Chocolate Bombe with Marmalade Heart and Chocolate Triangle

This dessert is fantastic and definitely worth the trouble…switch up the marmalade for your favourite jam or perhaps a peppermint chocolate.  From Food and Drink Early Summer 2011.

6 oz (175 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup orange marmalade

GARNISH
1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Vanilla Sauce
Chocolate sorbet

1. Butter and sugar four 4.5 inch ceramic ramekins.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heavy pot over low heat.  Let cool slightly then stir in egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar.
3. Beat together egg whites with a pinch of salt and remaining 2 tbsp sugar until it holds slightly drooping peaks
4. Fold flour into reserved chocolate batter, then fold in egg whites.  Divide chocolate batter between prepared ramekins, then use the point of a butter knife to create a well in the centre of chocolate batter and spoon in 2 heaped teaspoons of marmalade. Carefully smooth top to cover marmalade.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
5. Preheat oven to 375F.
6. Bake cakes for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops of cakes just begin to look uniform.  Remove from oven and invert ramekins onto serving plates.  Leave for 5 minutes or until cake releases from ramekins.
7. To make garnish, melt chocolate in a heavy pot over low heat.  Set aside. Draw 4 triangles on a piece of parchment paper.  Brush each with a very thin layer of melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator to harden.  Brush each triangle with a second thin layer of chocolate and chill again.  Peel off parchment paper and set aside.
8. Serve cake surrounded by Vanilla Sauce, top with sorbet and chocolate triangle.

Vanilla Sauce

Love love love this sauce!  Use it on anything you can!  Make sure you use the vanilla bean…don't substitute with vanilla extract.

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 large eggs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Pinch sugar

1. Heat milk, cream and vanilla bean in a pot over medium heat until simmering.  Remove from heat and let sit 30 minutes to let flavours infuse.  Strain liquid and scrape vanilla seeds back into milk cream mixture.  Return to heat and bring to a simmer.
2. Beat together eggs, sugar and salt until slightly thickened.  Beat in warm vanilla cream and return to pot.  Stir over medium heat until sauce starts to thicken (do not allow to come to a boil as it will curdle).  Pour vanilla sauce into a bowl and chill in the refrigerator until using.