I love festive desserts. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pie and I’ll never turn down a homemade chocolate chip cookie, but for Christmas or any other big celebration I want something to ooh and aah over.  This is one such dessert. It’s so incredibly easy, but your guests will think you slaved for hours. 

I also like using ingredients that scream Christmas. Panettone and citron or other candied fruit fit that bill. So put on those Christmas songs and make a holiday dessert bombe to blow away your guests with an explosion of flavor. Okay, I’ll stop with the incendiary device references.

Christmas Bombe

Serves 12

1.5 qt. container good vanilla ice cream

2 lb. panettone (chocolate chip if you can get it)

½ c. sweet wine, like Sauternes or Sherry

1/3 c. seedless raspberry jam

4 oz. canned cherries in juice or syrup, drained

4 oz. glacéfruit (citron, lemon, or orange)

1 clementine, peeled and sliced thinly

2 oz. shelled pistachios

12 oz. 70% cacao dark chocolate, chopped

1 oz. unsalted butter

2 T. heavy or whipping cream

Assemble the ingredients and let the ice cream soften while you prep the bowl.

Line a 9 inch stainless bowl with several layers of plastic wrap with a 6-inch overhang all around.

Cut 5 – ½ inch slices of panettone from the bottom of the loaf, and cut 3 of them in half. Line the bowl with the ½ slices of panettone, cutting pieces to fit in the gaps and place a whole round slice at the bottom. Drizzle ½ of the sweet wine over the panettone. Spread the raspberry jam over the panettone with the back of a spoon.

Spread ½ of the softened ice cream over the bottom of the bowl. Layer the pistachios, cherries, glacéfruit, and sliced clementine over the ice cream. Spread the other ½ of the ice cream over the fruit and nuts. Spread some raspberry jam over the remaining round of panettone, and lay it jam side down over the ice cream. Sprinkle the remaining sweet wine over the top. 

Seal it tightly with the overhanging plastic wrap. Place a plate over the top, and weigh it down with a couple of hand weights, a brick, or a bag of ice. Place it in the freezer at least overnight or until it’s needed. It can be made a week ahead.

Place the chocolate, butter and cream in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and the butter and cream are incorporated. Pour into a microwave-safe container to cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Remove the bombe from the freezer, unwrap and turn out onto a decorative plate. Place it in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.  When ready to serve heat the chocolate sauce in the microwave for a minute or two, until smooth and pourable. Take the plastic wrap off of the bombe and bring to the table. Pour the chocolate sauce over the top and sides of the bombe. The sauce will harden slightly and form a shell. Slice into wedges and serve.

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The bombe can be garnished with any leftover cherries (if your husband hasn’t already eaten them) and maybe even put a sparkler on top!

Deborah

Deb Pepin Bullock is a Southcoast native, author, traveler and foodie who lives in Fairhaven. Follow her blog at deborahdishes.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/deborahwhodishesor on Twitter @deborahdishes.