Triple chocolate baubles

Method

1. For the chocolate spheres, put 170g of the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) and leave to melt, stirring now and then. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the chocolate; once it reaches 37-43°C (it won’t be fully melted at this point), remove from the heat and add the remaining 130g chocolate (this will reduce the temperature). Stir until fully melted. Check the temperature again and put it back over the pan of hot water to return to 28°C. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir in the raspberry powder (if using) to turn the chocolate pink.
2. Use a spoon to dollop some chocolate into the half-sphere moulds. Swirl around until thinly coated, then tip upside down over the bowl, swirling some more. One you’ve created a thick enough layer, leave upside down on a wire rack to set for 1 hour. Once set, use a palette knife to carefully remove the excess chocolate from around the mould and even up the edges of the spheres (keep any excess chocolate for later). Transfer the moulds to the fridge, facing up, until you’re ready to assemble.
3. To make the chocolate truffles, put the chopped milk chocolate in a small bowl and the cream in a small pan. Heat the cream gently until steaming, then pour over the chocolate. Leave to melt for a minute, then stir to combine. Cool, then chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
4. Beat the choc truffle mix with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in the shortbread and popping candy (if using). Scoop and roll into 6 small truffle-size balls and sit on a tray. Return to the fridge for at least 15 minutes, or until you’re ready to assemble the dessert.
5. When you’re ready to assemble the baubles, make the mousse. Melt the dark chocolate in a large bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Set aside to cool until lukewarm. With an electric mixer, beat the egg white in a bowl to stiff peaks (that stay up when you take the whisk away). In another bowl, whisk the cream almost to soft (floppy) peaks. Don’t overwhip it as it will stiffen further when mixed with the other ingredients. Working quickly to avoid the chocolate becoming grainy, stir the egg yolk into the lukewarm chocolate, then mix in the whipped cream. Gently fold in the egg whites using a large metal spoon and a figure-of-eight motion. Carefully use a rubber spatula to transfer the mousse to a piping bag (do your best not to press out the air pockets you’ve created).
6. Carefully remove the chocolate spheres from the moulds. Melt the reserved raspberry white chocolate again. Put a half-sphere on a serving plate like a bowl – use a dot of the melted chocolate underneath to hold it in place. Pipe in some chocolate mousse to cover the base, then put a chocolate truffle on top. Pipe over more mousse so it’s completely covered. Repeat with 5 more half-spheres to fill 6 in total.
7. Dip a clean finger in the melted white chocolate and run this around the rim of each filled half-sphere, then sit an empty half-sphere on top of each to complete the spherical shape. Use a little more melted chocolate to attach the strawberry laces around the bauble to cover the join. Pinch a section of strawberry lace together to create loops, then add a dot of chocolate to the top of each bauble to attach the joined lace ends. Put the baubles in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set. Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving.