Halloween just got a new spooky treat that is decidedly as unsettling as it is delicious. White chocolate domes are filled with vanilla pudding, then sealed in with a delicate layer of sponge cake. Breaking into each dome reveals a pocket of oozing jam that raises the gross-out factor while also upping the yum factor!
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 6 black candy melting wafers
- 2 ounces blue candy melting wafers
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unrefined coconut oil
- 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Deep red gel food coloring, for the pudding
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam
Instructions
- For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and egg until smooth and combined.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then turn out onto a cutting board. Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut 6 rounds from the cake (save the scraps for another use); set aside.
- For the white chocolate domes: Meanwhile, add 1 black candy melting wafer to each of the bottom cavities of a silicone half-sphere mold with six 3-ounce cavities. Microwave until the wafers are melted, about 1 minute. Transfer the mold to a baking sheet to keep it stable and tap it on a hard surface to make sure there are no air pockets. Freeze until hardened, about 5 minutes. These will be the pupils of the eyeballs.
- Combine the blue candy melting wafers with 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the wafers and coconut oil are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small piping bag. Pipe the blue mixture around each pupil to create an iris, then freeze until hardened, about 5 minutes.
- Combine 4 ounces of the white chocolate with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour the white chocolate mixture over the pupils and irises and tilt the mold to swirl the chocolate around until each half-sphere is coated entirely (you can also use your finger to swirl the chocolate around). Tap out any excess chocolate and freeze until the chocolate is hardened, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining 4 ounces white chocolate and 1 tablespoon coconut oil to create a second white chocolate layer. (Some chocolate may spill over on top of the mold, which is fine; it will break off when you unmold the domes.) Tap out any excess chocolate and freeze until the chocolate is hardened, about 5 minutes.
- For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the cream and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until small bubbles begin to form around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add the dry mixture to the saucepan in 3 additions, whisking well after each addition. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, about 4 minutes. (Do not allow the mixture to boil; adjust the heat if needed.) Remove from the heat and add the butter, vanilla and 5 drops of gel coloring. Whisk to combine. Transfer the pudding to a medium glass bowl, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Scoop 3 tablespoons of the pudding into each white chocolate cavity in the half-sphere mold. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a divot in the middle of each portion of pudding about halfway down. Dollop a heaping teaspoon of the raspberry jam into each divot. Top each half-sphere with a cake round, pressing down gently into the pudding just so the cake adheres to the pudding. Freeze until the pudding is set, about 30 minutes.
- Gently peel the mold away from each of the domes and trim the edges with a paring knife if needed. Place them cake-side down on a serving platter. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 758 |
| Total Fat | 46 g |
| Saturated Fat | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 81 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 57 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 108 mg |
| Sodium | 281 mg |