Avida Dollars: Surreal Red Orbs, Mulled-Wine Heart
Nadège Nourian, adapted by JojoM
Mini red-velveted spheres with cinnamon mousse, mulled-wine jelly, orange madeleine & almond crunch—spray-velvet finish and Dali-style chocolate ‘moustaches’.
Avida Dollars: Surreal Red Orbs, Mulled-Wine Heart 🍷✨
Step into the world of surrealism and patisserie with Avida Dollars — a dessert inspired by Salvador Dalí’s eccentric flair and Nadège Nourian’s artistry. These mini red-velveted spheres conceal layers of cinnamon mousse, mulled-wine jelly, orange madeleine, and almond crunch, all finished with a cocoa-butter velvet spray and whimsical chocolate ‘moustaches’ 🎨🍫.
Each orb is a playful contradiction — warm spices wrapped in icy red luxury, softness meeting crunch, elegance meeting humour — the essence of edible art.
🧡 Inspiration & Concept
When Elle Canada challenged Nadège to create a cake representing Surrealism, she channelled Dalí’s theatrical imagination.
The result: bold red spheres, a nod to his flamboyant palette, and delicate chocolate decorations shaped like his unmistakable moustache.
Inside, flavours evoke winter evenings — mulled wine for depth, orange madeleine for brightness, and cinnamon mousse for warmth. Each bite feels like stepping into a dream sequence where pastry meets art. 🍊🌀
🔥 The Flavour Story
- Cinnamon mousse infuses cracked sticks in cream, creating an aromatic, velvety base.
- Mulled-wine jelly adds adult elegance with spiced red wine notes that pair beautifully with the creamy mousse.
- Orange madeleine brings nostalgic comfort — buttery, soft, and lightly citrusy.
- Almond crunch adds textural contrast and roasted aroma.
Finally, a red velvet cocoa-butter spray transforms each frozen sphere into a matte, dreamlike sculpture — best admired before devouring. ❤️
🧊 Technique & Assembly Tips
Making Avida Dollars is a five-hour ritual of layering and patience, perfect for seasoned bakers or those ready to level up their entremets skills.
🥄 Chef’s Tips:
- Freeze inserts completely for clean layers and a smooth cut.
- Keep the spray gun mixture at ~50°C for that fine, velvet-like finish.
- Crack cinnamon sticks before infusion — the flavour release is unbeatable.
- Substitute invert sugar with honey or glucose if unavailable.
- Let the finished cakes rest overnight to let flavours harmonise.
This dessert rewards precision — the kind that turns a pastry into sculpture.
🎨 Presentation & Serving
Before serving, each orb is dressed with three delicate dark chocolate ‘moustache’ triangles, curving elegantly around the base. The effect is theatrical — a surrealist wink that delights both eyes and palate.
Serve chilled, ideally on a black or gold platter, to highlight the contrast of the matte red finish and glossy chocolate décor. Pair with a small pour of spiced dessert wine or espresso for the full experience. ☕️
💡 Final Thoughts
Avida Dollars captures the magic of transforming familiar ingredients into something emotionally and visually evocative. The name itself — Dalí’s own play on “Avida Dollars” (avid for dollars) — hints at the cheeky, extravagant soul behind this creation.
This isn’t just dessert — it’s culinary surrealism in motion, where flavour, texture, and colour all tell a story. 🌹🍷
Author: Nadège Nourian, adapted by JojoM
Avida Dollars: Surreal Red Orbs, Mulled-Wine Heart
Nadège Nourian, adapted by JojoMMini red-velveted spheres with cinnamon mousse, mulled-wine jelly, orange madeleine & almond crunch—spray-velvet finish and Dali-style chocolate ‘moustaches’.
Chef's Tips
Freeze inserts solid for clean layers; assemble spheres while one half is frozen and the other just set for a perfect seal.
Keep velvet spray mixture at ~50°C for a fine, even texture; test on parchment before spraying cakes.
Crack whole cinnamon sticks before infusing to maximise flavour extraction without bitterness.
If you lack invert sugar for the madeleine, swap for runny honey or glucose in equal weight.
Chill finished cakes overnight to relax the mousse and balance the spice with citrus.
Tools Used
Piping Bag
We use affiliate links, which may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Ingredients
Orange Madeleine (bases for 10)
Crunchy Orange (praline-almond layer)
Soft Mulled-Wine Jelly (insert)
Cinnamon Mousse
Red Velvet Spray Coating
Chocolate ‘Moustaches’ (decor)
Instructions
Orange Madeleine
- 1
Whisk invert sugar, caster sugar, egg and orange zest until slightly foamy.
- 2
Sift flour with baking powder and salt; whisk into egg mixture.
- 3
Stream in melted butter (≈45°C) and mix just to combine.
- 4
Pipe into 10 mini 4.2 cm half-sphere moulds. Preheat to 210°C, then bake at 170°C for 6–10 minutes until set. Unmould and reserve.
Crunchy Orange
- 1
Cream butter and sugar smooth.
- 2
Fold in almonds, flour, salt and zest.
- 3
Spread very thinly on silicone-lined tray; bake at 150°C until golden. Cool, then break into small shards.
Soft Mulled-Wine Jelly
- 1
Heat wine just to steaming; remove from heat.
- 2
Add spices, zest and sugar; cover and infuse 20 minutes.
- 3
Strain, then dissolve softened gelatine into the warm wine.
- 4
Pour into cleaned mini half-sphere moulds (4.2 cm) and freeze solid.
Cinnamon Mousse
- 1
Bring milk and cream (part 1) to a boil; add cracked cinnamon, cover and infuse 20 minutes. Strain.
- 2
Whisk yolks with sugar until pale; temper with hot dairy, then cook to 85°C, stirring, to make an anglaise.
- 3
Stir in gelatine to dissolve. Cool over ice to 25°C.
- 4
Fold in softly whipped cream (part 2).
Assembling the Spheres
- 1
In 10 of the 7 cm half-sphere moulds, pipe mousse, insert a frozen wine jelly, add more mousse, scatter crunchy orange, top with mousse and level. Freeze until solid.
- 2
In the other 10 moulds, pipe mousse, press in a madeleine, add mousse, add crunchy shards, top with mousse and level. Refrigerate just to set.
- 3
Unmould the frozen halves and cap onto the refrigerated halves to form complete spheres. Freeze to set.
- 4
Unmould with the madeleine side as the base. Dot a little melted chocolate underneath to create a stable foot.
Red Velvet Spray & Finish
- 1
Melt white chocolate and cocoa butter together; add red colouring. Maintain at ~50°C for spraying.
- 2
Spray frozen spheres evenly to create a velvet texture. Chill to defrost in the fridge.
- 3
Spread tempered dark chocolate thinly on acetate, cut tall triangles (≈2 cm base × 10 cm height) and curve the sheet before setting to mimic ‘moustaches’.
- 4
Before serving, tuck three chocolate ‘moustaches’ around each sphere.
Comments & Reviews
Sophie
10/12/2025
That velvet spray finish is stunning—mulled wine jelly inside is such a grown-up surprise.
Marco
10/12/2025
Orange madeleine base adds a beautiful citrus note. A bit labour-intensive but worth it.
Priya
10/12/2025
Did half red wine, half cranberry juice—set perfectly and tasted festive.
Daniel
10/12/2025
Spray gun at 50°C was the key; my first pass was too thick. Second try: flawless felt texture.
Elena
10/12/2025
Chocolate moustache triangles are such a playful nod to Dali. Showstopper on the table!
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 mini cake (of 10)
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
