gelatin sheets instead, if so how much do I use? I’m attempting these for the first time for a charity dinner party so am going to practise later so your feedback would b gratefully received!
Many thanks, best wishes from Abbe in the U.K.!!!
P.s my 8 year old son & I absolutely love watching you on You Tube. We think the stuff you create is awesome!
Hi Abbe, It is difficult to make a direct conversion as gelatine sheets come in different strengths. You will usually find some kind of information on the packaging that indicates how many gelatine leaves to set a specific liquid quantity. In this case you need about 20g powdered gelatine which in the UK should translate to roughly three leaves of standard strength. It is much easier to use powdered gelatine and this is usually easier to get a hold of that gelatine leaves. It is generally available in supermarkets near Baking powder.
how do I print this?
I can get cream which has 25% fat.. can I use that for the mirror glaze ?
Hi Pipli, You could get away with cream that has a 25% fat content for this recipe.
Hi Ann I watch ur channel every week, plus everyday watching ur old ones, and try making them last night. I made ur chocolate spiral dessert recipes without the white chocolate spiral, and everybody really enjoyed and loved it just wanted to say thank you so much.
They look Yummy Angela.
use regular white sugar yes or no
Hi Sage, Ann recommends using caster sugar or superfine sugar.