It’s funny how some of the major decisions in our life are made on impulse.

One weekend, over a month ago I was in the kitchen (where else?) when my husband walked in and mentioned that a house we had looked at four years ago was again for sale.

“Which one?” I asked.

“The one on so and so street, with the sandstone facade, large kitchen (he knew how to get my attention) and backyard.” he said. “Do you want to have a look?” he continued.

I remembered that one. It was a brand new house we both fell in love with but for one reason or another we didn’t buy it. And now four years later the house was up for sale again.

“Nooooo. I said.” I remembered the last time we bought a house. First there was the heartbreak of being told that our bid was accepted only to be gazumped, the frustration of losing out on several auctions and of course the stress of our last move where I packed over 80 boxes. Plus, I didn’t think it was in our price range. “I’m busy baking.” I told my husband.

He didn’t insist. He just sighed, picked up a newspaper and sat down reading on the dining table. He looked disappointed.

So just to make him happy, even if I knew there was no way I would go through that stress again, I said “Okay, let’s go. Let’s take my Mom.” Little did I realize that my husband and my Mom are a deadly tag team. Together they could convince anyone to do anything.

We got home that afternoon and decided to put in a bid.

I think had I thought about it more, I would have been more rational. I wouldn’t have gotten caught up in the excitement, after all, our current house suits our needs just fine.

So the big news is that we’re moving in a few weeks! I wish I could have said something sooner but you know, nothing’s final until contracts are actually exchanged, which happened last week. I’m scared, stressed and unbelievably excited.

I think that making this Chocolate Bombe Alaska is a bit like moving homes. It’s complicated, stressful and not something you do everyday. In fact, I hesitated making it because of its complexity, but the results are definitely worth it.

There a four components to this dessert. First there is a brownie base, then a layer of chocolate coated coco pops, then a hazelnut mousse and finally, the dessert is covered in italian meringue then torched for colour. I made it as part of a competition Lindt was holding where the prize was a chocolate hamper, which I luckily won.

Sometimes, we should just seize the moment.

Chocolate Bombe Alaska

Brownie Base

115 grams butter

10 grams melted butter, for greasing pan

150 grams sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

280 grams Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa chopped into pieces

65 grams flour

20 grams cocoa powder

Pre heat the oven to 180c. Melt butter and remove from heat. In a separate bowl add the butter to sugar add this to the whisked eggs then add the mixture to the Lindt 70% chocolate. Add in the flour and cocoa powder, mix gently. Spread in a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes. Cool and cut into the base shape.

Rice Crispy Base

50 grams cocoa pops flavoured

30 grams roasted, chopped hazelnuts

100 grams Lindt Excellence 50% cocoa, chopped into pieces

Combine the hazelnuts and the coco pops in a bowl. Melt the chocolate and combine the hazelnut mixture with the chocolate. Lay out on a silpat to cool.

Hazelnut Mousse

65 grams caster sugar

20 ml water

1 egg

4 egg yolks

175 grams hazelnut praline paste

300 ml cream

7 grams gelatin sheet (1.5 sheets)

Whisk cream until semi-soft then place this in the fridge. Using a stand mixer or hand held beater, mix the egg and egg yolks. Boil sugar and water until 121c. Pour over whisked eggs and beat the mixture until room temperature. Fold half of the cream with hazelnut paste a little at a time to loosen the mixture. Fold the cream/hazelnut paste to the egg/sugar mixture. Allow the gelatine to bloom by soaking in water. Squeeze out the excess water and microwave the gelatine for 10 seconds. Pour some of the cream/hazelnut/egg mixture into the gelatine to temper and then mix. Pour the gelatine mixture back into the rest of the cream/hazelnut/egg mixture and fold in the rest of the cream.

Italian Meringue

130 grams caster sugar

30 grams water

Egg whites from 4 eggs

Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and take the temperature to 121c. When the heat reaches around 90c, start whisking the egg whites. Once the egg whites have reached a semi-soft stage and the sugar has hit 110c, pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites and continue to beat until the bowl has come to room temperature and the mixture has cooled.

To assemble, using silicon moulds, pipe some hazelnut mousse on the mould, followed by the rice crispy base and finally the brownie. Place in the freezer for 2 hours until the mousse has set. Remove from the moulds once set and pipe the Italian meringue. Use a blow torch to colour the meringue.