This Mirror Glaze Christmas Ornament Dessert has a shiny red glaze, a cold chocolate cream center, and a raspberry layer that cuts through the richness for a fun Christmas dessert you can prep in stages.
225g(9oz)dark chocolateuse a chocolate you enjoy eating
600ml(2½cups)heavy cream
12chocolate cookiesArnott’s Choc Ripple biscuits for Australia
6tablespoon(tablespoon)raspberriesfrozen or fresh
Ganache Glue
80ml(3oz)dark chocolate
40ml(2½tablespoon)heavy cream
Red Shiny Mirror Glaze
100ml(⅓cup)water
140g(½cup)sweetened condensed milk
200g(⅔cup)glucose
200g(7oz)white chocolate
200g(1cup)sugar
6teaspoon(6teaspoon)gelatin
120ml(½cup)water
red food gel color
INSTRUCTIONS
Chocolate Decorations
Pour the melted chocolate into a piping bag. Snip a small opening.
Pipe small loops onto baking paper.
Cut a wide bubble tea straw into small pieces about 6 mm or one quarter inch long.
Fill each straw piece with chocolate and let them set.
Pipe small chocolate trees using a zig zag motion.
Let them all set until firm.
Push the set chocolate cylinders out of the straw pieces.
Add a dab of melted chocolate to the top of each cylinder.
Press a loop onto the chocolate and hold for a few seconds. The loop should stand on its own.
Spray with edible gold or brush with luster dust if needed. Set aside for assembly.
Chocolate Cream Filling
Add gelatine to cold water. Stir and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
Heat the heavy cream to just under boiling.
Add dark chocolate and bloomed gelatine to a heatproof bowl. Pour in the hot cream.
Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
Fill 12 silicone hemisphere cavities. Leave a small gap at the top.
Add frozen raspberries to each cavity. Place a cookie on top of the raspberries.
Add a small amount of chocolate cream over the cookie. Smooth the surface.
Freeze overnight covering after one hour to avoid freezer smells.
Ganache Glue
Add gelatin to cold water and let it bloom for 5 minutes.
Add white chocolate, condensed milk and bloomed gelatin to a heatproof jug. Set aside.
Add glucose syrup, water and sugar to a saucepan.
Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil and let it boil for one minute.
Remove from heat. Pour hot syrup over the chocolate mixture.
Let it sit for 5 minutes then blend with an immersion blender until smooth NB: Keep the blender head under the surface to avoid air bubbles forming.
Add red gel food color. Blend again until even.
Let the glaze cool to 32°C - 35°C or 90°F - 95°F. This is the best pouring temperature.
Assembly
Remove the frozen halves from the freezer.
Spoon a thin layer of ganache onto six halves. Add another half on top to form full spheres. Press very gently to secure the join.
Insert a toothpick into the top of each ornament.
Place a wire rack over a tray.
Stand each ornament on the rack.
Red Shiny Mirror Glaze
Pour the mirror glaze over the ornaments right away while they are frozen solid.
Leave to sit for two minutes to let the excess glaze drip into the tray.
Add a small dab of ganache to each cake board.
Lift each ornament using the toothpick. Slide an angled spatula under the base.
Scrape off drips and transfer to the cake board and remove the toothpick.
Press the gold chocolate hardware onto the top and sides before the glaze sets. Hold for a moment if needed.
Refrigerate the ornaments for at least two hours to thaw before serving.
NOTES
For the smoothest red mirror glaze finish, pour the glaze only when the ornaments are fully frozen. This helps the shiny glaze set instantly and keeps the color vibrant.
The glaze temperature matters for a mirror effect. Aim for 32°C to 35°C (90°F to 95°F) so the coating flows in one clean layer without streaks.
If the glaze slides off the frozen ornament dessert, it is slightly too warm. Let it cool and thicken before pouring again.
If the glaze looks thick or loses its shine, warm it in short bursts so it returns to its glossy mirror texture.
You can prep all chocolate decorations ahead of time. They stay firm, gold, and crisp, which works beautifully for Christmas ornament desserts.
Gel food coloring gives the richest red for a Christmas mirror glaze without changing the texture.
Frozen raspberries work best for the chocolate raspberry center because they hold their shape during slicing and give that classic entremet-style layer.
A small dab of ganache acts as edible glue and keeps each ornament steady on a cake board or serving plate.
Chill the finished ornaments for at least two hours before serving so the filling softens and the layers settle like a traditional mirror-glazed entremet.