Chocolate Tulip Bowl / Chocolate Dessert Bowl

Excited about another Chocolate recipe!!! 

Create a beautiful decorative bowl that is edible and elegant for any special occasion. This simple and effortless recipe is so much fun to make and impress your guests. 

This is my second attempt to make these edible chocolate bowls. Chose to create different shapes - a textured tulip shape and a smooth dome shape. These chocolate bowls can hold different treats and yummy desserts like chocolate candies, pretzel sticks, candied popcorns, custard, pudding, ice cream, mousse, whipped cream with fruits, and the options are endless... I have filled my Chocolate Tulip bowl with Eggless Tiramisu Mousse. CLICK HERE for the recipe. I  also created a budding tulip for a milkshake this time. 

All you need is one main ingredient, which is chocolate of any kind of good quality. Working with semi-sweet or dark chocolate is easier than white chocolate. Balloons are used as an inexpensive mould. They must be pre-washed with soapy water and dried thoroughly, as even a tiny drop of water can ruin the texture of your melted chocolate. I used 6-8 water balloons (inflated with air - 6 inches), and it seemed to be just the right size to work with. Also, note that some are allergic to latex; if so, opt for a mould that's available in any craft store. The best part is that the melted chocolate can be reused. So no worries about wasting the leftover chocolate. 

Now is the time to WOW your guests or your spouse for this Valentine's Day with your glorious and beautiful tulip bowl filled with your favorite and delicious dessert.

Ingredient:

Semi-sweet Chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Inflate your clean balloons with air and set them upright on a cup, or line a tray with parchment paper for the chocolate-dipped balloons to set and cool.

2. Melt chocolate in a clean microwave-safe bowl that can easily fit in your inflated balloons. For directions to melt your chocolate, check my Cream Cheese Truffle recipe.   

3. Let the chocolate cool for about 3-5 mins. Use your clean fingertip to check for a runny but warm temperature. If it's too hot, the heat can burst your balloon, creating a messy kitchen. 

4. For marbleized effect - Use both white and dark /semi-sweet chocolate. In a bowl of melted semi-sweet chocolate, add a small amount of melted white chocolate and make very light swirls using a knife, and then dip your balloons in it. Do this in a small quantity, because if both the flavored chocolates are mixed, the excess cannot be reused. 

5. Simple flower-shaped bowl- Dip the balloon the same as above, but at an angle on all sides about 5-6 times, creating petal shapes. But this bowl has to be placed on a lined parchment paper for the base to set well, to prevent it from rolling. I tried the same flower shape and also covering almost one half of the balloon fully (6 inches) to give a unique shape. 

6. Tulip-shaped bowl- I used my rubber spatula and applied from top to bottom (about 4 inches), to have the textured petal effect. Once all the sides are covered with chocolate, rest it on the parchment paper. 

7. Tulip bud shape - Do the same as the tulip bowl, but all the way to the knotted area, leaving about a 1.5-inch diameter opening. It is quite tricky to remove the balloon after deflating, so patiently and gently peel off the balloon from the bottom. 

8. Dome shape- Holding the knotted end, dip the bottom of inflated balloons in the melted chocolate about 3 inches or more as per your desired size and lift it gently to shake off the excess. Quickly turn it upright and place it on the cup to set.

9. To set these bowls, place them all in the fridge for 15-20 mins.

10. Remove from the fridge, and now is the fun part of deflating the balloons. You may use a pair of scissors to cut the knotted area, as the balloon slowly deflates. I prefer to use a needle to poke the balloons for the tulip shape for the edges to slightly curve. 

11. Very gently pull off the balloons from the bottom. It is very tricky to remove from the bud-shaped bowl. I used scissors and held the knot in the other hand. Once the air is released, gently pull the balloon off. If it's difficult, use a long needle to pull out the balloon. 

12. Always keep the chocolate bowls cool (refrigerated) until you are ready to serve them with your desired filling.

Dome presentation (video attached):
Placed 3 small scoops of dulce de leche ice-cream in a shallow plate with berries and chopped nuts. I covered it completely with the chocolate bowl dome. Quickly pour in a hot chocolate (espresso flavored) ganache in the center for the dome to open up on the top and break down eventually. To view a video, click here!

Expresso chocolate ganache:

Using the remaining chocolate that we dipped in, I added 1 cup of cream, 1 teaspoon of instant espresso, and 3 teaspoons of powdered sugar. Mix all the ingredients together and bring it to a boil for the hot expresso chocolate ganache to melt your chocolate dome. 

Notes:

• Chocolate chips are an easier way to melt evenly in a microwave or double broiler.
• If you want your chocolate bowl to be thick to hold your dessert for a longer period, I would repeat the dipping process after the 1st layer is set. 
• You may spray cooking oil onto the balloons before dipping them in the chocolate to remove, although I didn't have to use it.
• Cold desserts like ice cream work very well.
• Make this Valentine's Day special with these delicious and glorious desserts with your favorite filling... Any guesses on my next post?