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This Chocolate Dessert Blooms Open Like a Flower – Here's How

The chocolate petals bloom open as you eat it.

ByABC News
March 16, 2015, 2:24 PM

— -- Ever seen those mesmerizing sped-up videos of flowers as they bloom?

This is that and so much more -- because it’s chocolate and you can eat it. A pastry chef in Lisbon, Portugal, has created a dessert of chocolate petals that bloom open as you eat it.

The chocolate petals are wrapped around chocolate mousse, whipped cream, sour cherries and sour cherries sorbet, all kept very cold on a chilled plate. Then, hot catalan cream is poured onto the cold plate.

PHOTO: The chocolate flower dessert, closed.
The chocolate flower dessert, closed.

“The temperature shock makes the petals open just like a natural flower and thickens the Catalan cream,” creator Joaquim Sousa told ABC News of the magical dessert.

Sousa, pastry chef at Ipsylon restaurant in Hotel The Oitavos created the dessert as part of a 45 Euro tasting menu themed “dark forest.”

PHOTO: The chocolate flower dessert, as it opens.
The chocolate flower dessert, as it opens.

“In Portuguese, forest is called ‘floresta,’ and if you divide the word you get another word: ‘flôr,’ which means flower,” he said. “That took us to the idea of creating a flower. Now that we had the idea we had to make it work and after a lot of research, we finally got to the final product.”

Sousa said a lot of attention was paid to the dessert’s flavor, which has delighted guests.

PHOTO: The chocolate flower dessert, fully open
The chocolate flower dessert, fully open

“Guests are amazed and surprised not only because of the show, but also because of the taste,” he explained. “Before getting the art done we have to make sure it tastes divine, as that is ultimately the most important."