I made this amazing, showstopping chocolate ball dessert for a recent family gathering that celebrated two milestone birthdays.  This dessert needed to take all the dietary restrictions into consideration.  It had to be somewhat dairy and  gluten-free.  I made a cherry clafoutis as the base to secure the hollow chocolate spheres that were filled with coconut cream ice-cream.  The chocolate balls were set alight with grand marnier, melting the chocolate into a sauce, resulting in a cherries jubilee on a skillet crepe!  It was definitely a dessert to remember and I highly recommend this dessert for that memorable occasion!

The chocolate domes are very versatile.  It can be used as a cup when using half the sphere or joined together to form a hollow sphere.  The sphere can be filled with chocolate powder for a "hot chocolate bomb" or any other surprises, like ice cream.  I like adding ice cream into the sphere and lighting the ball with a flavored liqueur to somewhat melt the chocolate into chocolate sauce.

Tips for making this amazing chocolate ball dessert.

It is best to make and assemble the chocolate spheres a day or two ahead of time and allow the contents of the chocolate spheres to freeze properly.  It is also a good idea to make a practice ball and go through the lighting process prior to actually serving your showstopping dessert.  If you have any questions, ask them in the comment section.

Silicone molds.

I have spent a long time experimenting how to make chocolate spheres.  Buying silicone molds is the easiest to work with.  The surface is smooth and pliable so that the chocolate releases easily and the domes are nice and smooth.  I like using this 3.15" (8 cm) size for dessert as it is large enough to accomodate a scoop of ice cream!

Chocolate.

Use either semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.  You can add a layer of dark and a layer of semi-sweet chocolate since layers will be applied!  Coconut oil is also added to keep the chocolate viscous.  Melt the chocolate in batches to ensure that the chips melt uniformly without burning.  It is also convenient to melt the chocolate in a mason jar so that you can save any leftovers for future use.

Alcohol.

Alcohol is used to ignite the balls of chocolate so it is not a kid-friendly dessert.  The alcohol needs to have a 40% alcohol to volume ratio or 80 proof.  Higher alcohol content will be more flammable and dangerous.  Lower alcohol levels run the risk of not igniting.  Grand marnier is an excellent choice because of the correct alcohol content and the orange flavor "afternotes" when most of the alcohol burns off. Choose a liqueur flavor that you like, because you will be able to taste it!

Briefly microwave the alcohol in a microwavable container to emit the alcohol vapors.  This makes it easier  for the alcohol to ignite.

Disposable gloves.

Use disposable gloves when removing the hardened chocolate from the molds, making the spheres and plating the dessert to avoid putting fingerprints onto the chocolate.

Making the chocolate ball.

Place a dinner plate in a preheated oven or toaster oven at low heat for about 10 minutes until the plate is warm enough to melt the edges of the chocolate domes to stick the domes together.

Plating the chocolate balls.

When plating the chocolate balls for this amazing chocolate ball dessert, make sure that the balls do not roll around.  The ice cream does help weigh the balls down, but it will still wobble. To secure the balls in place, place the chocolate balls on a piece of cake, a dollup of whipped cream, some chocolate sauce or surround them with berries 

Fire safety.

Curved lip container.

The container on which you plate your chocolate ball should have a curved lip to catch the burning alcohol.  Do not use a completely flat surface as the alcohol will run over the sides, resulting in a fire hazard.

Non-flammable presentation area.

The fire display should be on a surface that is non-flammable like a metal or stone tray with the audience at a safe distance.

Metal dispenser.

The dispenser from which you are pouring the burning alcohol needs to be metal.  A metal gravy boat or long-handled measuring cup works well.  Do not use glass or plastic containers that will crack and melt.

Lighter.

Use a long reach lighter for igniting the chocolate balls instead of matches as the tip of the match may fall into the alcohol.

Items on hand.

Just in case something unfortunate does happen, the following items are good to have to snuff out unnecessary flames:  a curved metal saucepan or wok lid, baking soda or a fire extinguisher.

If you make this show stopping dessert, let me know how it turned out in the comment section.  More importantly, if you have ANY questions on how to do this correctly and safely, don't hesitate to ask in the comment section.  I will be more than happy to help you make this YOUR show stopping dessert!